Hawaii’s Karl Is Named WAC Player of the Year

Hawaii’s Scott Karl, who leads the Western Athletic Conference in ERA, was named Wednesday as the league’s player of the year. Karl, a left-hander who played at Carlsbad High School, has a 12-2 regular-season record with a 2.12 earned-run average (32nd nationally). He also leads the WAC in strikeouts (122), innings pitched (110 1/3), complete games (8), hits per nine innings (6.28) and opponents’ batting average (.198).

Karl was one of three pitchers named to the All-WAC first team, including San Diego State’s Benji Grigsby (9-2, 3.72 ERA, 102 strikeouts, 72 1/3 IP).

SDSU had four players on the first team: junior outfielder Derek Vinyard (.297, 28 stolen bases), junior shortstop Steve Dietz (league-high .410, 56 runs, 25-game hitting streak), junior designated hitter Brad Gennaro (.400, 50 RBIs), and Grigsby.

SDSU’s Rick Navarro (9-0, 1.45), a senior pitcher, was a second-team selection.

The league also named New Mexico’s Rich Alday its coach of the year and third baseman Antonio Fernandez of New Mexico its top freshman.

Scott Sarver resigned as coach at Christ College Irvine to accept a job as associate baseball coach at Point Loma Nazarene.

Sarver’s position at CCI was part-time, and although the job at Point Loma is also part-time, Sarver said it is closer to full-time.

“I think it’s one of the best small college jobs in the country,” he said.

Sarver will be the top assistant to Carrol Land, who is also the school’s athletic director. Land said he will remain as head coach for a few more years but will reduce his day-to-day involvement, with Sarver having an active role in running the team.

Sarver, 30, had an 81-60 record in four seasons at CCI.