Voytek’s Place of Residence Questioned : Prep baseball: Taft pitcher’s suspension stems from tip by anonymous caller.

The case of Nathan Voytek took another twist this week when Taft High administrators, acting on an anonymous tip, benched the sophomore pitcher while trying to determine for the second time this season if a transfer violation had occurred.

Voytek was informed at practice Tuesday that he was being suspended while the school investigated a lead from an unidentified caller, who stated that Voytek did not live in Taft’s attendance area when he enrolled at the school.

Taft lost to Sylmar, 9-2, Wednesday in the first round of the City Section 4-A Division playoffs as Voytek, who was scheduled to pitch, watched from the stands. Taft finished the season 8-19, a record that included five forfeits as a result of Voytek’s earlier eligibility problems.

Larry Schneiderman admitted Thursday that he and Voytek resided in Van Nuys until they moved last month to Woodland Hills, in the Taft attendance area.

Voytek met Schneiderman during the 1989 Pony World Series in Voytek’s home town of Washington, Pa. Schneiderman was coaching the Encino entry when he befriended Voytek, who later convinced his mother that he wanted to move to California.

However, Schneiderman would not say whether he falsified his address to reflect that they lived in Taft’s attendance area.

“I’m not going to say a word about that,” Schneiderman said.

Voytek’s eye-opening performances began 2 1/2 months ago. When he was suspended Tuesday, Voytek (5-foot-10, 160 pounds) was 6-1 with an earned-run average of 1.21.

Voytek, a catcher on the freshman team last year in Pennsylvania, tossed a shutout against Venice in his first start and reeled off shutout victories over Granada Hills, Cleveland and San Fernando.

Taft administrators have spoken at length with Schneiderman over the past three days to determine where the pair lived when Voytek enrolled at the school. They told Schneiderman that their findings will be filed with City Section athletics officials.

“Rather than have him play, then find out he was ineligible and forfeit, they pulled the kid until they were satisfied (that no violation occurred),” Schneiderman said. “I’m not real thrilled about it, but from their side of the desk, I can see why they suspended him.”

Schneiderman, who will coach one of four baseball teams in the Olympic Festival in July, has filed to become Voytek’s legal guardian. Schneiderman said Voytek enrolled at Taft because Voytek knew “two or three people there from the (Pony) World Series,” including pitching coach Steve Singer.

Last month, Voytek was ruled ineligible by City Section Commissioner Hal Harkness for violating a state transfer rule. Voytek left his single mother behind when he transferred to Taft last summer.

Harkness ruled that since Voytek’s mother--his original guardian of record--did not accompany Voytek when he changed his residence, the transfer was a violation. When he was suspended by Harkness, Voytek was working on a string of 28 consecutive scoreless innings.

A City appeals board ruled that the violation was not intentionally committed, however, and reinstated Voytek.

Voytek was the winning pitcher in Monday’s 7-1 victory over Grant in a wild-card playoff game and was expected to pitch against second-seeded Sylmar on Wednesday.

Schneiderman said he was told by a Taft administrator that if it was determined that he indeed had falsified his address, Voytek would be ruled ineligible for one full year, effective from the date the falsification is proven to be true.

“We haven’t decided what the punishment will be,” said Harkness, who has been contacted by Taft administrators. “No decisions have been made.”

Harkness is unsure whether the City Rules Committee will convene to review the case before the fall because the baseball season for Taft has ended.

Harkness said he expects to receive Taft’s report on Voytek sometime next week.

Taft Principal Ron Berz and baseball Coach Rich McKeon could not be reached for comment.