SCC Has the Momentum Going Into NAIA Finals

Southern California College advanced to the NAIA softball finals for only the second time in school history when the Vanguards won the West Regional tournament at SCC last weekend.

SCC is seeded fourth for the NAIA finals in Broken Arrow, Okla., and plays Western Washington in a first-round game at 11 a.m. Tuesday. If SCC wins, it will likely meet four-time defending national champion Oklahoma City on Wednesday. The tournament concludes next Friday.

“We finished third in 1995 when we made it to nationals,” SCC Coach Beth Renkoski said. “But that year, we went as an at-large bid. This year was the first time we won the regional, and it made it that much more special to win our way there.

“Right now, we’re playing well and still getting better, and that’s where you want to be this time of year.”

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More SCC: The only thing not going SCC’s way is the ailing shoulder of pitcher Gretchen Brandt. Brandt sat out last season after shoulder surgery and pain flared up in the same shoulder last weekend.

Jen Houston won three games in the regional, but Renkoski would like to have both pitchers available for the finals. Renkoski said Brandt is prepared to pitch in the finals, after throwing in only one game of the regional, although she is not 100%.

Brandt is 21-6 with a 1.16 earned-run average and 199 strikeouts in 180 1/3 innings.

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Other NAIA finalists: The SCC men’s tennis team begins the NAIA finals Monday in Tulsa, Okla. SCC finished ranked 19th in the nation and is led by Joakim Ulfuebrand, the 38th-ranked singles player in the NAIA.

Dariann Kenworthy, Monica Landa, Isis Gonzales and Brian Carlson will participate in the NAIA National track and field championships in Tulsa, Okla. beginning next Thursday.

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Chapman softball: The Panthers (35-7) return to the NCAA finals this weekend after winning a Division III national title in 1995 and finishing second in ’96.

Chapman plays Cortland State (N.Y.) in the first round at noon today of the double elimination tournament, which has its championship game scheduled for Sunday.

“This is the big show,” Chapman Coach Janet Lloyd said. “I just told the players to enjoy this week.”

Chapman freshman Catie Lacy enjoyed a great regional, winning three games to improve to 14-1 with a 0.90 earned-run average.

But the Panthers will go only as far as their bats will take them.

Chapman hit .354 as a team and averaged nearly 6 1/2 runs per game. Junior first baseman Stephanie Carew (.496 batting average, 12 home runs, 43 runs batted in), sophomore second baseman AmieBarnes (.372, 2, 28) and senior outfielder Jessamine Maiben (.361, 2, 30) lead the offense.

“If we don’t hit the ball, we’re in trouble,” Lloyd said.

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Honors: Stephanie Carew, Katie Chauvin and Laurel Bailey earned District 8 All-American softball honors. Bailey is a two-time selection.

Chapman’s Robert O’Brien and Matt Barcellona earned District 8 baseball All-American honors.