Stretch Run Holds Key in CCAA : CSUN Improving After Slow Start

There isn’t a whole lot of mystery about the strategy a coach uses to win the baseball championship in the traditionally balanced California Collegiate Athletic Assn. Just ask Andy Lopez, whose Cal State Dominguez Hills teams have won the past two titles.

“Nobody is a real soft touch,” Lopez said, “Everyone is going to beat everyone else, so it comes down to who plays well in the last 10 games.”

Conference coaches say the stretch run will be crowded this season because just about every team in the CCAA has a legitimate shot at the championship.

Dominguez Hills was the early season favorite, but the Toros have been racked by injuries. Cal Poly Pomona, UC Riverside and Chapman all have relatively young teams that are performing well and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Cal State Los Angeles are improved from last season.

Then there is Cal State Northridge. The Matadors, who open conference play at home today against Chapman, have begun to right themselves after a terrible start and could contend for the conference title if the pitching continues its recent improvement.

Northridge (8-16) ended a 10-game losing streak two weeks ago when the Matadors swept a doubleheader from Southern Utah. Since then, outfielder Lenn Gilmore has begun to breathe life into the team’s attack. Gilmore, a senior, is batting .311 and has hit 6 home runs in the past 7 games. He also leads the team with 28 runs batted in.

Chae-Ho Chong, who joined the team late after transferring from Valley College, has been the Matadors’ most consistent performer. Chong, a junior catcher-outfielder, has played in 15 games and is 10 for 20 with 3 home runs.

Center fielder John Bonilla (.328) missed 6 games because of a separated shoulder but he should be back for today’s game. If the Matadors are in contention at the end of the season, they will benefit from the return of senior outfielder Mark Anderson (.313), who suffered a knee injury Feb. 26.

“To contend, we have to maintain our hitting,” said Northridge Coach Terry Craven, whose team finished 18-12 last season. “I think the level of pitching will probably drop a notch from what we’ve been seeing day in and day out.”

The Matadors, however, must continue to see improvement in their own staff. Northridge pitchers have issued 108 walks in 191 innings and the Matadors sport a staff earned-run average of 7.16. Leo Ramirez, a senior right-hander turned in the most impressive individual effort of the season Tuesday when he two-hit Fresno State in a 5-2, complete-game win. Cary Snyder (2-1, 6.31 ERA) will start today against Chapman.

Dominguez Hills (8-11, 0-2 in conference play), which finished fifth in the nation last season, began conference play with only 19 players as a result of injuries--seven of which were season-ending. The Toros also lost their first two conference games to Cal State L. A., so a repeat of last season’s finish seems unlikely.

Nevertheless, Lopez, in his sixth season as coach, has made a career of getting the most out of what is available. Junior third baseman Ruben Hauregui is batting .431 for the Toros, who have a team batting average of .310. Junior outfielder Bob Gonzalez (.380) has a 14-game hitting streak and junior designated-hitter Lenny Hokanson (.340), a transfer from College of the Canyons, has 6 triples.

Joe Cortez, the team’s top pitcher, may be out for the season because of a shoulder injury, so the aces of the staff are senior left-hander Bruce Begely (1-2, 2.20) and David Haggard (1-1, 3.06). Chris Haslock (1-2) had 12 saves last year, but his performance this season has been hindered by a foot injury suffered three weeks ago.

Pomona (13-6, 2-0) has not won the conference since 1985, but the Broncos are almost always a factor under Coach John Scolinos, who begins his 41st year in coaching and 27th at Pomona.

The Broncos are batting. 300 as a team. Dave Hajek, who was all-conference last season at second base, has moved to shortstop and leads the team with a .397 average. A trio of sophomores, including third baseman Chris Butterfield (4 homers), first baseman Max Hardy (.372) and outfielder Jim Stowell (.303) has given Pomona an offensive boost.

Charlie Webb, who threw 16 complete games last season, is playing in the Seattle Mariners organization, but Pomona’s pitching hasn’t declined much, thanks to sophomore right-hander Wayne Koklys (4-2 with four complete games), junior right-hander David Rice (3-0, 2.15 ERA) and senior right-hander Dave Barry (2-0, 1.86).

Riverside Coach Jack Smitheran, who begins his 15th season, said balance in the conference might make a 17-win season enough to claim the title.

Only three players with any experience return for the Highlanders (13-11, 3-1) and it showed early when the team stumbled to a 4-10 start. Shortstop Matt Beltran (.320 and 7 home runs), the only senior on the team, has led a resurgence along with second baseman Ty Murphy (.404), first baseman Logan Ostrander (.340) and third baseman Mike Edinger (.357), all of whom are sophomores.

“I don’t see anyone running away with it,” Smitheran said. “Everyone lost a lot from last year.”

Chapman may have lost the most when outfielder Darren Nelson signed with the St. Louis Cardinals. All Nelson did last season was bat .388 with 21 home runs and 77 RBIs to win the conference triple crown.

Mike Weathers begins his fifth season as head coach with a team that could improve on last season’s 14-16 conference finish, especially if junior third baseman Tony Gardea can come back from a broken nose.

Junior shortstop Jeff Kidwiler (.414) and senior center fielder Bryan Beals (.360) are the team’s offensive catalysts.

Senior right-hander Jeff Mooney (3-3) and sophomore left-handers Dave Bird (3-2) and Steve Halweg (3-0) are the Panthers best pitchers.

San Luis Obispo (10-12, 0-4) already has been beaten in conference by Pomona and Riverside, but the Mustangs’ preconference showing indicates they may have enough to launch a challenge for the conference title despite last season’s 11-19, sixth-place finish.

Steve MacFarland begins his fifth season as coach and senior second baseman Joe Rumsey (.328) and junior right-fielder Rich Shepperd (.327) are the team’s only returning starters.

Senior right-hander Erik Bratlien (4-3), junior left-hander Lee Hancock (3-5) and junior right-hander Greg Braxton (1-2) are the Mustangs three top pitchers.

Cal State L. A. (10-13, 2-0), under fifth-year Coach John Herbold, already has taken two games from Dominguez Hills--the first Division II team it played this season.

The Golden Eagles, who finished 11-19 last season, are led by sophomore outfielder Rex DeLaNuez (.378), junior second baseman Brad Mingel (.333) and junior third baseman Ed Pimintel (.357).

Sophomore right-handers Steve McGovern (2-2, 3.00) and Art Salas (3-3, 4.91) anchor a young and improving staff.