Softball Is Only a Hobby : Preps: Suzanne Radcliffe, who will attend Loyola on a volleyball scholarship, has helped the Torrance softball team to an 11-3 record.

Although Suzanne Radcliffe will attend Loyola Marymount on a volleyball scholarship in the fall, the Torrance High athlete has been making a name for herself in other sports.

The 5-foot-10 Radcliffe was one of the top high jumpers in the South Bay in 1992 and has made an impact as a first baseman for the Tartar softball team.

Torrance (11-3) leads the Pioneer League with a 10-2 record and Radcliffe ranks among the top offensive players in the South Bay with a .383 batting average and .436 slugging percentage.

Radcliffe, 18, had the best game two weeks ago against Centennial when she was four for four, including a school-record three home runs and nine runs batted in.

“I’ve been playing softball since I was 8 years old,” she said. “I didn’t get introduced to volleyball until high school. I just fell in love with it because it’s such a fast-paced game.”

John Jackson, who coaches the Torrance softball team, said Radcliffe could excel in either sport at the Division I level.

“She’s just a good athlete and she’d be good in any sport she played,” Jackson said. “I’m sure she could have been as good of a softball player as she is in volleyball if that was the sport in which she chose to compete.”

Jackson said Radcliffe’s defensive skills are underrated.

“Our infielders know that they can throw the ball anywhere near the base and she’ll save it,” he said. “It’s comforting for the infielders to know that they don’t always have to make a perfect throw.”

Radcliffe wouldn’t mind playing softball in college.

“I would love to play if I could work it out,” she said. “But volleyball is going to be my main sport in college and I’m going to be spending a lot of time with it. I don’t know if I would want to risk the chance of injury.”

There is no doubt about her volleyball skills.

Playing primarily as a setter last season, Radcliffe helped lead Torrance to a 22-2 record and the Southern Section Division III title. She was named to the All-Division III team.

She was also named to Volleyball Monthly magazine’s Fabulous 50 prep all-star team along with teammate Kim Blankinship, who will join Radcliffe at Loyola in the fall.

Brian Chartier, who coaches Radcliffe at the South Bay Volleyball Club, is convinced about Radcliffe’s skills.

“I think she’s the best (prep) player in the country as far as what she can do, her grades and the complete package is concerned,” Chartier said. “She’s the best player I’ve coached here and I think she’s just scratching the surface of what she can accomplish. She has the potential to come in and star at the next level.”

Loyola Coach Steve Stratos believes Radcliffe is a top prospect.

“When you look at the people who were interested in her, national powers like UCLA and Long Beach State and all of the major schools, that has to tell you that she has a lot of potential,” he said.

Radcliffe started playing volleyball in high school and didn’t start to compete at the club level until she was a sophomore.

“Most of the players she goes up against have played for six or seven years,” Stratos said. “But she plays on one of the top club teams in the nation and she’s one of the dominant players on the team.”

Radcliffe decided to stop competing in the high jump after her junior year. Her jump of 5-foot-4 last season was one of the top marks in the South Bay.

“I was still planning to jump this season, but I just found it to be too difficult,” she said. “I just became frustrated because I didn’t feel like I got the full benefit from my workouts when I was competing. I’d still love to be able to do (track and softball), but with everything else it’s just too difficult.”

Radcliffe has a 3.6 grade-point average and was honored as Torrance’s girls student athlete of the year as part of the Southern Section Academic Awards program.