COMMUNITY COLLEGE NOTEBOOK / STEVE KRESAL : Orange Coast Pays Back Its Supporters With Success

When John Altobelli took over the Orange Coast baseball program last summer, he figured to make some changes.

The first was in the look of the field. Thanks to a fund-raising campaign at Planet Hollywood restaurant, OCC’s field now sports a $35,000 scoreboard behind the right-center field fence. Construction on an equipment building behind home plate started Monday.

While these changes have been impressive, the biggest gain OCC has made this season is in the Orange Empire Conference standings.

The Pirates, expected to finish no higher than fourth, are in second place, a half-game behind Rancho Santiago, the three-time defending conference champion.

OCC (21-13, 11-6) started the week in first but lost to Rancho Santiago, 22-17, Tuesday. The teams meet again Thursday afternoon at Rancho Santiago.

“Rancho Santiago is the team to beat,” Altobelli said Saturday after Orange Coast beat Fullerton, 10-3, to move into first place. “No one expected us to be where we are. Hopefully, everyone will continue to overlook us.”

It’s doubtful that Altobelli will get his wish during the remaining seven conference games.

The Pirates started the week hitting .305. Jason Parsons is the hottest of the bunch, at .402. He is 14 for his last 16 with 14 runs batted in. He was six for six with seven RBIs in Tuesday’s loss to Rancho Santiago.

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Track and field: The Orange Empire Conference men’s and women’s titles will be decided today at Golden West in a tri-meet involving the Rustlers, Fullerton and Riverside, which is the clear favorite.

The Golden West and Riverside men come in with 7-0 records. Fullerton is 6-1. Mike McClintock of Golden West has the best mark in state this year in the javelin, (209 feet).

For the women: Fullerton and Riverside are 8-0 and Golden West is 5-3.

The men’s and women’s conference finals are April 30 at Balboa Stadium in San Diego. The Southern California finals are May 15 at Long Beach College and the State meet is May 21-22 at Shasta College.

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Swimming: The Orange Empire and South Coast Conference finals are Thursday through Saturday.

Orange Coast is the men’s and women’s favorite in the Orange Empire Conference, which will be at Saddleback. Both teams are 7-0 in conference meets.

The OCC women have won 87 dual meets in a row since 1982. OCC, coached by Don Watson, has won four consecutive State titles and eight of the last nine.

The State championships are April 29-May 1 at Hartnell College in Salinas. The 16 individuals with the best times posted this season qualify for the championships.

Golden West’s men and women are the favorites at the South Coast Conference meet at Long Beach Belmont Plaza. Both are 6-0 in conference meets.