College Roundup : Benson’s Shot Lifts Titans Over UCSB, 65-64

Felicia Benson made a jump shot from the left corner with five seconds remaining Thursday night to lift the Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball team to a 65-64 victory over UC Santa Barbara in a Pacific Coast Athletic Assn. game at Goleta.

Jodi Cannon’s layup had put the Gauchos ahead by 64-63 with 29 seconds left, but the Titans, after a timeout, worked the ball around to Benson, who made the game-winner to improve sixth-place Fullerton’s record to 9-8 in the conference, 12-14 overall.

Benson and Cathi Hall each scored 18 points to lead the Titans. Patti Niichel led the Gauchos (1-16, 4-21) with 18 points.

In men’s basketball:

Christ College Irvine 67, Pacific Christian College 65--Victor Townes made a baseline jump shot with four seconds left to give the Eagles the victory in the first round of the Western Christian Athletic Assn. tournament at CCI.

Townes scored 24 points to lead Irvine. Scott Chandler added 14 points, and Paul Weaver had 12. Brian Keiser scored 27 points, Mike DeVries 17 and Burton Lalk 12 for PCC. The Eagles play West Coast Christian of Fresno in tonight’s 6 p.m. semifinal.

In softball:

Chapman 11-14, La Verne 0-3--Jeri Hannon and Gail Russell each hit two-run homers in the first game, and the Panthers took advantage of 10 La Verne errors in the second game on their way to the nonconference sweep at Orange’s Hart Park.

Celeste Collins went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored, and Shelley Mahon threw a two-hitter and struck out nine for Chapman in the first game. Michelle Lyons had three hits and two RBIs in the nightcap. The Panthers are 4-6.

In baseball:

Christ College Irvine 8, University of Redlands 3--Mike Armstrong went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and Larry Carter had two hits and scored two runs to lead the Eagles (3-6) past the Bulldogs (4-5) in a nonconference game played at Redlands.

In men’s tennis:

Cal State Fullerton 8, University of Redlands 1--The Titans won five of six singles matches and all three doubles matches to defeat Redlands in nonconference play at Fullerton. The Titans are 5-6.

In women’s tennis:

Cal State Fullerton 7, Chapman 2--The Titans won five singles matches and two doubles matches to defeat the Panthers in nonconference play at Chapman.