BASEBALL NOTEBOOK: N.D.'S STANTON IS DRAWING ATTENTION.

Byline: HEATHER GRIPP Staff Writer

Mike Stanton began the summer as the unexpected center of attention at the USA Baseball Junior Olympics West in Arizona, where his coach was bombarded with inquiries about the outfielder from Notre Dame High of Sherman Oaks.

Stanton stole the spotlight by batting a team-high .517 while leading his travel team, the Anderson Bats, to the tournament final.

Few in the baseball community were familiar with Stanton because opportunities to see him on the diamond can be scarce in his busy multi-sport schedule.

However, baseball scouts and college coaches from around the country will get a chance to see Stanton play plenty in the upcoming week. He is one of 11 locals selected to play in this year's Area Code Games, which begin Saturday at Blair Field in Long Beach.

``His stock has soared,'' said Phil Van Horn, a coach with the Anderson Bats, who raved about Stanton's performance at the Junior Olympics.

Stanton's relative anonymity in baseball stemmed from his commitments to football and basketball.

The athletic 6-foot-4, 205-pound incoming senior is a standout in both sports and is a Division I college football prospect as a wide receiver and defensive back for Notre Dame.

Baseball gets first priority for the next week. Stanton will play for the Milwaukee Brewers Gray team, which plays its first game Sunday against the White Sox/Northeast. The eight-team showcase continues through Thursday.

Area Code opener: Westlake infielder Cutter Dykstra, Simi Valley pitcher Nick Barnese and El Camino Real of Woodland Hills pitcher Casey Fry are on the Brewers Blue team, which faces the Texas Rangers representative at 4 p.m. Saturday in the only game of the Area Code Games' first day.

The day begins with batting practice and skill evaluations for players from all the teams.

Kolodny commits: El Camino Real of Woodland Hills third baseman Tyler Kolodny has committed to Fresno State. He was a first team All-City selection this year as a junior with the City semifinalists.

Highland riding high: Highland of Palmdale is playing in the American Legion 17-and-under division Area 6 playoffs this weekend in Oxnard.

Highland advanced by winning its final five games at last week's District 20 tournament, including two victories over top-seeded Acton on Sunday to clinch the championship. Highland is the first Antelope Valley-area team to win a District 20 title in more than a decade.

World Series time: Newbury Park infielder Jack Marder and Agoura catcher Richard Stock, both incoming sophomores, are members of the Trombly Cubs, who are competing in the 16-and-under Mickey Mantle World Series in McKinney, Texas.

The Cubs opened with a 12-11, 11-inning victory over the Midland Braves on Wednesday.

Party time: Thousand Oaks Little League is holding a homecoming celebration Tuesday for its 18-and-under Big League team, which is in Easley, S.C. this week for the Big League World Series. The festivities are scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. at Gardens of the World.

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