CHATTER: T.O. CLOSING IN ON BIG LEAGUE WORLD SERIES.

Byline: HEATHER GRIPP Staff Writer

Thousand Oaks is a win away from returning to the Little League Big League World Series for the third time in four years. The team of 17-and 18-year-olds plays for the Western Regional championship today in Ollala, Wash., with the winner advancing to the World Series in South Carolina.

Thousand Oaks used a barrage of home runs to score a combined 47 runs while winning its first three games at the double-elimination tournament.

Thousand Oaks will face the winner of Monday night's elimination game between Northern California champion San Ramon and host Washington. Thousand Oaks would have to lose twice today to not return to the World Series, where it was the runner-up last year.

Chad Smith (3-0) is Thousand Oaks' scheduled starter for the noon game. He's supported by an offense that has hit 18 home runs in the past three games, including 10 in Friday's 17-13 victory over Hawaii.

Outfielder Cody Fierro from Newbury Park High, has a team-high four homers at the regional after homering twice with five RBIs in Sunday's 14-3 win over Washington. Outfielder Cole Kahle of Thousand Oaks High hit three home runs with seven RBIs in a 4-for-5 performance against Hawaii. Second baseman Ben Yarin (Agoura), catcher Stephen Notaro (Westlake) and infielder Garrett Rau (Camarillo) each have three home runs in three games.

``We've been hitting the ball really well,'' Thousand Oaks coach Matt Ricatto said. ``The field's not that big, but our guys have been hitting some legitmate home runs. They've been crushing the ball.''

Thousand Oaks is 11-2 overall this summer.

Former El Camino Real of Woodland Hills ace Greg Acheatel singed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers on Monday and is scheduled to join their rookie-level team in Ogden on Wednesday.

Acheatel, who began his college career at Cal, considered returning to Cal in the fall, but said he couldn't resist the chance to play for the organization he grew up watching. Tommy Lasorda was among those on hand to welcome him to the organization when Acheatel signed his contract at Dodger Stadium.

The 22-year-old right-hander was 6-2 with 102 strikeouts in 105 innings this year as a sophomore for Pierce College.

ECR graduate Bianca Mejia has been named a first team softball All- American by EA Sports.

The Michigan State-bound Mejia had 16 home runs and 75 runs this spring for the City Section semifinalists. Valencia pitcher Jordan Taylor, a Michigan-bound right-hander who led the state with 416 strikeouts, was selected to the second-team All-America roster.

Former Camarillo High softball standout Cambria Miranda had to contend with a lot more than just curveballs last week at the World University Games in Taiwan.

Miranda and the rest of the United States' team had to fly through a typhoon just to get to Taiwan.

The team's flight had to be re-routed several times because of flight conditions and wound up traveling the last five hours by bus. Despite the difficult journey, Miranda and the rest of the U.S. team were able to take home gold medals with a 4-3, eight-inning victory over Chinese Taipei in the championship game.

--Ramona Shelburne and Erik Boal contributed

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