Bible Cuts Through the Tape for Three Home Runs

Mike Bible has not let a broken hand keep him out of the lineup for College of the Canyons baseball team.

Playing with a fractured right hand, Bible hit three home runs and had five runs batted in to lead Canyons’ doubleheader sweep of Allan Hancock College on Saturday.

The sophomore catcher had four hits in eight at-bats in the two games as Canyons won, 11-0 and 5-1. The Cougars (17-3, 12-0 in the Western State Conference) have won 14 consecutive games.

Bible was injured two weeks ago when a foul tip bounced off his hand during a bunt drill. He doesn’t plan to miss any games because of the injury, however.

“I just tape it up and go,” he said.

Canyons Coach Len Mohney said it is risky for Bible to play injured, but the Cougars need him in the lineup.

“He’s the kind of guy who’s going to play no matter what,” Mohney said. “We’re centered around him and we’re in the middle of a good year. Mike’s going to play.”

Raider remnants: Ron Stillwell of Moorpark College has coached baseball for 18 years and never has he struggled through a season like this one.

“There’s nothing close to it,” he said.

Stillwell’s problems started the first week of the season when right fielder Darren Romano and second baseman Devron Herron, both sophomores, were declared academically ineligible.

Moorpark then lost sophomore right-hander Todd Gerbovaz, its No. 3 pitcher, during the first game of the season. Gerbovaz damaged ligaments in his right knee while fielding a bunt and is expected to be out for the season.

And the Raiders’ woes continue.

Sophomore right-hander John DeGennaro has missed the past two weeks because of inflammation of the nerve and elbow in his throwing arm.

Compounding Moorpark’s troubles is a dose of bad timing.

The Raiders have allowed only six earned runs in the past three games, but they have scored only five runs.

“We got back to respectability on the mound and then we stop hitting,” Stillwell said. “Who knows why?”

Corey Aurand has been a bright spot for Moorpark. He is batting .395 after going 17 for 43 in Western State Conference games.

Moorpark (5-14, 2-10 in the WSC) is one of three teams playing host to the Channel Islands Invitational tournament beginning today. Friday, the Raiders play the winner of today’s game between Consumnes River and Los Angeles Harbor.

Trading places: Beth Onestinghel set a Northridge softball record when she hit a triple against Augustana (S.D.) last Thursday.

The senior center fielder then added three more triples during last weekend’s Tournament of Champions and another Wednesday to give her 11 this season.

Onestinghel set the same record as a sophomore, but Priscilla Rouse took it away with six last season. Onestinghel’s previous record had been four.

Rouse used up her athletic eligibility in 1987, but she was watching from the stands as the Lady Matadors played Friday on the opening day of the tournament. She said she didn’t mind having to give up the record to her former teammate.

“It was Beth’s record, anyway,” she said.

All-around player: Pitcher Lisa Martin of Northridge put up some impressive numbers on her way to winning the most valuable player award in the Tournament of Champions.

The senior went 8 for 18, scored 6 runs and drove in 2. She also stole two bases in four attempts.

On the mound, the right-hander turned in two impressive performances to improve her record to 9-1. She threw a no-hitter against Southern Utah State on the first day, striking out seven and walking one. Then, in the quarterfinals against Chapman, she struck out eight while throwing a two-hitter.

Masters of the mound: Martin was not the only Northridge pitcher who enjoyed strong outings last weekend. In eight games, CSUN outscored opponents, 48-1.

Sophomore Debbie Dickmann, who was voted the tournament’s most valuable pitcher, threw two two-hitters and a three-hitter.

Tracey Fox, a sophomore left-hander, tossed a one-hitter and a two-hitter and senior Delanee Anderson threw a four-hitter.

Kingsmen kingpin: Steve deLaveaga, Cal Lutheran’s second all-time leading scorer, received honorable mention on the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics All-American team.