COLLEGE DIVISION NOTEBOOK : Lloyd Returns to Turn Chapman’s Softball Program Around

Lisle Lloyd was faced with quite a task when he returned to Chapman College to coach women’s softball this season.

Not only was he taking over a team that finished last in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. the season before, but the college also had decided to drop softball scholarships.

Lloyd, who was with Chapman for six years before being replaced by his assistant, Gary Haning, last season, persuaded all 13 of the returning players to stay--though only the three currently on partial scholarships would continue to receive funding.

So what has Lloyd been able to accomplish? Well, the Panthers (33-13, 6-6) are ranked 14th in the NCAA’s latest Division II poll and are third in the conference behind Cal State Bakersfield (ranked No. 1) and Cal State Northridge (No. 4). Chapman is ranked fourth in the Western Region, and four teams qualify for the NCAA playoffs from each of the four regions.

Chapman is led by junior pitcher Jacki Blake, who has a 17-3 record, a 0.16 earned-run average and 112 strikeouts. Sophomore third baseman Sandy Olivas is batting .466 with 12 home runs and an .831 slugging percentage.

“The team just really clicks this year. Everybody gets along with everybody,” said Lloyd, who coached last season at Christ College Irvine.

Chapman’s softball team isn’t the only nationally ranked team on campus. The men’s tennis team is ranked third in the latest Division II poll and the baseball team is ranked 16th.

The tennis team is led by the fifth-ranked doubles team of David Seline and Darren Capik. The baseball team, led by first baseman-outfielder Mike Guiseffi (hitting .459), will face UC Riverside, which is leading the conference, in a three-game series beginning Thursday in Riverside.

You couldn’t blame the Southern California College baseball team for feeling a bit left out.

The Vanguards are tied for the lead in the Golden State Athletic Conference with Cal Baptist (24-8, 9-3), which was ranked 12th in the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics poll released Monday, and Azusa Pacific (20-10, 9-3), which was unranked but among teams receiving votes.

Southern California Christian (23-13-1, 9-3) received no mention at all in the poll.

“I don’t know who does the rankings, but we should be ranked,” SCC Coach Charlie Phillips said. “But that’s OK. It’s who’s on top at the end that matters.”

SCC plays host to Cal Baptist today. Jim Dedrick, who has an 8-1 record and a 1.80 ERA, will start for SCC.

Christ College Irvine’s baseball team has already won more than twice as many games as it did last season, but Coach Scott Sarver says the Eagles’ record should be better.

“We’ve lost 11 one-run ballgames and that’s terrible,” Sarver said.

Last season, Sarver’s first as coach, the Eagles were 6-33 and had to forfeit a number of games because of a lack of players. This season, Sarver has filled the squad with new recruits--designated hitter Mike Johnson is the only returning starter--and Christ College is 16-18, 4-8 in conference. Saturday, Christ College split a doubleheader with conference co-leader Azusa Pacific.