JETHAWKS NOTEBOOK: MORGAN HAS FOND MEMORIES OF HOME.

Byline: Gideon Rubin Staff Writer

VISALIA - Matt Morgan admits he was a little nervous going into Monday night's game against the Visalia Oaks, as a contingency of about 40 local residents came to cheer their hometown boy.

A lifelong Visalia resident who played for Visalia's Mt. Whitney High and College of the Sequoias, Morgan fondly remembers many summer nights spent cheering on his beloved Oaks and chasing foul balls at Recreation Park.

``When I was a kid I used to come here all the time,'' an emotional Morgan said before Monday's game. ``It's a dream come true to play pro ball anywhere, but to be able to come here and play in my hometown in front of everybody, that's pretty cool.''

Morgan's friends, relatives and well-wishers sat in a reserved-level section just behind the JetHawks dugout avidly cheered for Morgan, a utilityman who played second base Monday in a 6-4 JetHawks victory.

Although Morgan went 0 for 3, cheers erupted when he hit a grounder to third in the fifth - he hustled down the line and dove into first to avoid a tag on a high throw. The play was ruled an error, but two batters later Morgan scored from third on a double-play grounder, giving the JetHawks a 5-3 lead.

Morgan gave area fans who didn't know him something to cheer about, too, striking out as the designated ``Beer Batter,'' in the seventh, meaning that beer was discounted for the next 10 minutes.

--With attitude: Jay Garthwaite drove about 1,000 miles in just more than 24 hours to get to Visalia in time for Monday's game after being assigned to Lancaster from Double-A El Paso (Texas).

He turned out to make the key play, hitting an opposite-field, three-run homer to right center in the fourth that gave the JetHawks a 4-3 lead. He also made an outstanding defensive play in the first in left field, a leaping catch over his head while on the run.

``It's his first game, but he came here with a great attitude,'' JetHawks manager Wally Backman said. ``I've only seen him one day, but I really liked the way he went about his business today, and not just that he hit the home run, even though that was a big home run.''

--Brooks is back: Arriving in Visilia about the same time as Garthwaite was outfielder Doc Brooks, who was 0 for 3 as the designated hitter Monday.

Brooks' arrival took some ingenuity though. After an already paid for limousine wanted to charge Brooks for a ride from an airport in Fresno to Visalia, hitting coach Eric Fox arranged to have his brother, who lives in the Fresno area and planned to attend Monday's game, drive Brooks to the game.

--On the way: Infielders Steve Garrabrants and Dan Uggla and pitcher Sam Smith, who were among six players assigned to Lancaster from El Paso, were expected to join the team Tuesday. Pitcher Sergio Lizarraga, who was among the six El Paso players assigned to Lancaster, remained with the Diablos because of an elbow injury to pitcher Dustin Nippert.

--New closer: Backman has designated Greg Belson as the JetHawks' closer. Belson, who's coming off shoulder and back surgeries that sidelined him all of last season, has had success in that role in the past, leading the parent Arizona Diamondbacks' minor league system with 16 saves at Single-A South Bend (Ind.) in 2001.

Belson replaces Jason Bulger, who was among six JetHawks promoted to El Paso on Monday.

--Futures: Former JetHawks outfielder Conor Jackson and first baseman Jesus Cota will play in next month's Future's game, an elite-level prospect showcase played two days before the major league all-star game.

Gideon Rubin, [phone]

gideon.rubin(at)dailynews.com