They Shorten the Games, a Foot at a Time

In an attempt to speed up baseball games, the NCAA adopted a new rule this season, wherein players are required to keep one foot in the batter’s box during an at-bat. The rule is designed to keep batters from fiddling between pitches and slowing the pace of the game.

But Cal State Northridge shortstop Chad Thornhill says the sport already has a timepiece. It’s been that way for decades.

“Baseball has its own clock,” Thornhill said. “It’s called 27 outs.”

There are a few exceptions--the batter is allowed to leave the box during pickoff throws or whenever the pitcher leaves the dirt area of the mound, for instance--but a batter leaving the box without requesting and receiving a timeout from the umpire is penalized a strike.

In a preseason scrimmage, several Northridge players learned quickly that the rule will be enforced with a vengeance.

“I think I got called on it about four times,” freshman Eric Gillespie said. “It cured me fast.”

While Gillespie and Thornhill agreed that the rule might accelerate play slightly, they believe it leaves hitters at a disadvantage once the pitcher has a two-strike count.

“If I’m battling . . . with two strikes, I need time to regroup,” Thornhill said.

Said Gillespie: “I give it a thumbs down. The hitter’s at a disadvantage, though the umps have been pretty good so far about (granting time).”

Batters must remain more alert.

“It helps me stay more focused,” said Thornhill, who entered the week with a team-high average of .350. “But I think the consensus is that it’s a pretty useless rule.”

CAL STATE NORTHRIDGE

Not So Fast, Guys

It ended with a bang. It started the same way.

Northridge scored three runs in the 11th inning to defeat UCLA on Sunday, 10-7, in a thriller that featured a half-dozen big plays. Three hours earlier, the day began with a little excitement too, in what seemed a carryover from a previous game.

When Northridge played UCLA on Friday, the Matadors stormed onto the field moments after the Bruins had completed taking infield practice. Well, they were almost finished.

“We like to take over the field, even when we’re on the road,” Thornhill said. “(Friday), we ran out there when they were finishing their last popup.”

Somebody must have taken offense. Sunday, UCLA completed its infield drills and the Northridge players again bolted onto the field. Trouble, was, UCLA’s players then walked back to their positions and began fielding more ground balls.

After a few awkward moments with players from both teams standing at the same positions, Northridge’s players trudged back to the dugout.

“They kind of set us up for that one,” Thornhill said, laughing. “But all it really did was fire us up for the game.”

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Northridge plays its next eight games against teams ranked in Collegiate Baseball’s Division I top 30 poll, beginning with a three-game series this weekend with third-ranked Cal State Fullerton.

Following Fullerton are games against USC (ranked 13th), Oklahoma State (sixth), Florida (27th) and a doubleheader against Ohio State (18th).

*

Gillespie, relegated to designated hitter because of a sore throwing shoulder, could return to his position behind the plate this weekend against Fullerton.

Gillespie threw on the sideline before Sunday’s victory over UCLA and still experienced soreness. UCLA stole a school-record nine bases in as many attempts against backup catcher Josh Smaler and starting pitcher Keven Kempton.

“Some of those steals weren’t (Smaler’s) fault,” Coach Bill Kernen said. “He did have some problems, but he’s better than that. He’s pretty much been shoved into this.”

Smaler was an outfielder and the backup catcher to Adam Pearlman last season at Pierce College. Before he was thrust into duty behind the plate for Northridge, Smaler was starting in the outfield.

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Quotebook: Guard Brooklyn McLinn on the small gathering of fans that watched the Matadors play their first basketball game at Northridge in six weeks: “At the start of the game, I thought it was just going to be us and (players from) Grand Canyon in there.”

*

Brent Lofton has scored 83 points and grabbed 35 rebounds off the bench in Northridge’s past six games.

Lofton has scored almost a point per minute in the past two games. Against Southern Utah, he poured in a career-high 19 points in 26 minutes. Against Grand Canyon, he had 16 points in 20 minutes, boosting his season average to 9.4 points in an average of 18 minutes.

JUNIOR COLLEGES

Whole New Ballgame

It might take some time for Jerry Dunlap to adjust to life without running an athletic department but he is willing to give it a shot.

Dunlap, who recently resigned after 19 years as the Ventura College athletic director, is looking forward to evenings and weekends spent in places other than noisy gyms and playing fields.

Oh, he’ll still attend some games, but it will be for pleasure instead of work.

“My family and I have never had a real life,” he said. “Ever since I started coaching in high school 40 years ago, I have done nothing but go to ballgames on weekends and at nights.”

Dunlap will remain at Ventura and work on special projects and teach three physical education classes, which means he still will be around many of the coaches he brought to the school.

“When you are involved in the hiring of good employees, that’s a good feeling,” Dunlap said. “A successful (sports) program is only as good as the coach.”

Around the Campuses . . .

* Entering Wednesday’s game against Pomona-Pitzer, Cal Lutheran center Rupert Sapwell has shot 65.3% from the field (32 of 49) in his past five games.

* At the start of the week, Cal Lutheran guard Paul Tapp leads the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in free-throw shooting (90.9%), making 50 of 55 attempts. In SCIAC play, he was shooting 94.9% (37 of 39) and had made his last 19.

* The Master’s point guard Andy Thompson has averaged 7.4 assists during the Mustangs’ current 13-game winning streak.

* Master’s center Emeka Okenwa should be plenty rested for Friday night’s NAIA Far West Region Independents showdown at Biola. Okenwa had three rebounds in blowout victories over California Christian and Christian Heritage last week after averaging 9.8 rebounds during the previous 11 victories.

* Master’s has compiled a 6-0 record this season against fellow members of the NAIA Far West Region Independents. The Mustangs have shot a combined 55.9% (213 of 381) from the field in those games.

* Even after being upset by Cuesta last week, the Ventura men’s basketball team is still ranked No. 1 in the state in the latest poll by the California JC Athletic Bureau. Moorpark is ranked 18th.

* Moorpark sophomore guard Sean Martin leads Western State Conference men’s players in assists with 236.

* Canyons guard Terra Bruessel led WSC women’s players in assists with 179 going into Wednesday’s game against Valley.

* The Antelope Valley baseball team is 3-2. Last season, the Marauders started 1-3 and finished with a 6-26 record.

* Canyons sophomore R.J. Fenolio is nine for 11 in the Cougars’ first three baseball games.

Staff writers Fernando Dominguez, Mike Hiserman, Paige A. Leech and John Ortega contributed to this notebook.