COMMUNITY COLLEGE ROUNDUP : Saddleback Wins Regional Golf Title by 15 Shots

All season, Saddleback golf Coach Bill Cunerty has been saying his team is one of the most balanced he has ever had.

It was never more evident than Monday when the Gauchos won the Roger Cleveland Golf Southern California community college championship at Santa Ana Country Club.

Saddleback had a total of 773 and only two shots separated the team’s lowest score from its highest in the 36-hole, one-day tournament.

College of the Desert (788) was second, Long Beach (788) was third and Palomar (793) fourth. Cypress (826) was eighth in the nine-team regional field.

The top four teams qualify for the State tournament, Monday at Mission Viejo Country Club, where Saddleback will be seeking its fourth State title. The Gauchos have finished second three times.

Jason Reeder and Colin McElderry each shot 155 for the Gauchos, who won the Orange Empire Conference championship April 25. Reeder shot 75 and McElderry 80 in the morning round, then switched those scores in the afternoon round on the 6,560-yard, par-72 course.

Aki Amaya (77-79) and Jason McDaniel (79-77) shot 156 and Justin Grandy (74-83) and Jerome Valentin (77-80) had 157. Saddleback’s six golfers finished in the top 16 of the 69-player field.

Grandy, a freshman from Trabuco Hills High School, opened with a 74, the low round of the morning. Saddleback (382) led Long Beach by eight shots at the halfway point.

“On a day like this and on a course like this, steady usually wins,” Cunerty said. “That’s pretty much been our trademark all season. If you get six guys who can play like that, it’s really fun for the coach. You don’t get many ulcers with a team like this.”

Ventura’s Kelly Schlender was medalist with a score of 150. He shot 79, then a one-under 71 in the afternoon. He was the only player under par in either round.

Rob Lang of Palomar, Brandon Slater of College of the Desert, Sal Arizaga of Long Beach and Dennis Solano of Pasadena tied for second at 154.

Chris Castellano had the low total for Cypress with a 158 (76-82). Rancho Santiago’s Mark Marion (80-80) shot 160. Golden West’s Luis Romero withdrew because he was sick.

In Orange Empire Conference softball:

Cypress 1, Orange Coast 0--Jenny Lopez pitched a five-hitter for visiting Cypress (40-15, 15-6), which finished second. Orange Coast clinched its second conference title in three seasons Friday when the Pirates beat Golden West and Cypress was upset by Riverside.

Kerry Maloney walked and later scored on a groundout for Cypress. Dru Obada had two hits for Orange Coast (29-13-2, 16-5).

The Pirates are almost assured of hosting a four-team regional playoff May 13-14.

Rancho Santiago 1, Saddleback 0--Jackie Fretto singled to drive in Christina Mazurie in the first inning for host Rancho Santiago (26-17, 14-7), which finished in third place.

Jocelyne Patrick (21-14) pitched a five-hitter. Amy Blohm had two hits for Saddleback (22-18, 10-11).

Fullerton 2, Golden West 0--Alicia Robles pitched a two-hitter as visiting Fullerton (23-18, 13-8) finished fourth in conference. Tricia Wedekind and Janalyn Bloomfield each had RBI singles in the first inning for Fullerton. Golden West ended 23-18, 13-8.