Pierce Installs New Coach for Softball Team

Jim Bodack will replace Rich Rogers as the Pierce College softball coach. Bodack was Rogers’ assistant last season when the Brahmas finished 10-21 in Rogers’ only season as coach.

In another Pierce personnel matter, Bob Lofrano has been named head baseball coach after two seasons as co-coach with Bob Lyons, who retired from coaching after the past season.

Rob Hall, an assistant basketball coach at Santa Paula High for the past three seasons, has been hired as the boys’ coach at Oak Park.

Hall, 27, replaces Greg Patterson and Reggie Pendleton, junior-varsity coaches who coached the varsity last season after head Coach Nate Sims resigned early in the season.

Although Hall, a 1981 graduate of Chatsworth High, is taking over a team that was 0-19 last season, he is excited by the challenge.

“My first goal is to get in there, meet the players and find some qualified assistant coaches to work with me,” Hall said.

“I don’t think it’s going to take that long to turn this program around. I think we’re going to surprise some people.”

Tyler Nelson, a senior from Simi Valley High, has been selected to play in the North-South all-star baseball games this weekend in Fresno.

Nelson, an infielder who has signed a letter of intent to play next season at Cal State Northridge, is expected to be used as a catcher in the series, which runs Friday through Sunday.

Mike Lee of Thousand Oaks High, a right-handed pitcher who was an All-Ventura County and All-Marmonte League selection, has signed a letter of intent with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Lee (6-foot-1, 200 pounds) was 6-1 with a no-hitter and a 1.42 earned-run average this past season.

Dennis Fowler of Agoura High has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Notre Dame College, an NCAA Division II school in Belmont, Calif.

Fowler, a 6-1 guard, averaged 12 points, 3.5 assists and 3.3 steals this past season.

Four Mission College baseball players have been chosen first-team All-Southern California Athletic Conference: pitcher Tom Ball, utility player Eddie Chavez, outfielder Brad McGahan and first baseman Lazaro Campos.

Outfielder Tom Gibson, infielder Roy Lozano and designated-hitter Richard Ortiz were picked for the second team.

In addition, Chavez was chosen the team’s most valuable player and Ball was named the Free Spirit’s pitcher of the year.

Campos earned the most inspirational award and McGahan and Lozano were chosen defensive and offensive players of the year, respectively.