Nervous Harrison displays his all-star talent

He couldn't sleep, couldn't eat. All because he was proud to be playing in front of the home fans in the California League All-Star game.

The anxiety turned to adrenaline as Harrison went 2-for-4 with a single, a double and an RBI to lead the Lancaster JetHawk contingent in the Valley Division's 9-4 win over the Freeway Division Tuesday night at The Hangar.

"I'm proud of my performance. I'm proud of my team and my coaches," Harrison said. "We did a good job and I am going to cherish this moment."

Harrison, who hadn't eaten since Monday night, needed one at-bat and two innings at second base before he began to relax.

Harrison flied out to center field in the second inning, but got aboard in the fourth inning with a single to left center.

In the fifth inning, Harrison reached base on an error by Visalia second baseman Dionys Cesar.

Harrison's best contact came in the seventh with a shot off of Bakersfield pitcher Jason Verdugo that bounced off the outfield wall. The hit was good enough for a double and an RBI. An error advanced Harrison to third.

Lancaster manager Rick Burleson tried to take advantage of Harrison's speed by sending him home on a stolen base attempt. However, the trickery went for naught as Harrison was easily thrown out to end the seventh.

Defensively, Harrison played the entire game at second. Along the way, he totaled five assists.

"I'm feeling hungry now," Harrison said. "I got in the groove and just started having fun and enjoying the moment."

The other Lancaster Valley Division starter, first baseman Cirilo Cruz Jr. went 0-for-3. Cruz grounded to short and third base and flew out to left field.

Lancaster's Brian Sweeney, a utility pitcher, looked impressive in the seventh inning.

After walking San Bernardino's Rich Saitta, Sweeney shut down the opposition by striking out the next three batters. His efforts made him the game's winning pitcher.

"I was shocked, but I will take it," Sweeney said. "Having fun today is an understatement. With my family and my girlfriend here, it is a great feeling.

"I am feeling at the top of my baseball career right now."

Lancaster pitcher Patrick Dunham pitched the fifth inning with mixed results. After Chad Faircloth of Bakersfield hit a leadoff single, he was sacrificed to second, then third.

Dunham allowed an RBI-single to Luke Allen which scored Faircloth. Dunham rebounded and struck out Duane Filchner to end the inning.

Jason Regan flied out both times he came to the plate. In Regan's first at-bat, he hit a long fly ball to the center-field fence. However, the ball was caught by a leaping Faircloth.

The other Lancaster player, Brendan Kingman, entered the game in the top of the sixth inning for Modesto's Jeff DaVanon. In his first at-bat in the bottom of the sixth, Kingman struck out. He was hit by a pitch in the eighth.

The JetHawks' front-office staff also turned in an all-star effort.

Vice President and General Manager Matt Ellis was glad to get the peripheral events such as the skills' competition, golf tournament, luncheon and dinner out of the way to get to the easy part - putting on the game.

"The hard part is all of the other things," Ellis said. "Once you get to the game, that's the easy part because you already know what to do."

Lancaster added the speed and throwing components to the skills competition this season.

This season's all-star game marks the third straight year the JetHawks have put on a major event. After the opening of the stadium in 1996 and last season's game vs. the Seattle Mariners and this year's all-star game, the JetHawks will have to find a new event to keep with the tradition.

"Each year, we seem to have a big event," Ellis said. "We are already thinking of next year and what we can bring to the fans here."