Area Roundup : Coaching Moves Highlight Start of Baseball Season

The community college baseball season opens this weekend, with one coach debuting and another returning at Orange County schools.

Bert Villarreal takes over at Golden West for longtime coach Fred Hoover, who has become an assistant to Cal State Fullerton Coach Larry Cochell after 22 seasons at Golden West. Villarreal was an assistant to Hoover the last 5 seasons.

Jim Brideweser returns at Saddleback, where he coached from 1975 to ‘81, before retiring from coaching. Brideweser assisted Marshall Adair the past 2 seasons at Saddleback, but Brideweser was rehired after Adair wasn’t offered the job at the end of the season. Adair died of a heart attack last summer.

Saddleback opens the season today at 2 p.m. at Rio Hondo. Golden West opens Saturday at 1 p.m. at San Diego Southwestern.

Cypress opens with Chaffey at Angel Stadium in Palm Springs at 2:30 p.m., and OCC plays at College of the Desert at 7 p.m. in the College of the Desert tournament.

Rancho Santiago, second in the state to Sacramento City last season, opens Friday at San Diego Southwestern at 2 p.m. Saturday, Fullerton plays host to Los Angeles Valley at noon.