Angeles national forest : fall blamed in death of college baseball star

A college baseball star who was killed last weekend while hiking in the Angeles National Forest had lost his footing while taking a shortcut, authorities said. Upper Iowa University baseball

standout Rick Perez, 20, fell about 75 feet, officials said. He was from El Monte. The accident occurred about 2:30 p.m. Saturday. Perez was flown to a Pasadena hospital, where he died

later in the day. A junior, Perez led Upper Iowa with a .401 batting average and had a school record 57 hits this season. The American Baseball Coaches Assn. named him to the All-Central

Region second team as an outfielder. “I’m in shock. I’m sad. He was a really good kid,” Upper Iowa Coach Rick Heller said. MORE TO READ