COMMUNITY COLLEGE SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS : Ebert’s Inspired Hitting Adds Power to Orange Coast

When Shannon Ebert was growing up, she figured the best way to be a successful hitter was to copy a major league baseball player.

But Ebert, who plays first base for Orange Coast College’s softball team, didn’t have the choices that cable television now brings. Such hitters as George Brett, Wade Boggs and Tony Gwynn were not seen that often in the Los Angeles market.

Her choices were limited to local teams, and so she selected Daryl Sconiers, who played with the Angels from 1981 to 1985. Sconiers also played at Orange Coast.

Ebert was successful in youth leagues with the uppercut swing she perfected in her back yard, but once she got to Foothill High, the pitching was better and she had to adjust. It was time to learn to swing down and hit line drives.

Ebert, who bats left-handed, has learned her lessons well. She is one of the best community college hitters in California, where OCC is one of the best teams.

The Pirates open play today in the State tournament against San Mateo at 11 a.m. at the Sacramento Sports Complex on the campus of American River College.

“I don’t know why I picked Daryl Sconiers,” said Ebert, 20. “But in Bobby Sox, I swung like a baseball player and it worked pretty well. I hit a lot of home runs, but in high school those became popups. I spent about three or four years working a lot on getting myself to swing down.”

In a sport normally dominated by pitching, Ebert is hitting .422 (57 for 135) with 10 doubles, seven triples and 27 runs batted in. She also has walked 21 times and scored 33 runs. Ebert’s 57 hits are a single-season OCC record.

Ebert, who was selected the Orange Empire Conference player of the year, is only part of OCC’s outstanding offense.

The Pirates are batting .298 this season and hit .371 in the regional playoffs. Sam Lutsch, who bats behind Ebert in the fourth spot, is hitting .393 (48 for 122) with 15 doubles, three home runs and 36 RBIs.

“If someone could stand on their head and hit, I wouldn’t change them,” OCC Coach Nick Trani said. “With Shannon, she could hit when she came here. She deserves all the credit. She’s been doing well and has really been consistent all season.”

Ebert is a two-time all-conference pick at first base. Last year, OCC finished second to Cypress in the conference standings, and this season the teams reversed their positions.

At Foothill High School, Ebert seemed to spend more time overcoming knee injuries than anything else.

She played on the varsity softball team for four years but lost part of her junior season because of reconstructive surgery on her left knee after a basketball injury in January, 1989. She was an All-Century League player as a senior at first base, but at the end of the season, she had surgery on her right knee, which she hurt in a game.

“The rehabilitation was really frustrating,” she said. “But I had a lot of support from my family and that made it easier. After the first injury, I remember the trainer telling me that this wasn’t a career-ending injury. It made me want to come back.”

Tournament Notes

Cypress joins Orange Coast in the State tournament. Both teams advanced last season, and Cypress won the championship game at Golden West College. This is the fourth consecutive time Cypress has reached the State tournament under Coach Brad Pickler, who is in his sixth season.

Orange Coast opens against San Mateo and Cypress plays Sacramento City in the first round at 11 a.m. If Cypress and Orange Coast each win, they would play each other today at 1 p.m. If they lose, the meeting would be Saturday at 10 a.m., with the loser being eliminated. Napa Valley plays Long Beach and Ohlone plays Palomar in other first-round games, also at 11 a.m. The winners’ bracket final is Saturday at 6 p.m., and the title game is Sunday at 1 p.m.

OCC pitcher Alisha Nelson (23-6) brings a streak of 38 consecutive shutout innings into the tournament. She didn’t allow a run in 21 innings of regional play last weekend, opening with a 7-0 victory over Rio Hondo. Nelson, a sophomore from Woodbridge High, has 16 shutouts and an earned-run average of 0.44 this season. She is also OCC’s all-time leader in victories with 45.