COLLEGE ROUNDUP : SCC Staves Off Threat and Sweeps Azusa Pacific

After 47 innings without allowing an earned run, Southern California College pitcher David Black finally faltered Saturday.

Azusa Pacific scored five runs off Black in the seventh inning--though only the first run was earned--to take a two-run lead in the first game of a Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader at Southern California College.

But the Vanguards responded with a five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh and Black rebounded by pitching two scoreless innings for an 8-5 victory.

“There’s nothing more satisfying than pulling through,” Black said. “I picked myself up and then my hitters and my infielders picked up the whole team.

“I think everyone is really elated.”

It was an emotion that carried the day for SCC, especially after Brett Johnson pitched a two-hit shutout for a 2-0 victory in the second game to move the first-place Vanguards (24-14, 10-2 in conference) three games ahead of Azusa Pacific (20-9, 7-5).

Azusa Pacific, ranked 13th in the latest National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics poll, has lost its past five conference games.

Southern California College, which has won 19 of its past 24 games, has been successful largely because of a solid defense and a pitching staff that, entering Saturday, had the lowest earned-run average (2.59) in NAIA District 3.

Through six innings, Black (8-3) had allowed three hits and walked one but thanks to three double plays, he had only pitched to one batter more than the minimum.

But the first two Azusa Pacific batters in the seventh singled and the bases were loaded when, on a sacrifice bunt by Todd Patino, Black dropped the throw from first baseman Greg Ertel.

Pinch-hitter Mike Salazar then singled to drive in the first earned run off Black since the two teams met March 9. The next batter flied out, but Azusa Pacific scored four more runs on three singles and two errors to take a 5-3 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, the Vanguards had five runs on six hits. John Mounce drove in two runs with a double to tie the score, 5-5, and Doug Rystrom followed with a double to drive in Mounce with the go-ahead run.

Johnson said he had a sub-par pitching performance in the second game, walking four, but it was enough to shut down the Cougars for his third shutout of the season. Only one Azusa Pacific baserunner--Salazar--got as far as third base and he was picked off third in the fifth inning by SCC catcher Matt Dahlgren. Johnson (8-2) was helped by two double plays.

The only runs of the game came in the first inning when Rystrom hit a bases-empty home run--his team-leading seventh of the season--and Sean Maharg grounded out with the bases loaded.

In another Golden State Athletic Conference doubleheader:

Christ College Irvine 4-6, Point Loma Nazarene 3-3--Mike Adams improved to 9-1 with the victory and Pancho Monreal had three hits, scored and had one run batted in during the first game for CCI. Paul Weldon had three hits and scored for visiting CCI (21-11-1).

In Big West Conference baseball:

Fresno State 6, Cal State Fullerton 4--The Titans (21-17, 5-3) trailed, 6-1, in the ninth inning when Jason Moler led off with a triple, Craig Fairbrother doubled, and Chris Powell hit his third home run of the year. Moler had two hits and one RBI. Todd Johnson had two hits and two RBIs and Bryan Judas had a two-run double in Fresno State’s three-run first inning. Fresno State improved to 26-12 and 8-0 in conference.

Pacific 8, UC Irvine 7--Brian Young’s sacrifice fly for UCI scored Al Rodriguez in the top of the ninth to tie the score at 7-7. Jon Rust (1-5) walked Ron Beverly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to score Doug Baime, who reached on an error to start the inning. Chip Sell had two hits, scored, and had two RBIs for Pacific (15-21, 2-6). Rodriguez had three hits, scored three runs and had one RBI for UC Irvine (19-22, 1-7).

In Golden State Athletic Conference men’s tennis:

Westmont 8, Southern California College 1--Greg Nations improved to 15-3 in singles by winning, 6-2, 6-4, in No. 1 singles for host SCC (5-13). Chris Elwood won, 7-5, 6-3, for Westmont (7-9).

In Golden State Athletic Conference softball:

Southern California College 2-5, Cal Baptist 1-6--Stephanie Wills had two hits, including a run-scoring triple in the fourth inning, and she scored for Southern California College in the first game. Wills, Darnel Good and Diana Franklin each had two hits and one RBI for SCC in the second game for visiting SCC (14-14, 2-2).

In nonconference men’s track and field:

UC Irvine wins--Will Stolpe won the 100 meters (10.53 seconds) and the 200 meters (21.33) as host UC Irvine (72 points) defeated Fresno State (67) and San Diego State (42).

In nonconference women’s track and field:

Fresno State wins--Fresno State (113 points) easily defeated host UC Irvine (59) and San Diego State (31). Buffy Rabbitt won the 1,500 meters (4:22.40) and Traci Goodrich remained undefeated in the 5,000 meters (17:22.31) for UC Irvine.