COLLEGE DIVISION NOTEBOOK : Chapman Pitchers Get Ball Rolling as Runners

Most baseball pitchers are reluctant runners. They know running is necessary for conditioning but don’t presume they like it. No doubt more than one wiseacre pitcher has asked: “What do you think we are, coach, a cross-country team?”

These days, Gary Henderson, baseball coach at Chapman University, could answer that in the affirmative because his pitching staff is the cross-country team and he’s the coach.

Last fall when Chapman found itself without a coach for its first-year men’s cross-country program, Henderson, then the pitching coach, agreed to step in.

Although he had no previous experience in cross-country, Henderson had at least one important qualification. He had bodies; the cross-country team didn’t have a single member.

So Henderson outfitted his pitching staff with running gear and started calling track coach friends for advice about training methods.

After a bit of initial skepticism, Henderson said, the players have become converts.

“The kids have all embraced it,” he said. “There’s no question about that. They have even got to the point where they like it.

“The great thing about what we’re doing is that the individuals are improving and even though we won’t win a national championship, that’s not our goal.”

Fortunately not. We’re not talking about two sport standouts here--the Panthers didn’t field a full team at the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. championships last season and expect to finish last on Saturday at Bonelli Park in Pomona.

James Hoggans, a senior middle reliever and the Panthers’ best runner, said his fellow pitchers were surprised and a little apprehensive at first about becoming a cross-country team.

“But I think in the long run as a staff we are happy to do it because it gives us the opportunity to get in shape early,” Hoggans said. “I’m not a big fan of running but you’ve got to get it done, so you might as well benefit from it as much as you can.”

One position player, infielder Ty Seltzer, has taken advantage of the opportunity and joined the group this season.

The other top runners--Hoggans, Steve Aviles, Colin Klein, Corey Giuliano, Alex Baham and James Thomas--are in their second season with the team.

Although much more rigorous than the traditional wind sprints in the outfield, the Panthers’ training schedule is unorthodox for cross-country.

The team’s daily training runs range from one to four miles and the five-mile races are exercises in survival for some.

It pays to have a sense of humor. Hoggans remembers a meet last season at UC Riverside that included top cross-country teams, including some from the Pacific 10 Conference.

“When the race started, all we saw was a big cloud of dust and when the dust cleared we couldn’t see anybody,” Hoggans said. “It was funny because even the reporters and photographers were beating us up the hill.”

Hoggans, who said his best time is about 37 minutes for five miles, said running cross-country has helped him become tougher mentally, which should help him on the mound. And although most runners from other teams finish far ahead of him, Hoggans finds satisfaction competing against those in the back of the pack.

“That’s always a goal to beat one of the quote, unquote real cross-country runners,” he said. “We always try to catch as many guys as we can.”

Henderson made an effort to recruit more traditional cross-country runners for the team and at one point, four had agreed to join, but for various reasons none came aboard.

But Henderson said he is confident the make up of the team will change in the future.

“One of the most positive things about the program is the high school coaches know Chapman has a program again,” Henderson said.

Efficient kills: Jenny Gunderson, a sophomore middle blocker, helped the Chapman women’s volleyball team end a four-match, California Collegiate Athletic Assn. losing streak Friday with a sweep of Cal State Dominguez Hills. Gunderson, from Mabel, Minn., had 18 kills with one error in 24 attempts--an attacking percentage of .708. Earlier in the week, Gunderson had 17 kills and an attack percentage of .600 in a three-game victory over UC San Diego.

The Panthers (15-10, 2-5), ranked No. 21 in NCAA Division II in the latest AVCA poll, lost to No. 3 Cal State Bakersfield in three games Tuesday and will at No. 14 Cal Poly Pomona on Friday.

Carlos Miramontes, a senior forward for the Southern California College men’s soccer team, was named the NAIA District 3 player of the week after helping the Vanguards to two victories in three matches.

Miramontes had seven points for the week, giving him 37 for the season and putting him in fourth place in the district. He had three goals in a 4-2 victory over Christ College Irvine Thursday.

The Vanguards (10-8-1, 3-4-1) finish the regular season at 7 p.m. Saturday, playing host to Westmont, which is ranked No. 11 in the nation. An SCC victory would improve the Vanguards’ chances of qualifying for the district playoffs.

Notes

The Chapman men’s and women’s soccer teams will finish their final CCAA season Saturday at Cal Poly Pomona. . . . Jennifer Uecke, a former member of the Chapman women’s basketball team, has been hired as an assistant to Panther Coach Lindsay Strothers. Uecke, who played from 1987-90, has been an assistant at Edison High the past two years. . . . Chapman will play host to the USTA Midwinter Classic tennis tournament in early December. There will be singles and doubles competition in open, A, B and C levels and age-group competition. Entry fees are $20 for singles; $24 for doubles. The entries deadline is Nov. 27.