COLLEGE DIVISION NOTEBOOK / MARTIN BECK : Chapman Faces Loaded Regional in Division II Softball Playoffs

Although West Coast softball teams got the short end of one of the more wacky NCAA playoff pairing decisions, Chapman Coach Lisle Lloyd is confident his team has a good shot at advancing to the national championship tournament.

Portland State and Chapman, ranked No. 1 and 2 in Division II for most of the season, have each been assigned to the West Regional playoffs this weekend in Portland, Ore.

Acting out of a growing concern that West Coast teams were getting a disproportionate share of playoff spots, the NCAA committee picked four teams from the West--one fewer than last season--and kept them all in the West Region.

“You know good and well that in men’s basketball, No. 1 and No. 2 would never have to play each other, “ Lloyd said. “I can agree with them as long as they’re consistent.”

But Lloyd is happy that the Panthers (46-11) drew Humboldt State (39-10) instead of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo or Portland State, each of which has beaten Chapman twice this season.

“It’s been a good season and if we can win the regional, at least we won’t have to play Portland State or San Luis Obispo in the national tournament,” Lloyd said.

Because of Cal State Northridge’s move to Division I, Chapman didn’t receive on automatic playoff berth when it won its first California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title. Only conferences that have at least six teams receive an automatic bid.

It could have been worse for Chapman: Cal State Bakersfield, the three-time defending Division II champion and CCAA runner-up, didn’t get invited.

Same old story: When the Southern California College baseball team lost to Cal Baptist, 4-1, Monday, it was the second time in two seasons that the Vanguards have been eliminated from the NAIA playoffs in a one-game wild-card playoff. Last year, in Coach Charlie Phillips’ first season as coach, SCC lost to The Master’s.

SCC finished in a tie for second place with Christ College Irvine but the district’s coaches voted that CCI should receive the automatic playoff berth.

Mike Adams, the versatile Christ College Irvine player, was named the NAIA District 3 player of the year. Not only did Adams, a junior, lead the district in batting average (.461), hits (70), doubles (16) and runs batted in (56), but he also had the lowest earned-run average (2.08) and tied Brett Johnson of SCC for the most victories with 10.

Christ College (28-16), which had the highest batting average (.345) in the district lost to The Master’s, 7-2, Thursday at Azusa Pacific in their first district playoff game.

Adams was selected to the first-team all-district team as a utility man. Outfielders Paul Weldon, who batted .444 to finish second to Adams in the district and led the district in stolen bases (40), and Lou Simon, who batted .357, were also first-team selections. Catcher Robert Campillo received honorable mention. Adams, Weldon, Simon and Campillo were each also first-team all-Golden State Athletic Conference picks.

College Division Notes

Chapman pitcher Jacki Blake, first baseman Sandy Olivas and outfielder Christy Wurster were each named to the first-team all-West Region team and catcher Kristina Webb was a second-team selection. The team has added three recruits for next season: Eddeane Casares, a catcher from Loara High; Viki Vechinski, a pitcher from San Diego University High; and Rita Rangel, an outfielder from the San Diego area. . . . Chapman’s jog-a-thon Sunday drew 250 people who completed four laps on the college’s track to raise money for athletics. The athletic department hopes to collect more than $25,000. . . . Chapman men’s tennis player Laurent Dropsy has qualified for the NCAA Division II individual championship for the third consecutive year. Dropsy will open play Monday at Central Oklahoma State in Oklahoma City. The Panthers have received a letter of intent from Matt Toliver, a two-time Utah singles champion from Ogden High School in Provo. . . . Southern California College pitcher Brett Johnson, who was 10-5 with a 2.32 ERA, was a first-team all-district and all-conference selection for the Vanguards. Teammate David Black, who was 7-4 with a 2.12 ERA and had a string of 47 innings without allowing an earned run, received honorable mention, as did shortstop Doug Rystrom, who batted .320 with seven home runs. . . . Three Southern California College softball players were named to the all-conference team: pitcher Ixchelle Kistler, catcher Joyce LaPointe and infielder Linda Bilyeu. Two CCI players were named: infielder Kathy Carroll and utility player Michelle Vail.