Toro Baseball Team to Make a Strong Pitch for Playoff Berth : Colleges: With several standouts returning, Coach George Wing is optimistic that his team can win 35 games.

With the core of his pitching staff returning and the addition of several community college transfers, Coach George Wing says the Cal State Dominguez Hills baseball team is capable of winning 35 games and earning a playoff spot.

In 1991 the Toros finished 27-23-1 overall and 14-16 in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn., but missed the playoffs despite having one of the nation’s best pitching staffs.

“Last year our goal was to win 30 games and we won 27,” Wing said. “This year our goal is to get into the regional playoffs and I feel we’ve got a good enough and balanced team to do it.”

The Toros did lose pitcher Vince Aguilar, who completed his eligibility and is negotiating a contract with the Cleveland Indians, according to Wing. Last year’s two aces, Mark Tranberg and Armando Plascencia, are expected to earn the bulk of the starting assignments.

Tranberg, a senior right-hander, was 11-3 last year and named to the All-CCAA first team. Plascencia, also a right-hander, started 11 games last year and led the team with a 2.47 earned-run average.

“Mark was told by scouts that he needed to add three to five miles to his fastball and he got on a conditioning program and did it,” Wing said. “He throws harder than last year and he’s more overpowering. He’s going to overpower a lot of batters with his fastball.

“Armando has an outstanding split-finger fastball. He’ll come in and hit his spots, but he’s not an overpowering thrower.”

Wing says that senior right-hander Jay Chadwick and community college transfer Tom Ball will battle for the third spot in the starting rotation. Chadwick, who was mainly a reliever last year, was 3-3. Ball, a left-hander, was an All-Southern California Athletic Conference selection last season at L.A. Mission College.

The Toros’ bullpen will include community college transfers Ken Gajewski (Cerritos College), Rick Ibarra (Mendocino College) and Juan Soriano (Pierce College). Ibarra’s sister, Anne Ibarra, is a standout pitcher on the Toro softball team.

“We had no bullpen last year,” Wing said. “We had great starters, but no relievers. This year we have a great bullpen and we’re real excited to have that depth.”

However, Wing is worried about replacing All-American first baseman Darrell Conner.

“He was our main guy,” Wing said. “He was Mr. RBI, Mr. Clutch. We’ll really miss his leadership and enthusiasm on the field.”

Sophomore Troy Dunlap and junior Ariel Martin will share duties at first base. Dunlap, a Culver City High graduate, was inconsistent last year. Martin is a transfer from La Verne.

Miguel Medina, a second-team All-CCAA selection last year, will return to second base and community college transfers Greg Bergeron and Jamie Carillo will share duties at third base.

Medina, a senior, had a .252 batting average last season. He scored 32 runs, drove in 20 and finished second on the team with 11 stolen bases. Bergeron was an All-South Coast Conference selection at Cerritos College last year and Carillo was an All-Western State Conference selection at Santa Monica College. Both players batted over .300 last season.

Sophomore Cory Lintern and junior Shawn Wickoff complete the infield. Lintern returns at shortstop and Wickoff will start at catcher. Lintern had 21 runs, 15 runs batted in and a .250 batting average as a freshman last season. Wickoff is a two-time, All-Inland Valley Conference selection from Rio Hondo College.

The outfield will include Harbor College transfer Erik Russell in left and senior John Otte (Banning High/El Camino College) in center. Junior Eric Shibley and senior Ernie Soto will battle for the right field job.

Otte, an All-CCAA selection last season, had 39 RBIs, scored 29 runs and batted .324. He also had a team-high 14 stolen bases. Russell, a graduate of Bishop Montgomery High, batted .329 and had 21 RBIs on Harbor’s 1990 community college state champion team.

“We have lots of depth at most spots,” Wing said. “I’m very comfortable in making changes and not feeling a letdown. And I think we have as good pitching, if not better, than last year.”

But Wing says the Toros won’t be as strong offensively as last season.

“We won’t be as explosive in key spots, but I think we’ll definitely be more balanced,” he said.

Weather permitting, the Toros will play host to Sonoma State in a doubleheader at noon on Monday. Dominguez Hills will play at UC Irvine on Tuesday and Arizona on Feb. 24-25 before opening league play against Cal State Los Angeles on Feb. 27.