SportsScope : Lions Play Reno in Bid for Tourney Berth

Loyola Marymount University, still hopeful of getting an at-large invitation to the NCAA baseball regionals, closes out the regular season at home this weekend with a three-game series against Nevada-Reno.

The Lions, 34-20-1 overall, are in fourth place at 8-11-1 in the West Coast Athletic Conference and have an outside chance of finishing in second place if they sweep and second-place St. Mary’s loses three to San Diego. Loyola plays Reno in a noon double-header Saturday and a 1 p.m. game Sunday. NCAA bids probably will be known Sunday night or Monday. Pepperdine has clinched the WCAC title and automatic bid to the NCAAs.

The Lions are batting .336 and have several hot hitters led by sophomore Travis Tarchione (.380, 45 runs batted in) and junior Chris Donnels (.367, 16 home runs, 73 RBIs). Tarchione drove in five runs in one game last weekend against San Diego, while Donnels hit two homers in another.

The Lions are averaging nearly eight runs a game. However, their earned-run average is 5.51 and they have had trouble protecting leads, giving up an average of nearly six runs per game. The staff has only four complete games, two shutouts--both by Mike Jones--and 11 saves.

The Cal State Dominguez Hills women’s softball team split four games in the Sacramento Invitational to finish the season at 30-26. The Lady Toros won 19 of their last 26 to finish above .500. Senior catcher Joann Miller went 6-for-14 with two runs batted in at Sacramento to give her 24 RBIs this season, tying the school season record held by Tammy Quarry and Judy Staab.

Redondo’s sweep of a two-game series with Leuzinger last week has created a dramatic shift in CIF 3-A baseball ratings. Leuzinger, top-rated last week, has fallen to sixth while Redondo, No. 3 a week ago, rises to second and El Segundo improves from fourth to third. Other ranked South Bay teams are St. Bernard, up to fourth from third in 1-A, and Chadwick, which went from ninth to seventh in Small Schools. Redondo and El Segundo meet in a climactic two-game series May 13 and 15.

A first-time volleyball invitational will be held May 20 at Redondo Union High School to benefit the South Bay High School District’s Drug-Free Education program. The volleyball invitational will feature a game between alumni from Redondo Union, Mira Costa and Aviation high schools following a contest between school faculty and parents at 7 p.m. Tickets, $5 for adults and $2 for students, are on sale at Redondo and Mira Costa, at the school district offices, 200 N. Pacific Coast Highway in Redondo Beach, and at area businesses. Mike Bright and Kirk Kilgore, former Mira Costa stars, are honorary coaches for the all-stars.

Cal State Dominguez Hills and the Best Western Willow Tree Inn of Compton will hold a golf tournament May 29 to benefit the school’s athletic department. The tournament will be played at Sierra La Verne Country Club in La Verne, a 6,433-yard, par-71 layout. The $100 entry fee includes green fee and cart, prizes, a hole-in-one contest and awards dinner. The tournament begins at 1 p.m. Information is available through the Dominguez Hills athletic department, 516-3893.