Underhanded Delivery Has Pierce’s Rutter Over the Top

Submarine pitchers are a vanishing breed, but not at Pierce College.

Right-hander Travis Rutter is the latest Brahma to adopt the delivery, mostly out of necessity, and he’s mighty glad about it.

Rutter, a redshirt freshman from Reseda High, wasn’t fooling junior college batters with his conventional overhand delivery, so Coach Bob Lofrano suggested the switch.

“Travis could have been easily cut [from the program] in November,” Lofrano said. “He was with us [in 1998 season] and didn’t throw, and he didn’t have much success over the [fall and winter].”

The results have been significant.

Rutter, the team’s closer, has a 2.13 earned-run average and six saves in 19 appearances. In 25 1/3 innings, he has struck out 17, walked nine and allowed 12 hits.

“By dropping down, you improve the movement of the ball,” Lofrano said. “Movement is probably more important than velocity.”

Lofrano said Rutter’s turnabout was helped greatly by a great attitude.

“It’s all in the willingness of the kid to accept it,” Lofrano said.

Rutter is the third Pierce pitcher in recent years to make a successful switch to the delivery. Lou Birdt, in 1990-91, and Chris Frith-Smith, in 1993-94, also switched.

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The Brahmas (14-7, 6-3) travel across the basin today to Valley (7-16, 2-7), where they’ll find one of the hottest batters in the Western State Conference.

Sigi Arroyo, Valley’s second baseman out of Monroe High, takes a 19-game hitting streak into the South Division game.

Redshirt freshman catcher Gil Pelayo of Valley is batting .296 with six doubles.

Not bad for a guy who regularly gave way to a designated hitter at Poly High.

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Cal State Northridge wrapped up spring football practice on Saturday and offensive coordinator Rob Phenicie says he has good news for quarterback Marcus Brady.

“We were really impressed with the way the O-line played,” Phenicie said. “That was probably the biggest improvement on the team this spring.”

The offensive line was in disarray much of last season, with players repeatedly shifting positions because of injuries or academic problems. Brady, a redshirt freshman last season, often was forced to scramble.

Northridge’s offensive line is under the tutelage of Bob Connelly, who in February was hired from Texas A&M.;

“[Connelly] is a very big-time technician,” Phenicie said.

The offensive line coming out of spring practice features sophomore left tackle Keith Kincaid, sophomore left guard Joe Bergman, senior center Julio Alcala, sophomore right guard Tim Shoffeitt and sophomore right tackle Geoff Watson.

Kincaid, who moves from right tackle, Alcala and Shoffeitt started last season.

Northridge will have several more offensive linemen joining the program in the fall, including some heralded transfers, giving the Matadors more depth in that unit than in recent years.

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Northridge had a meet-record 165 points in winning the Big Sky Conference women’s indoor track and field championships at Idaho State last month, but the Matadors will be without some key members from that team when they host the Big Sky outdoor championships on May 19-22.

Erika Bowling, runner-up in the 400 meters, and Ragean Hill, second in the 60, will redshirt the outdoor season because of injuries.

Nancy James, the 800 meters and mile champion, might redshirt because of a soft-tissue injury near her shin.

“[James’ injury] isn’t real serious,” Coach Don Strametz said. “But it forced her to miss 2 1/2 weeks of training.”

A decision regarding James will be made by April 10, the day of Northridge’s meet against Baylor and host UCLA.

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The Northridge women’s 400 relay team of sophomores LaShaunda Fowler and Annetta Wells and freshmen Genia Seymore and Krystal Harris set a Big Sky record of 45.40 to win in a meet against Missouri, Cal State Fullerton and host Fresno State on Saturday.

The previous record of 45.49 was set by Montana in 1987. The Northridge foursome owns the second-best time on the Matador career list.

A team of Jeanette Bolden, Andrea Lynch, Alice Brown and Florence Griffith set the Northridge record of 44.10 in 1980. All four ran in the Olympic Games.

Staff writers Fernando Dominguez and John Ortega contributed to this notebook.