Notebook: Trio with Sonoma County ties part of Team USA women’s baseball

The USA Women’s National Baseball Team announced its training camp roster earlier this week and it features several players and coaches with ties to Sonoma County.

Kaija Bazzano, an Analy graduate who played for the Tigers baseball team as a senior in 2020, and Kelsie Whitmore, who became the first woman to play for a professional baseball team when she suited up for the Sonoma Stompers in 2016, are among the 40-roster invitees.

Alex Oglesby, a Santa Rosa native who has coached in the area, is returning as an assistant coach.

Training camp began in St. Paul, Minnesota, this week and the final 20-player roster will be announced on Sunday before games begin next Thursday.

Rancho Cotate lineman commits to UC Davis

Malik Cleveland, a rising senior lineman at Rancho Cotate, announced his commitment to continue his playing career to UC Davis on Sunday.

Cleveland, who is listed at 6-foot-3, 305 pounds, was a first-team offense and defense selection in the North Bay League-Oak division last season, when he had 21 tackles (12 assisted, nine solo), three for loss, with an interception in seven games.

Cleveland is the second NCAA Division I commit the Cougars boast this year, joining classmate Sailasa Vadrawale, a wide receiver/defensive back who is committed to Cal. Rising junior Ananias Walker, also a wide receiver/defensive back, could join them as he currently holds offers from Cal, Oregon State, Colorado State and Washington.

Healdsburg names new basketball coach

Jacob Pruitt, a 2017 Healdsburg grad, is taking over the Greyhounds’ boys basketball program. He’s replacing Kevin Leffew, who stepped down from the role at the end of last season.

Pruitt, 23, was on varsity for three years during his playing days and has been an assistant coach in the program since he graduated. This will be his first varsity head coaching job.

“I’m excited,” Pruitt said. “It’s going to be fun. I mean, I know a lot of these guys and I know they want to win. So, we’ll try and keep that going.”

Over the last five seasons, Healdsburg has gone 94-33 and won three straight NBL-Redwood titles from 2018 to 2020. Last year it went 11-13 last year and finished fourth in the NBL-Oak.

You can reach Staff Writer Gus Morris at 707-304-9372 or gus.morris@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @JustGusPD.