Gauchos Losing Players, Ground

The Saddleback softball team, runner-up for the state championship last year, has only seven of the 12 players who started the season.

Injuries have forced Coach Nick Trani to enlist some new players: Pearl Colbert, who was in a slow-pitch league before joining the Gauchos a few weeks ago, and Latasha Maxwell, who joined the team in January. Heather Cannon and Tara Frazer are also eligible and expected to join the team next week.

Trani pulled his team out of the Ventura College tournament this weekend as a precaution.

“If we have another injury, we’re done for the season,” said Trani, explaining that any additional replacement players wouldn’t have time to gain eligibility. Conference rules prohibit playing with fewer than nine players.

“It’s a challenge, but I told the girls that if we have nine players out there, I expect to win. Nobody is going to feel sorry for us.”

Trani said most players are playing out of position and the defense has suffered, but pitcher Tracy Alcaraz, who leads the Orange Empire Conference with a 0.66 earned-run average, has helped keep the team in games.

However, Alcaraz is the Gauchos’ only pitcher. Jen Carlisle (shoulder) is among those sidelined by injury and Nicki Marian has been limited to playing infield because of an ankle sprain. Marian, batting .455 in conference play, has been switched from second to first base because of her limited range.

“We have our first baseman in center, our center fielder at short, our left fielder at second base and our second baseman at first,” Trani said. “We’re all over the place.”

Saddleback (15-11-1, 8-6 in conference) is in fourth place. The top four teams qualify for the regional playoffs.

“We’re just trying to hang on,” Trani said. “We put our healthiest players in the key positions and hope we can get through the next three weeks.”

The Gauchos had only 10 players last year when they reached the state championship game.

“We’re just going to keep playing as long as they let us,” Trani said.

IN THE DARK

Fullerton filed a protest over Thursday’s 8-7 loss to Saddleback with two outs in the top of the 10th inning, Saddleback sports information director Jerry Hannula said.

The Hornets contend that Saddleback, the home team, got an unfair advantage when umpires ordered the field lights turned on after Fullerton had two outs in the top of the 10th.

The Gauchos scored the winning run when one of their players was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the 10th.

The game started at 2 p.m. and lasted 4 1/2 hours.

ALL-STATE HONORS

Greg Gray and Zack Fray of Santa Ana College, co-MVPs of the Orange Empire Conference in men’s basketball, have been named to the All-California team.

Gray, a sophomore forward, averaged 20.3 points, and Fray, a freshman forward, averaged 20 points for the Dons, who advanced to the Southern California Regional final.

HONORED DONS

Santa Ana announced Wednesday it will establish an athletic Hall of Fame on campus.

The college has embarked on a $100,000 fund-raising campaign to build the hall. School organizers expect the first induction to take place during the 2000-01 school year.

Information: (714) 564-6900.

IN THE NEWS

Former Golden West wrestler Raphael Davis qualified for the U.S. Olympic trials by winning the West Regional in the 97-kilo (213.75-pound) weight class. He can earn a spot on the Olympic team June 22-24 at Reunion Arena in Dallas. . . . Jessica Miles, a sophomore setter for Cypress, has signed with Cal State Los Angeles. Miles played high school volleyball at Loara.

If you have an item or idea for the community college notebook, you can fax us at (714) 966-5663 or e-mail us at peter.yoon@latimes.com