McCaffrey Resigns as El Toro Baseball Coach

El Toro baseball Coach Tom McCaffrey announced his resignation Monday, effective at the end of the season.

McCaffrey, who coached the varsity for the last 11 years, said there was no specific reason for his departure.

“I just feel it’s time,” he said. “I’ve been doing it a long time. I just think the change might be good right now.”

McCaffrey has a record of 279-186-1 at El Toro, St. Bernard and Santa Monica. In 16 years as a varsity coach, McCaffrey’s teams went to the playoffs 13 times and averaged 18 victories per season.

Last season, El Toro upset No. 1 Servite en route to the Division I quarterfinals.

The Chargers (11-10-1, 5-6) are tied for fourth with San Clemente in the South Coast League.

McCaffrey said he still plans to teach at El Toro and might be an assistant coach if the new coach wants his help. Or, he might seek an assistant’s job at another school.

“My days as a head coach will be over” at the end of the season, McCaffrey said.

* By taking two of three against UC Santa Barbara over the weekend, Cal State Fullerton retained the No. 17 ranking in the Baseball America national poll. The Titans (27-15) play San Diego State at home tonight at 7, then host Nevada in a three-game Big West Conference series beginning Friday. Nevada trails Fullerton by a game in the conference standings.

SOFTBALL

Four Fullerton College players were selected to the All-Orange Empire Conference softball team.

Freshmen Erin Kelly and Lisa Schiro and sophomores Crystal Aguirre and Samantha Kimura were first-team selections.

Kelly, 16-2 with a 0.63 ERA, was named pitcher of the year.

Schiro, a second baseman, was named player of the year. She led the conference in batting (.464) and runs (23) and was fifth in runs batted in (16). Kelly and Schiro are automatically selected to the all-state and all-region teams.

Other players selected were:

Rachael Bermudez (Riverside), Fr.; Kirsten Degree (Orange Coast), Fr.; Erica Hammontree (Santa Ana), So.; Koral King (Cypress), So.; Wendi Kralich (Santa Ana), Fr.; Nicki Marian (Saddleback), Fr.; Yvette Martinez (Cypress), So.; Yesenia Paniagua (Santa Ana), So.; Sarah Saldecke (Riverside), So.

Second team--Tracy Alcaraz (Saddleback), Fr.; Natalie Castro (Santa Ana), Fr.; Erica Duncan (Cypress), Fr.; Tracy Habiger (Saddleback), So.; Erica Harding (Cypress), So.; Heidi Lockwood (Cypress), So.; Sara Louwsman (Cypress), So.; Lisa Monreal (Cypress), So.; Jen Reinig (Golden West), Fr.; Tasha Thurmond (Orange Coast), So.; Ana Velazquez (Santa Ana), Fr.; Angela Veronesi (Fullerton), So.

Coaches of the year--Lisa Bassi (Fullerton), Kim Nutter (Santa Ana).

HANDBALL

The U.S. Handball Assn. hosts the final leg of its regular season tour at the Los Caballeros Racquet and Sports Club in Fountain Valley Friday through Sunday.

Play begins at 10 a.m. Friday. The finals are at noon Sunday. General admittance is free. A limited number of three-day courtside seats are priced at $100 each.

For more information call (714) 722-1727.

SPEEDWAY

In a late Saturday result, Gary Hicks of Riverside won the four-lap scratch main event on opening night of Speedway in front of an announced crowd of 5,929 at Orange County Fairgrounds. Costa Mesa’s Bobby Schwartz was second and Shawn McConnell of Brea third.

Charlie Venegas of San Bernardino won the eight-lap handicap event, beating Brad Oxley of San Juan Capistrano and Hicks.