Saddleback’s Ferguson Fills All Team’s Needs

Brent Ferguson starts most Saddleback College baseball practices in the outfield.

He catches a few flies, makes a few throws, then it’s time to move on.

Before the day is over, he will have worked out at first and third bases and shortstop.

Ferguson doesn’t protest the constant bouncing around the field, he just smiles and runs to the next place. He’s used to it.

“It’s been the story of my life,� Ferguson said. “I’ve always just gone where I was needed.�

And no matter where Ferguson is playing, he is needed by Saddleback.

Ferguson, who leads the team with a .400 batting average, also has a team-high 32 hits, three home runs and 20 runs batted in.

He came to Saddleback last season after being an All-Southern Section shortstop at San Clemente High School. He also pitched but the strain bothered his arm and he decided not to try pitching in college.

“Unless the team really needs me, then I will,� he said.

Ferguson started in left field last season, because Saddleback had a shortstop and needed outfielders. An ankle injury forced him to the bench for two games early last season. But Ferguson came back as the designated hitter until he could run enough to play first base.

He was healthy enough to return to the outfield in the final few weeks of the summer.

Despite the injury, Ferguson batted .339 with six home runs and 21 RBIs, and was a second-team All-Orange Empire Conference selection.

During the summer, Jack Hodges was hired as Saddleback coach, and he considered moving Ferguson back to shortstop.

“I saw him in a practice game and thought, ‘My goodness, this is his best position,’ � Hodges said. “And it might still be his best position, but we wanted him to be comfortable to start the season. He was one of our few returners and we needed his leadership.�

Ferguson has been moved around in the batting order almost as much as on the field.

Last year, he hit second through fifth in the order. But this season, he seems to have settled into the No. 2 spot behind Buster Nietzke.

“He’s cut down his swing some to hit in that position,� Hodges said. “But he did it with no questions asked. He could have more home runs if he hit somewhere else.�

In a game at Golden West two weeks ago, Ferguson lined the ball over the center-field fence, 417 feet away.

He also hit a three-run home run Saturday to give Saddleback a 3-2 victory over Cypress.

“Actually hitting second has been good,� Ferguson said. “I see more fastballs and get more at-bats. But I don’t care where I hit or play.�

As long as he gets to.

Baseball poll: The two top teams in the Southern California baseball poll this week--No. 1 Los Angeles Harbor (28-3) and No. 2 Cerritos (19-2)--play a nonconference game at 2 p.m. Wednesday at Cerritos.

Riverside (20-6) is third in the poll, Rancho Santiago (19-5) is fourth, Fullerton (16-6) fifth, College of the Canyons (16-7) sixth, Golden West (16-6) seventh, Moorpark (13-7) eighth, San Bernardino Valley (15-9) ninth and Southwestern (12-10) 10th.

Riverside’s Randy Graves, a sophomore transfer from Cal State Fullerton, is the leading hitter in the Orange Empire Conference.

Graves is batting .475 with a conference-high 48 hits. He also has six doubles, two home runs and 24 RBIs. Graves has at least one hit in 25 of Riverside’s 26 games.

Graves hit .295 last season for Fullerton, but made 20 errors playing shortstop or third base.

He started this season at third base for Riverside but was switched to first base eight games ago. He has committed 13 errors this season.

Men’s track: Rancho Santiago will play host to the John Ward Invitational track meet at 1 p.m. Friday. The meet features teams from Rancho Santiago, Golden West, Moorpark, Grossmont, San Diego City and Antelope Valley.

John Ward won 13 conference and three state titles from 1939-64 as the track coach at then Santa Ana College. Ward, who died in 1968, is a member of the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame.

Community College Notes

Riverside and Cerritos colleges will be the sites of the Southern California Regional baseball playoffs, May 17-20. Four teams will play at each site and the two winners will meet the top two teams from Northern California May 24-27 at UC Irvine. . . . Herb Livsey, an assistant coach for the Orange Coast men’s basketball team, will be honored in Denver during the Final Four. Livsey, who has coached for more than 30 years and was head coach at OCC from 1969-76, will receive a merit award.