Claremont’s Paz Rides the Waves to NCAA Title

Jorge Paz of Pepperdine flied out in his only at-bat during the College World Series, but the sophomore from Claremont still has plenty of good memories after the Waves defeated Cal State Fullerton for the championship at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha on Saturday.

Paz, a 6-foot, 190-pound sophomore, batted .180 with one home run and 12 runs batted in this season after a freshman year in which he batted .328 with two home runs and 29 RBIs.

“I haven’t had the year I would have liked from a personal standpoint, but its been incredible for our team,” said Paz, who will play in a collegiate league in Virginia this summer. “I’m looking forward to getting back in the groove, coming back and not letting up.”

Paz was one of four players with San Gabriel Valley roots who participated in the College World Series. Fullerton pitchers Mike Parisi (Arcadia) and Paco Chavez (El Monte) and California outfielder Eddie Comeaux (Pomona) were the others.

Titletown: The San Gabriel Valley is home to two Southern Section baseball champions and one other team that enjoyed a remarkable season before losing in the championship game.

South Hills won the 4-A Division with a come-from-behind 6-5 victory last weekend over Irvine at Anaheim Stadium. South Hills overcame a 5-1 deficit to beat Irvine and finished 19-9-1.

San Marino won its second 2-A title in three years with a 4-0 victory over Temecula Valley at Anaheim Stadium. San Marino finished 22-4.

Diamond Bar, which spent most of the season as USA Today’s top-ranked team in the nation, lost to Millikan, 5-4, in the 5-A championship game. Diamond Bar finished 28-2.

Right on track: Devon Edwards of Cal Poly Pomona finished second in the 400-meters event at the NCAA Division II track and field championships two weeks ago at San Angelo, Tex.

Edwards finished in 46.30 seconds, the second-best time in school history and the school’s best freshman mark of all time.

Hall of Famers: Cal Poly Pomona will induct nine former athletes into its Athletic Hall of Fame Saturday night at Kellogg West Hall.

The inductees include: Gary Burnett, who participated in football, wrestling and track from 1958-62; Alan Fowlkes (baseball, 1977-82); Ernest Gee (basketball, 1953-57); Kenneth A. Martin (football, basketball and track, 1951-54); Musiette McKinney (women’s basketball, 1975-79); Bill McNary (football and track, 1955-62; Jon McNeil (swimming and water polo, 1969-71); Barb Reinalda (softball, 1978-79); and Bill Saaranzin (football, 1957-61).

Cornell bound: Adam Metwalli, a former standout quarterback for Claremont High, will transfer to Cornell in the fall.

The 6-2, 200-pound Metwalli will transfer to Cornell from Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia.

Cornell plays Princeton in its opener Sept. 19.

Good sports: Claremont, Bosco Tech, San Gabriel, Ramona Convent, El Monte, Gladstone, South Pasadena, Baldwin Park and La Puente high schools were selected as recipients for Shake for Sportsmanship awards sponsored by the Dodgers and Adohr Farms.

Schools were selected from leagues in the Southern Section based on participation, enthusiasm, behavior at home and away games, treatment of opponents and treatment of officials.

Volleyball tournaments: The Bonita High volleyball program is sponsoring a series of grass-court volleyball tournaments June 27, July 18, Aug. 1 and Aug. 22.

The doubles tournaments include men’s and women’s A, B and Novice divisions. There are also co-ed mixed doubles.

Information: (714) 626-0897.

More volleyball: Azusa Pacific University is sponsoring a grass-court volleyball tournament July 18 with competition in co-ed, men’s division A and B doubles and women’s A doubles.

Awards will be presented to first and second-place teams in each division.

Information: (818) 969-3434 Ext. 3296