Record Pace for Cochran

Kaitlin Cochran, a junior outfielder and first baseman at Fullerton Rosary, hopes to begin another hitting streak today at Fullerton Clark Park when the 20th-ranked Royals play host to No. 3 Santa Mater Dei in a key Serra League game.

Cochran hit safely in her first 19 games this season, extending her school-record hitting streak to 23 games before going 0 for 2 with a walk Saturday against Lisa Geer of Anaheim Canyon in the second game of a doubleheader. Cochran has 38 hits this season. The school record is 49 by Dana Kinney, who batted a school-record .512 in 2001.

“She’s going to break that record, and she’s going to break all of Natalie Golda’s career records for hits, RBIs and runs scored,” Tice said. “She’s batting .635, I’m almost embarrassed to turn in the numbers.”

-- Martin Henderson

Boys’ Golf

Jason D’ Amore of Manhattan Beach Mira Costa shot a three-under-par 33 to earn medalist honors, but Cerritos had three players shoot even par or better and defeated the Mustangs, 186-188, in a nonleague match Monday at Lakewood Country Club between two of the top six teams in the Southland.

Rory Hie shot 34 and Brian Kim and Kyle Takesue each finished with a 36 for No. 4 Cerritos (19-1). Sixth-ranked Mira Costa falls to 19-3.

-- Rafer Weigel

Boys’ Tennis

Without top singles player Blake Muller, Santa Barbara defeated Calabasas, 12-6, in a nonleague match on Monday.

Muller spent the afternoon competing against Gary Sacks, who was a standout for Calabasas last season. Dons Coach Steve Geremia said Muller was unhappy with his straight-set loss to Palm Desert’s Cale Planck in the CIF boys’ singles quarterfinals at the Ojai Valley tennis tournament on Friday and wanted to fine-tune his game.

Santa Barbara, ranked No. 3 in the Southland by The Times, replaced Muller with Grant Robertson, who swept his sets, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-4. A.J. Stein, who sat out much of the season with a broken wrist, returned to sweep his sets, 6-2, 6-0, 6-3, at No. 2 doubles with partner Taylor Chavez-Goggin.

-- Elia Powers

Baseball

Los Angeles Roosevelt may have to forfeit five Eastern League victories because of an ineligible player. The school is investigating a complaint lodged by L.A. Garfield.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Swimming

San Clemente will be without junior breaststroke and butterfly specialist David Hwang the rest of the season heading into today’s final South Coast League meet against Lake Forest El Toro.

Hwang did not show up for a South Coast League meet that San Clemente lost, 86-84, to Mission Viejo on March 30. San Clemente Coach Marc Parker said Hwang gave no reason for missing the meet and is continuing to train with his club team.

Hwang could not be reached for comment.

San Clemente (3-1, 3-1), ranked No. 4 in the Southland by The Times, beat Dana Point Dana Hills and Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley in league meets but finished second to Murrieta Valley in the Palm Springs Invitational on Saturday.

The South Coast League championships take place May 7.

-- Lauren Peterson

Football

Todd Gerhart has been named head football coach at Norco, replacing Gary Campbell, who retired after 34 years of coaching.

Gerhart was a standout running back for Campbell at Norco and went on to play at Cal State Fullerton and with the Denver Gold of the United States Football League. He served as Campbell’s running backs coach.

Last season, Gerhart’s son, Toby, rushed for 3,035 yards, a state record for sophomores, and scored 35 touchdowns. He gained at least 285 yards in six consecutive games while leading the Cougars to the Mountain View League title and Division V final.

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Menifee Paloma Valley has hired Bert Esposito to replace Craig Lind after the Wildcats posted a 1-9 record last season.

Esposito spent last year as an assistant coach at Riverside La Sierra but has held previous high school head coaching positions at Temecula Linfield, Riverside Ramona and Moreno Rancho Verde. His record as a head coach is 74-56-4.

-- Bob Rohwer

Aaron Ware, a running back and defensive back from Westlake Village Oaks Christian, has committed to UCLA. His older brother, Matt, was a standout cornerback for the Bruins and was picked by Philadelphia in the third round of the NFL draft on Saturday.

-- Eric Sondheimer