JETHAWK REPORT : Clifford Has Old Familiar Itch

It’s late August.

While the JetHawks are chasing a playoff spot, the University of Washington is conducting summer football practice.

They each mean something to James Clifford.

Clifford was an inside linebacker for the Huskies and played on the 1991 national championship team his senior year.

As a sophomore, he led the Pac-10 in tackles. Now he’s a first baseman for the JetHawks.

He’s having his best baseball season yet, with 19 home runs and 77 runs batted in nearly doubling his previous career highs.

Still . . .

“I always get that itch about this time of year,” said Clifford, 26, who might have pursued football had he not blown out his knee. “I miss the bonding, the camaraderie. You go through hell with the guys.”

During summer two-a-day practices, “you’re in bed by 10:30, you barely close your eyes, and then, bang, bang, someone’s knocking on your door to wake you up at 6:30.

“It’s tough to explain, but I think I’ll miss that my whole life.”

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Catcher Andy Augustine is day-to-day after sustaining a contusion on his right elbow when he was hit by a pitch in Wednesday night’s game.

Augustine was hit in the fourth inning and came out of the game.

“The rest of us would be out four to five days, but he’s got a catcher’s mentality,” Manager Dave Brundage said. “He gets hit [behind the plate] four or five times a game.”

Second baseman Jason Cook, who injured his left elbow when he was hit by a pitch in Tuesday’s game, is expected to miss two to five games.

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Tonight’s Game:

San Bernardino (Eddie Oropesa, 11-5, 3.56) at JetHawks (Brett Hinchliffe, 9-10, 4.58), 7:05 p.m.