Community College Baseball Preview : Cypress, Saddleback Make the South Coast a Tougher Conference

For 1985, the Cypress College baseball team has a new coach, new uniforms (home and away), a new field and a new attitude.

Now, that’s what you call rebuilding.

But will the rebuilding job be successful? Will all those changes be enough to move the Chargers up in the standings of the competitive South Coast Conference, which many believe to be the toughest community college baseball conference in the nation?

Not even Cypress’ new coach, Scott Pickler, and optimist by nature, is sure.

“This is really going to be a challenge, playing in the best conference in the country,” said Pickler, who comes to Cypress from Loara High School, where he compiled a five-year record of 105-36. “How well we’ll do, I can’t say. This isn’t the Empire League.”

Cypress was a miserable 9-25-1 last season under Gene Lambdin, but you can count on the Chargers to improve with Pickler. But whether Cypress can become a contender for the conference title is another question, because the obstacles are numerous and imposing.

Cerritos, the top-ranked team in Southern California, is the consensus favorite to win the SCC, based on the Falcons’ strong pitching staff and their experienced lineup. But Orange Coast, Golden West, Fullerton, Santa Ana and Mt. San Antonio seem to have the talent to finish first, too.

And just to make the conference a little tougher, Saddleback has left the Pacific Coast Conference, which it won the last two seasons, to join the SCC, prompting conference coaches to expect a closer race.

As usual, the SCC’s Orange County teams will showcase some of the best community college players in the nation. Outfielder Corby Oakes (Fullerton), catcher Shane Flores (Golden West), shortstop Larry Cratsenberg (Orange Coast) and shortstop Vince Shinholster (Santa Ana) are just a few of the local players who will be getting a lot of attention from the scouts.

CYPRESS

Top Returners--Brian Flatten (6-0, 185), C; Bob Goodall (6-0, 180), RHP; Tom Chavez (6-0, 190), OF and Jim Patterson (6-2, 195), SS-C.

Top Newcomers--Jim Bennet (6-2, 185), LHP; John Morin (6-3, 215), 1B; Chris Kocman (6-1, 200), 3B; Bert Lizarraga (5-10, 202), OF; Jeff Nicks (5-9, 145), 2B; Ed Evans (5-9, 142), SS and James Jackle (6-2, 190), SS-2B.

Outlook--Pickler has done some housecleaning at Cypress, where 23 of the 28 players on the roster are newcomers. In the first month of the season, during which Cypress was 7-5, Pickler experimented by using several players at different positions in order to find the best lineup. “We’ve spent a lot of time evaluating this team,” Pickler said. “We have OK power and OK pitching, but no speed at all, and a lot of freshmen. But the new attitude we’re taking here will be a big plus.”

FULLERTON

Top Returners--Pat Simms (6-3, 180), RHP; Dave Stotereau (6-0, 165), OF; Darren Nelson (6-2, 180), 2B and Kyle Olson (5-10, 165), OF.

Top Newcomers--Corby Oakes (5-11, 180), OF; Rob DeYoung (6-0, 175), RHP; Bob Hernandez (6-3, 165), LHP; Tony Tubbs (6-4, 185), Mike Alvarez (5-9, 175), OF; Rodney Clark (6-3, 210), 1B; Tim Speakman (6-3, 210), C; Craig Repoz (6-3, 165), SS; Jeff Oberdank (5-8, 165), 3B and Mitch Smalley (6-3, 180), OF.

Outlook--Coach Mike Sgobba’s goal is to avoid a repeat of last season, when the Hornets finished a disappointing fifth after winning the SCC in 1983. But if Fullerton’s 12-4 nonconference start is any indication, the Hornets should move up in the standings this year. Fullerton has a number of good players, including Cal State Fullerton transfer Oakes, outfielder Stotereau, designated hitter Alvarez and shortstop Repoz. Sgobba’s concern is the Hornets’ lack of experience, especially among the pitching staff, where Simms is the only returner.

GOLDEN WEST

Top Returners--Shane Flores (5-11, 187), C; John Martin (6-3, 204), RHP; Gary Buckels (5-11, 180), RHP and Steve Overeem (6-4, 193), OF-RHP.

Top Newcomers--Todd Nash (6-1, 170), OF; Andy Mota (5-10, 170), 2B; Keith Kaub (6-4, 210), 1B; Larry Salaets (5-10, 170), RHP and Tom Kilpatrick (6-0, 175), RHP.

Outlook--Coach Fred Hoover’s Rustler teams have not finished below third place in 15 years, but that streak may be in jeopardy. Although Golden West has gotten off to a 6-1-1 nonconference start, it is too early to tell if the Rustlers’ small pitching staff can survive the rigors of the offense-dominant SCC. “We usually score a lot of runs, and I think we will again this year,” Hoover said. “But the pitching is a concern. We have only eight pitchers on the roster.” Buckles, who has a 23-inning scoreless streak dating to last season, will have to continue his superb relief work if Golden West is going to contend. Flores, perhaps the best catcher in the conference, Kaub, Nash and Mota will lead the Rustler attack.

ORANGE COAST

Top Returners--Larry Cratsenberg (6-0, 165), SS; Mark Stomp (5-11, 170), LHP; Jeff Goettsch (5-11, 165), RHP; Dave Rolland (6-2, 170), CF; Steve Kraiss (6-2, 220), 1B; Gene Roumimper (6-3, 195), INF and Fred Tuttle (6-2, 170), OF.

Top Newcomers--Jim Brennan (6-2, 185), RHP; Darrin Garner (5-10, 160), 2B; Tim McKercher (5-10, 170), OF-C; Paul Ellison (6-2, 180), C and Longo Garcia (5-10, 160), RHP.

Outlook--The defending champion Pirates, who have won the SCC four f the last five seasons, could repeat in 1985. Orange Coast has one of the best shortstops in the area in Cratsenberg and a powerful lineup, led by Rolland, Tuttle, Roumimper and Kraiss. The pitching staff, led by returners Stomp and Goettsch, looks strong, too. So what could prevent the Pirates, off to a 5-2 nonconference start, from finishing first? Inexperience. “We have a lot of returning players, but most of them didn’t play much last year and are untested under fire,” Coach Mike Mayne said. “Those players will have to mature--and quickly--for us to win.”

SANTA ANA

Top Returners--Vince Shinholster (6-1, 175), SS; Gary Thomason (5-10, 191), CF; David Keith (5-10, 178), 1B; RHP; Steve Scanlon (6-3, 203), RHP; Brent Ryhlick (6-0, 178) and Doug Maher (6-1, 175), 1B-OF.

Top Newcomers--Ruben Gonzalez (5-10, 205), 1B; Gary Pifer (6-4, 208), RHP; Mike Schwabe (6-4, 198), RHP; Pat Longo (5-10, 182), C; Mike Sanders (6-1, 180), LHP and Steve Scarsone (6-0, 168), 2B.

Outlook--The Dons, off to an 11-2 start, are the second-ranked team in Southern California behind Cerritos. But while the Falcons will rely on pitching, Santa Ana had been winning on the strength of its hitting. As a team, Santa Ana is batting .374 and is averaging more than 10 runs per game. Freshman Gonzalez, who had 15 hits in his first 16 at-bats, has led Santa Ana’s attack with a .750 average, 7 home runs and 17 RBIs. But Thomason, Shinholster and Mauer also have been pounding the ball. “I knew we were capable of hitting, but not like this,” Coach Don Sneddon said. “Gonzalez’s start was the best I’ve ever seen in organized baseball.” Pifer (4-0) and Schwabe (3-0) are the Dons’ pitching leaders.

SADDLEBACK

Top Returners--Al Camacho (5-10, 170), C; Chris Frederick (6-4, 190), RHP; Mark Webster (5-9, 170), OF; Craig Spence (5-10, 185), RHP and Steve Nichols (6-1, 185), 3B.

Top Newcomers--John Sinclair (6-1, 170), RHP; Paul Prinz (5-11, 165), RHP; Tony Palamara (6-2, 220), OF; Doug Royalty (6-2, 185), RHP; David Ward (5-11, 170), 3B-1B and Greg DeValk (5-7, 157), SS.

Outlook--Coach Jim Brideweser announced last month this would be his fourth and final season at Saddleback, and the Gauchos will be doing their best to help him bow out a winner. But their best might not be good enough, because the SCC is considerably more competitive than the Pacific Coast Conference. Saddleback has a freshman-dominated roster and its pitching staff is still not settled, leaving Brideweser to sound less than optimistic. “We’ve gone from being a complete team to having only three guys returning while joining a new conference,” he said. “We’ll have to completely eliminate mental mistakes to contend.”