THE COLLEGES : Shoup Goes First Class in Praising New Coach

Bob Shoup, Cal Lutheran’s former or future (depending on whom you believe) football coach, says he had no recourse but to let the school hire another coach.

In accordance with the contract he signed with Cal Lutheran last April, Shoup was due to take a sabbatical from Jan. 1, 1990, through Dec. 31, 1990, meaning the school had every right to hire a replacement.

The school says the hiring of Joe Harper as Shoup’s successor is permanent. Shoup contends he has tenure as coach and that the job should be his to keep if he so desires.

Still, the Kingsmen coach of 28 years handled last week’s announcement of his replacement diplomatically.

“I’m pleased they were able to find as capable of a coach as Joe Harper,” Shoup said. “I think that’s good for the program.”

One has to wonder if he really meant “my program.”

Two liners: Unless it was for disciplinary reasons, CSUN Coach Pete Cassidy erred when he benched the cold-shooting Derrick Gathers for the second half of a 66-60 loss to Chapman last week. Even when he is not scoring, Gathers still is the Matadors’ best player. . . .

It is no surprise that the Glendale men’s basketball team is closing out the season on a hot streak. Under the guidance of Coach Brian Beauchemin, the Vaqueros, who have won five in a row, are almost annually the Silky Sullivan of junior college basketball. . . .

Coach Gary Torgeson promised a lineup with some pop this season, but Northridge’s softball team has mustered but a single run in six games against Division I opposition. The run was scored by Lisa Erickson, who scampered home from first after an errant pickoff attempt . . .

With a victory Wednesday, Moorpark could have pulled within 1 1/2 games of Valley for the overall lead in the Western State Conference men’s basketball race. Instead, Oxnard, coached by former Moorpark guard Remy McCarthy, played the role of spoiler, defeating the Raiders, 79-70.

Special K: Last season Cal Lutheran had a pitcher named Craig Anderson. This season the Kingsmen have a Kraig Anderson.

It’s the same person.

Anderson fancies himself a strikeout pitcher, and since the letter “K” is used to tally strikeouts in a score book, he thought it would be an appropriate switch.

The feeling here is that Anderson should revert to using a “C.” If people ask, it stands for Crazy.

Around the horn: Pat Houston of Pierce College blew the best opportunity he probably will ever have to hit for the cycle. Houston had a single, a double and a triple--all in the first inning in Pierce’s game against Compton on Wednesday.

But through the final four innings, he never managed the final zinger, a dinger. Not that Pierce needed it. The Brahmas, ahead 20-0 after batting around twice in the first, cruised to a 26-5 victory.

Come to think of it, maybe Houston didn’t waste his only chance to hit for the cycle. Pierce will play Compton on Monday.