Coaches Must Fill Vacancies on the Mound

Cal State Fullerton was a big hit nationally in baseball and softball last spring with both teams playing in the College World Series.

The teams will begin new seasons soon. Each is nationally ranked, and each has hopes of returning to their national tournaments. And, in each case, their chances of doing it will depend heavily on the development of their pitchers.

The baseball team lost three starters from the national championship team when Ted Silva (18-1), Tim Dixon (13-0) and Jon Ward (10-3) signed pro contracts.

The softball team’s top pitcher last year, Jennifer Mortensen, also completed her eligibility. She was 23-8 last season with a 1.81 earned-run average. Sophomore Brandi Isgar, however, returns after going 17-5 with a 2.37 ERA, but she has had some injury problems in the past.

“Pitching is so important,” softball Coach Judi Garman said. “I’m sure it will be a key for us again.”

In baseball, associate head coach George Horton, who handles the pitchers for Coach Augie Garrido, is optimistic that a solid staff will emerge, but he also thinks it’s going to be a matter of continuing development.

Junior Kirk Irvine, who was the top starter last season at Rancho Santiago College, is expected to start the opener tonight at Stanford. Another transfer, Brent Billingsley, who pitched last season at East Carolina, is the probable starter Saturday. On Sunday, it probably will be either Mark Chavez or Pepperdine transfer Matt Wise.

Chavez is trying to make the move from relief pitcher to starter, the way Silva did successfully a year ago.

Horton is eager to see how they all do in the opening three-game series that matches two of the three highest ranked teams in the preseason. Stanford is rated No. 2 by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. Fullerton is No. 1 in Collegiate Baseball, No. 3 in Baseball America.

“Billingsley has been a very pleasant surprise for us so far,” Horton said. “He’s a four-pitch guy with a good curveball.

“Irvine has pitched well in a lot of big games at Rancho Santiago, and we hope that will carry over with us. He’s been our most consistent pitcher so far.”

Horton believes Chavez can become a successful starter. “He doesn’t have one outstanding pitch the way Silva did with the slider, but he has a good mixture of pitches, and does a lot of things well,” Horton said. “The other teams are going to have to do something to beat him. He won’t beat himself.”

Horton said Wise has shown considerable improvement recently. “His last outing was really good,” Horton said. “He’s starting to show signs of being the type of pitcher we hope he can be.”

Horton said the big difference between the start of this season and last is the absence of any one pitcher who looks dominant. “We don’t have any one guy we’re sure is going to be the backbone of the staff the way Silva was,” he said.

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In softball, Garman is hopeful that another strong pitcher will emerge to complement Isgar. Garman said freshman Liza Brown showed promise during the team’s recent trip to Australia and New Zealand, where Isgar also pitched well. The Titans were 2-1 in Australia and 3-1 in New Zealand in competition against top club teams.

“Jennifer Mortensen was so competitive that we’ll really miss her, but the other people are just going to have to step up,” Garman said.

Garman has four regular position players returning. That group includes second baseman Chris Zboril, who led the team in hitting last year at .373. Other top players back are designated hitter Senetha Thomas (.326), shortstop Julie Williams (.301) and third baseman Traci Fischer (.270).

“Traci was outstanding defensively during the trip,” Garman said. “She made some incredible plays.”

There also were some key losses to graduation.

“We lost some key leaders such as Shannon Dolan and Rose Garces, but I think we’re well-rounded as a team again, the way we were last year. I think we have the talent to go a long way again,” Garman said. The Titans are ranked sixth nationally in the preseason poll, and Garman said she’s comfortable with that.

The softball team opens Feb. 9 at home against Cal State Northridge.

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Former Titan Koko Lahanas, who was the top scorer in the nation in women’s college basketball last season, is happy with the opportunity to play in the Australian women’s professional league.

Lahanas will join the Hobart Islanders, based on the island of Tasmania, this week.

“I’m hoping that it will lead to an opportunity to play in either Greece or Germany after that,” Lahanas said. “I really want to have a chance to play in Europe. I’m hoping I’ll be able to get dual citizenship in one of the two countries since my father is Greek and my mother is German.”

Lahanas said she possibly could have played in Europe this year, but chose to remain at Fullerton to complete her degree in English.

She said she has stayed in shape by practicing on her own in addition to doing weight training.

Lahanas said she also would consider playing in a proposed women’s pro league in the United States.

Titan Notes

Golden Spikes award winner Mark Kotsay finished eighth in the balloting for Olympic Sportsman of the Year. Track and field triple world champion Michael Johnson was first, followed by wrestler Bruce Baumgartner and tennis player Pete Sampras. . . . Stanford, the Titans’ opening baseball opponent, started its season by winning two of three games at Hawaii. . . . Stanford has four pitchers who are rated among Baseball America’s top 55 college prospects. Right-hander Jason Middlebrook is rated No. 6, one spot ahead of Kotsay.