In golf, volleyball, tennis, basketball, softball, and most of the other items on the sporting menu in the athletic cafeterias of Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State this has been a 49er year, if not a 49er era. Baseball, well that is what’s up this weekend when old rivals heading in different directions settle it all between the white chalk of Blair Field.
The CSUF direction isn’t pleasing to Tuffy and his handlers. The Titans had their worst week of the season 1-3 for the first time this year, (a loss to UCLA and a win and two losses to Riverside), the first Big West series loss of the season and the third time this year the Titans had been shut out. Long Beach State, while not exactly impersonating one of those Grand Prix race cars, has been motoring steadily up the standings. The LBSU tale of the tape: Overall: 27-25 • Home: 14-11 • Away: 13-14 • Big West: 14-7 and one game behind CSUF for all the beans and bright and shiny stuff with three left to play.
While Buck and his Beach Boys swear they weren’t scoreboard watching, the events in the Riverside-Fullerton series were pleasing. To be sure the continued mound mastery of senior Shawn Stuart (7-0, 2.21–magic sevens–seven shutout innings, striking out seven and moving his record to 7-0) was critical. Long Beach State took an early lead and was never threatened in their Sunday 5-1 victory against Pacific, winning the series against the Tigers. Stuart was in command throughout, going four innings before allowing a hit that reached the outfield, and scattering four hits and did we mention 6-0 in the Big West. His BWC game seven is on Sunday
While once feared Fullerton had their offense sputter last weekend (beat cellar dweller Riverside 3-2 Friday but then went quiet the next two games losing 6-3 on Saturday and shutout 1-0 Sunday.) Back with the homeboys the Dirtbags offense jumped on Pacific starter Bryce Lombardi early, and then used sophomore closer Kyle Friedrichs finished to cage the Tigers and win another series. That brought the Long Beach State conference record to 14-7 and put the 2012 title on the line along with the Big West Championship and a trip to the NCAA Regionals IF the Beach can win another series with a 2 out of 3 weekend against the Titans. Oh yes, and more misery for the Up Titans of Nutwood Ave. The tale of the tape obviously features pitching where the team LBSU ERA is 3.10 with 9 guys under 4.0 and Stuart is an outstanding 2.21. The Titans team ERA is 3.17 with four starters having numbers ranging from Dylan Floro excellent 9-3 to more pedestrian digits like 5-2, 4-3 and 5-4. Can you say pitching depth is important?
Down behind the Orange Curtain the Fullertonians really hate to even think out loud about Long Beach. They prefer like one of their super supporters Paul Joseph does, to focus on nothing but what happens in June. Mr. Joseph is clearly not happy, “We have almost no chance to host now”. Tisk tisk. another CSUF comment, “…If we win the BWC and our RPI does not drop below 20 (LB is 68), I think we would be a very strong candidate for being a regional host…We couldn’t even score 1 measly run against a pitcher with a 6-6 record and a 4.18 ERA…and Long Beach has about 10 pitchers with ERAs better than that. I don’t even want to think about what could happen in a regional, no matter where it is!” Thus endeth the reading of Vanderhook’s Hardball Café and Chat room. Stay tuned and remember–two out of three for the 49ers makes math an optional subject.
Notes on My Napkin
Since we have no good news on the recent baseball fate of the local preps (Poly, Lakewood, Los Al, Wilson all lost in the first playoff round Friday night,) proud parent Russ Strufing sent in a note on his Colorado kid and Niner pitcher Ryan “A little tidbit for you- Ryan and Eric Lockwood (the outstanding hitter from UOP) played against each other all through high school in baseball and basketball. Broomfield where Eric is from is 15 miles from Niwot so we were in the same league.” And in the battle at the beach and not the mountains, our Niwotonian Stuf stuck out Lockwood twice.
Anyone for tennis, sure so this news that four year BWC POY Hannah Grady is going to move on and get a degree related job. Anais Dallara will take her post as assistant coach after she plays in the NCAA Individual Singles Championship Wednesday-Sunday, in Athens, Ga. Of yes the eight sessions of tennis camps begins on June 18.
Women’s basketball has a load of camps from teams (Grades 9-12th, $450 per team
Var, JV, Frosh/Soph), Elite Position Camp, etc. Actually all summer you can camp, no mosquitoes but a few unaccounted for coyotes, beginning with 49er camp with a bit of everything, baseball, men’s basketball, soccer, softball, swim lessons, tennis, track, volleyball and water polo. Read up at http://www.longbeachstate.com/camps/lbst-camps.html.
In softball Saturday had a lot of highs and lows for the Long Beach State softball team in the Tempe Regional of the NCAA Tournament. The 49ers kept their season alive with a walk-off 5-4 win in the ninth inning over LIU Brooklyn, only to see their season end with a 2-1 loss in eight innings against No. 25 Syracuse later in the evening. Need more softball news well this item crossed the desk, “ UNLV Director of Athletics Jim Livengood announced Monday that softball head coach Pete Manarino’s contract will not be renewed and a national search for a new head coach will begin immediately. “We appreciate Coach Manarino’s efforts over the last four years at UNLV,” Livengood said. “However, the university felt a change in direction was necessary for our softball program.” Manarino, who coached LBSU to several College World Series when Kim Sowder was just a kid, was in the biz for 27 years…the Rebels finished 22-27 this season. Meanwhile in Fresno, Lisa Fernandez said that she would look at the now vacant Fresno State job…she said the same thing when Pete left but I ain’t unhappy that Sowder got the job…
In Golf Long Beach State junior Philip Chian shot an even-par 71 in Saturday’s final round of the NCAA Athens Regional to tie for fourth place at the University of Georgia Golf Course which using NCAA math made him the best of the players not qualifying with their team…so he goes to the NCAA Championship at Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades May 29-June 3. Hey Phillip, it is not a bad career, last weekend two area lads, Niner alum John Mallinger ($53,950) and John Merrick ($30,615) cashed nice checks. That’s slightly more than the members make playing gin at Virginia Country Club.
The Century club is voting this week, (see Russian elections) to consider LBCC retiree John Fylpaa as president and Olympian retiree Bruce Bradley as President Elect. I predict a not so close win.
UCR seeks comment from the “broader community” on three items of interest–dropping men’s tennis, adding sand volleyball and building a $50 million dollar basketball plus plus facility.
Mauricio Ingrassia and his Beach Futbol Club will be sending a record three age groups to Far West Regionals: girls under 14, 16, and 18. He also is finding time to run a entry in the new ladies pro league…
Fullerton U officials say new pro baseball league owner may clear Fullerton Flyers’ $75,000 in debt, play ball next summer. Two years ago, the Orange County Flyers folded, owing the university $75,000 for using Goodwin Field, the campus’ baseball stadium. School officials say the investor group that is reviving the team is making arrangements to pay the debt and may even begin play at the university next year. See, we always end on a money note.