COLLEGE BASEBALL ROUNDUP : SCC Loses Two and Share of First Place

COSTA MESA —  Southern California College lost its chance to move into a first-place tie in the Golden West Athletic Conference when Azusa Pacific won both games of a doubleheader Saturday at SCC.

SCC was shooting for a sweep of its own, which would have meant a tie with Azusa Pacific at the top of conference standings going into the last week of the regular season.

Instead, Azusa Pacific got a complete game from Jose Gallardo to win the first game, 5-2, and then rallied to win the second, 6-4. And the Vanguards got to watch as the Cougars (30-10, 15-3 in the conference) rejoiced after clinching the conference championship.

It was a frustrating celebration for the Vanguards (26-17-1, 11-7) to watch. Not only did they lose a share of first place but they dropped into third behind Cal Baptist, which swept a doubleheader from Christ College Irvine.

Still, the Vanguards likely will be one of four teams to qualify for the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics District 3 playoffs in April and Azusa Pacific will be the host.

“They can celebrate on our field but if we get into the playoffs, we might get to celebrate at their field and that hurts just as much,” SCC Coach Charlie Phillips said.

Azusa Pacific took advantage of SCC lapses to win each game. In the first game, SCC’s Jim Dedrick, the district’s earned-run-average leader entering the game, walked a total of four batters in the fourth and sixth and the Cougars scored two runs in each inning. Dedrick walked six in the game.

SCC took a 3-1 lead in the first inning of the second game when catcher Denny Berni hit a two-run double and scored on a throwing error. Azusa Pacific rallied with three runs in the fifth, two of which were unearned.

In another Golden State Athletic Conference game:

Cal Baptist 9-7, Christ College Irvine 4-6--Cal Baptist (31-15, 12-6) scored three runs in the seventh inning of the second game and moved into second place in the conference.

In a California Collegiate Athletic Assn. game:

Chapman 6, Cal State Los Angeles 2--Doug Yates had three hits, including two doubles, and scored two runs and Mike Giuseffi had a two-run home run in the sixth for Chapman (29-21, 6-8).

Pete Coleman (8-5) pitched a seven-hitter with six strikeouts for Chapman. Chris Cutliff hit a solo home run and Curt Ledesma had two hits and two RBIs for Chapman.