Chapman Golf Program on Right Course

Despite a late starting time and one unfortunate scratch, Chapman’s golf team has made strong strides in its first season.

Except for powerful UC San Diego, Chapman has beaten every Southland Division III team. “It’s been UCSD and everybody else,” Chapman Coach Greg Schammel said. “And we’ve been in the top half of everybody else.”

That’s quite an accomplishment, considering the handicaps the fledgling program has had to overcome.

Schammel wasn’t able to meet his players until January because the university is following the more restrictive rules of the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. Then Barlow Elton, a transfer from Rancho Santiago who was expected to be one of the Panthers’ better golfers, had a death in the family and had to leave school.

Schammel also had to scramble to find a home course. The demand for tee times is strong, often pushing college golfers well down the priority list.

“You don’t get nos from anyone, but you don’t always get yeses to all of the time we require on a course,” he said.

Fortunately for the program, one of the better local courses, Tustin Ranch, has welcomed the Panthers.

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Top players: Senior Yasu Tanaka and sophomore Joel DelGiorgio have been Chapman’s most consistent performers. In a match against UC San Diego Friday, Tanaka was the medalist, shooting a three-over-par 75 at Torrey Pines. DelGiorgio shot 79. San Diego won 311 to 325.

“Yasu and Joel are playing real consistently,” Schammel said. “I don’t think either has been in the 80s in a long time.”

Schammel believes each is a strong candidate to be invited to the NCAA Division III championships, May 16-19 in Terre Haute, Ind.

The other players have struggled at times, and therefore the Panthers are unlikely to be one of the 10 teams to be invited to the national tournament.

Junior Ryan DelGiorgio, Joel’s brother, Tom Dore, a senior who played at Foothill High and David Whitby, a sophomore who also is a receiver for the Chapman football team, round out the lineup.

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Schammel, who played football at Servite and Cal Poly Pomona, is Chapman’s offensive coordinator. An assistant coach on the golf team at Whittier College, this is Schammel’s first experience as a head coach.

“The intensity level is a little higher at football practices than it is in golf,” he said. “Maybe I should relax at football practices a little more. These guys are certainly as competitive.”

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Sayling along: Southern California College’s Shannon Saylor was named the Golden State Athletic Conference softball pitcher of the week for the second consecutive week. Saylor, a senior from Diamond Bar, didn’t give up an earned run in three victories last week. She struck out 15 to raise her conference-leading total to 123.

Saylor (21-4) started this week strong, coming within one out of a perfect game in a 6-0 victory over Concordia (Minn.) Monday. Saylor made a throwing error and had to settle for a no-hitter. Tuesday, she pitched a one-hitter in a 1-0 victory over Cal State Dominguez Hills and earned the victory in relief in the second game. SCC (32-13) is ranked sixth in the latest NAIA national poll.

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Mr. 400: As expected, Chapman softball Coach Lisle Lloyd recorded his 400th victory, when the Panthers beat Concordia (Minn.), 7-0, in the first game of a doubleheader sweep Friday at Hart Park.

After Tuesday’s sweep of UC San Diego, Chapman, ranked second in NCAA Division III, is 30-4 and Lloyd is 403-275-2 in 13 seasons as a college softball coach.

College Division Notes

The Chapman baseball team improved to 9-18 Tuesday with a 15-3 victory over Claremont-Mudd. The Panthers trailed, 3-2, going into the sixth, but scored 13 runs in the final three innings. Don Disbro hit his fifth home run of the season, Brad Martin hit his team-high seventh and Duke Best also homered. Chapman plays at Menlo today and Friday and at Westmont Saturday. . . . The Chapman women’s track team set a school record in the 400-meter relay Saturday at the UC San Diego Invitational. Natalie Neat, Christy Carvin, Makela Theriault and Mary Folino finished first in their heat in 51.48 seconds. Danielle Garrison set a personal best in the 3,000 by more than eight seconds, finishing in 11 minutes 12.8 seconds and finished the 800 in 2:36.8, another personal best.