The Sun, Sunnyvale's Newspaper | Baena To Play For San Jose Clash (original) (raw)

Sunnyvale's Baena steps up for the Clash

By Dick Sparrer

Mark Baena, a forward with Bay Area roots, has been called up by the San Jose Clash. Baena, 30, a Sunnyvale native, was a member of the Seattle Sounders and was the most valuable player in the A-League in 1998.

Baena is a former all-state player for De Anza Community College, and went on to score 20 goals in two seasons at Sacramento State.

He started his professional career in Germany, recording 46 goals and 44 assists for Tus Hoisdorf from 1991-95.

He scored five goals and added four assists in six games for Sacramento in the USISL in 1996, then moved up to the A-League and had 20 goals and four assists in 27 games with the Jaguars in 1997.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound Baena has five goals and two assists in seven games this season, a year after his MVP season. Last year, he scored 24 goals and had five assists in 28 games with the Sounders and the California Jaguars.

Injuries created the opening on the roster for the Clash.