Corsair Nine Will Have to Claw Their Way Out of the Cellar, Coach Says

Stuck in the Metropolitan Conference cellar, the Santa Monica College Corsairs will not get out of their slump, Coach Marty Berson says, “until they stop sitting on their hands.”

Berson was not optimistic his baseball team could beat third-place Long Beach today at 2:30 p.m. at Long Beach even though the Corsairs defeated that team in the league opener, 13-3. “They’ve lost their confidence in their ability to hold a lead,” Berson said.

The Corsairs will play the USC junior varsity Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Santa Monica College.

Long Beach, 4-2 in league play, should make use of hitters Rene Rivera (.413 batting average) and Lazaro Inguanzo (.360). Long Beach Coach Ken Gaylord said pitcher Brian Ayers (2-0, 3.20 earned run average) will start against the Corsairs.

Berson said his team’s main problem is a faltering pitching staff (team ERA 8.90). “It’s all gone down hill since we lost to Los Angeles (City, 12-11),” he said. “Everybody wants to sit down until they get their confidence back.”

Right-hander Jaime Ramirez (1-1, 3.90) will start against Long Beach and Berson will look to third baseman Kirk Mears (.455) and first baseman Darron Payne (.333) to spark the Corsair offense.

Last week the Corsairs lost 10-5 to Bakersfield and were beaten by El Camino, 11-4.