COLLEGE NOTEBOOK : Gillespie’s Route to USC May Include Alaska

The next baseball team Mike Gillespie will coach is:

A) The College of the Canyons Cougars.

B) The USC Trojans.

C) The North Pole Nicks.

The answer, for now, is C.

Officials at USC will not comment on possible candidates for the baseball coaching job or even if Trojan Coach Rod Dedeaux, 71, is actually stepping down. It has been reported that Dedeaux is considering leaving the school after 45 years.

Gillespie, who coached Canyons to the state community college championship this season, is reportedly a leading candidate for the USC position.

One thing, however, is for sure. Gillespie has plans to go north.

In addition to his job at Canyons, Gillespie has coached the North Pole Nicks of the Alaskan Summer League the last three summers. The league is part of the National Baseball Congress, long recognized as a top collegiate summer baseball program and a hotbed for Division I talent.

Gillespie’s summer team includes players from Pepperdine, Cal State Fullerton, Stanford, Texas A&M;, Washington, Southern Illinois, Brigham Young, Nevada Las Vegas, Southern Alabama, and UC Santa Barbara.

Last season, the Nicks made it to the NBC national championship game.

Gillespie will be in Alaska on June 10 unless, of course, he hears from USC.

Representatives from USC have talked to Gillespie--both Dedeaux and USC Athletic Director Mike McGee were among the crowd that watched Canyons in the state tournament last weekend. But the situation remains shrouded in mystery.

Said Gillespie: “It is my understanding that it could be a day-to-day decision-making situation or it could be as long as a few weeks.”

Meanwhile, he is going ahead with plans to leave for Alaska, land of the midnight seventh-inning stretch.

More on Alaska: Frank Halcovich and Pete Kuld, who completed their careers at Canyons in the state championship game Monday, will accompany Gillespie to Alaska.

Pitcher Halcovich (15-0) and catcher Kuld (17 home runs) have accepted baseball scholarships to Arizona and Pepperdine, respectively.

Gillespie said first baseman Scott Drury plans to play for the Santa Maria Indians of the NBC. Shortstop Don Erickson plans to play in the Cape Cod League in Massachusetts.

Master’s College shortstop Matt MacArthur has been named an honorable mention All-American by the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics.

MacArthur hit .401 for the Mustangs, including 16 doubles and 5 home runs. He also had 49 runs batted in and 28 stolen bases in 49 games.

“He’s one of the top three shortstops nationwide in the NAIA,” Master’s Coach John Zeller said. “He’s got good upper body strength and a strong arm and he runs very well.

“I think there’s a possibility he might be drafted. He’s had workouts with the Angels, Brewers and the Royals.”

The major league June draft is June 3-5.

Add Master draft: Former Master’s catcher Terry Sloan, who was asked by school officials last month to leave the Christian school in Newhall because of alleged “school policy violations,” went to Cincinnati on Wednesday for a pre-draft workout.

“He’s working out with some kids the Reds are looking at before the draft,” Zeller said. “He has a good chance of being drafted. A lot of people have talked with him.”

Sloan, who batted .399 with 12 home runs, 17 doubles and 47 RBIs in 38 games with the Mustangs, also has attended workouts of the Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals.

In addition, he said the Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants and New York Mets have shown interest.

Said one major league scout, who wished to remain anonymous: “Terry’s future depends on how he swings the bat. He has above-average power. If he hits, he’ll move on up the line. If he continues to perform consistently, he has the opportunity to make it to the majors. He’ll probably be a middle-round selection in the draft.”

Sloan said last month that under no circumstances would he return to Master’s College. “I’m hoping that I’ll get drafted. If something happens so I don’t get the chance, I’ll go to a Division I school somewhere.”

Canoga Park High softball pitcher De Dow, who has a record of 14-3 this season, including six no-hitters, will attend Cal Lutheran University, according to her father, Charles Dow.

Dow has 211 strikeouts in 119 innings. She also has a batting average of .566 in 16 games.