Hart’s Lorraine Falters in Relief as North Wins Gold Medal in Baseball

Andrew Lorraine became hittable Thursday at a most inopportune time--during the gold-medal baseball game at the U. S. Olympic Festival.

Lorraine, a pitcher from Hart High playing for the West, came out of the bullpen against the North with the bases loaded and one out in the fifth inning. The North was leading, 4-0.

The 6-foot-3 left-hander struck out Richie Taylor, but Aaron Knieper singled to drive in two runs and Andy Thompson drove in another run with a single.

Lorraine settled down, allowing only one other hit over the next 2 1/3 innings, but it was too late. The North, behind the pitching and hitting of Knieper, won 7-4, before 2,652 at the University of Minnesota’s Siebert Field.

Knieper, of Saginaw, Mich., allowed four hits over 6 2/3 innings to earn the victory. He also drove in four runs with a pair of singles.

Lorraine pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowed three hits, walked two and struck out two.

In his only other appearance in an official Festival game, the Stanford-bound Lorraine struck out four and didn’t allow a hit in 3 1/3 innings.

TRACK

It was not a good night for distance runners from the Valley area, but Alice Brown, who used to compete in the sprints for Cal State Northridge, earned a medal.

Brown, who will turn 30 in September, finished third to earn a bronze in the 100 meters with a time of 11.96 seconds at the University of Minnesota’s Bierman Stadium.

Carlette Guidry of Austin, Tex., won in 11.48, followed by Michelle Finn of Orlando, Fla., in 11.56.

Brown has appeared in U. S. top 10 rankings in the 100 for 10 consecutive years. She holds the women’s track and field record with six Festival gold medals.

In 1980, while a student at Northridge, Brown won the 100 at the Olympic trials. She was a silver medalist in the 100 at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Darcy Arreola, also from Northridge, led early in the women’s 1,500-meter race before tiring badly.

She finished fifth in 4:19.77, well off her personal best of 4:14.15. Arreola had run 4:15 this spring.

In the women’s 10,000-meter race, Jennifer Bessell of Thousand Oaks placed 10th in 35:45.72. Shelly Steely of Eugene, Ore., won in 32:41.14 and set a Festival and track record.

TABLE TENNIS

Carol Davidson played a key role as the North women won a gold medal in team competition. Davidson, of North Hollywood, won four of five singles matches and teamed with Takako Trenholme of Minneapolis to go unbeaten in doubles matches during round-robin play.

Lan Vuong of Reseda also won four of five matches to help the West team to a silver medal.

Her only loss: 22-20, 21-18 to Davidson.

Li Ai of Colorado Springs, Colo., dealt Davidson her only singles loss, 22-20, 22-20. Vuong later defeated Ai, 21-17, 15-21, 21-18.

Vuong and doubles partner Tomiko Ly of Miami were 1-2 in doubles matches.

FIELD HOCKEY

Alvin Pagan of Simi Valley scored three times to help the South to an 8-1 decision over the North.

The victory earned the South a berth in Sunday’s gold-medal game against the East.

Mark Ruvalcaba of Thousand Oaks scored first for the South, which led, 4-0, after only 15 minutes.

Pagan and Larry Amar of Camarillo also scored in the first half.

Pagan scored twice within a two-minute span during the second half. Ruvalcaba added his second goal of the game.

“I tried to work on control today,” Pagan said. “I have been moving too quickly to control the ball and today I tried to slow down to shoot more deliberately.”

The North’s only goal came from David Wisner of Westlake Village.

The South is 4-1 with one game of pool play to go.

The East, which has a 3-1-1 record, was tied by the West, 2-2, on Thursday.

Brian Spencer of Palmdale scored his fifth goal of the Festival in the first half. Tommy Hoang of Westlake Village scored for the West’s other point.

VOLLEYBALL

John Ross, a former Chatsworth High standout, had nine kills as the South remained undefeated with a 15-9, 15-9, 15-3, decision over the East.

TEAM HANDBALL

Jim Hop and Denny Fercho, both of Camarillo, scored goals as the West forged its second consecutive tie, this time against the North, 13-13.

TENNIS

In a consolation match, Natasha Pospich of Woodland Hills was defeated by Jennifer Nasser of Arlington Heights, Ill., 6-1, 6-3.

SOCCER

Matt Rast of Simi Valley recorded an assist as the West moved into Saturday’s gold-medal match with a 4-1 win over the East.