HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS : UCLA Gets a Quarterback and Pitcher in Bonds

Hart High’s Jim Bonds, signed, sealed and soon to be delivered to UCLA as its next quarterback prospect, has a friendly agreement with Bruin football Coach Terry Donahue.

“I have to participate in spring football my first year so I won’t be able to play baseball as a freshman,” Bonds said. “But this season if I have the kind of year that lives up to my standards then I’m free to play anytime after I’m a freshman.”

Well Jim, you’re hitting .467, averaging a home run every 7.5 at-bats, and leading the team with 16 runs batted in. And although you hadn’t thrown a pitch since Little League until three weeks ago, you’re 3-0 with a 2.84 earned-run average and you’re recording more than a strikeout per inning. How do those numbers measure up with your standards?

“I’m happy,” Bonds said.

So was Coach Bud Murray after watching Bonds turn in his longest outing of the season Friday in Hart’s 14-3 Foothill League rout over visiting Burbank.

Bonds struck out six and allowed three hits and two earned runs in six innings as Hart (7-3 overall, 2-1 in league) won for the sixth time in the past seven games. Bonds also had a two-run single and walked with the bases loaded to give him six RBIs for the week. If he maintains those kind of numbers, UCLA baseball Coach Gary Adams can start fitting him for a uniform.

Or Adams might just give Bonds the one Burbank’s Bryan Chandler has had his eyes on. Chandler, a senior left-hander with two shutouts this year, has been making trips to watch UCLA play and apparently has decided he wants to spend his next four years in Westwood, according to Burbank Coach Leonard Haynes.

But Chandler will have trouble earning a scholarship pitching the way he did Friday. Chandler (4-1) entered the game with 16 scoreless innings, but by the time he was relieved with one out in the fourth his ERA had increased more than 700%.

A control pitcher, Chandler was wild Friday as he walked eight batters, seven of whom scored. The one who didn’t was forced out at home. Chandler, whose ERA still is only 2.18, allowed four hits and was charged with 10 runs, seven earned.

After setting Hart down in order in the first, Chandler allowed a leadoff single to David Lee and then walked Bonds and Donnie Hinson to load the bases in the second. But Dean Fausett and Jason Edwards grounded into force plays and with two outs Hart still had the bases loaded and no runs across.

Before the inning ended, however, Hart scored five. Chandler walked Joe DeSchryver and Sheldon Sparks to push across across the first two and Hart scored its third on a passed ball by Eric Vargas.

The fourth run scored when Vargas was called for a catcher’s balk when he stepped out of the catcher’s box before Chandler released the ball on a pitchout while DeSchryver was attempting to steal home. On Chandler’s next pitch, one of 38 in the inning, Sparks did steal home. Hart put together its five-run inning with one hit and no errors by Burbank.

Hart took advantage of Burbank’s charity again in the fourth as it used four hits and six walks to score eight times. Burbank (6-2, 1-2), which has dropped two straight, issued 11 walks altogether.

Bonds, meanwhile, had near-perfect control, allowing one walk through the first five innings. He began the sixth by hitting John Buller and later allowed a walk and a hit as Burbank scored two runs.

Burbank batters seemed to be lulled into watching Bonds’ slow delivery and then stood there helplessly as the ball exploded across the plate. Other than one foul ball, no one pulled a Bonds pitch until the fifth.

“He’s getting a lot better,” Murray said. “He’s just a competitive athlete with a great arm.”

And it appears both Donahue and Adams will get to see it at UCLA.