Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 1, 1995 TAG: 9506010077
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The only place La Verne could be found Wednesday was at the top of the small college baseball heap.
The Leopards from California cruised through the double-elimination tournament at Salem Municipal Field with only one loss, finally beating Methodist (N.C.) College 5-3 to close out the remarkable run.
The victory didn't come without a measure of anxiety, however. Leading 5-0 going into the top of the ninth for the Monarchs' last three outs, La Verne had to hang on as Methodist started putting together a rally.
Such an outburst had been expected out of the team that had had 48 hits in its past three games coming into the final. Left-handed La Verne pitcher Jeff Doen, who had thrown a complete-game 8-3 victory over William Paterson (N.J.) in the Leopards' opener, sailed into the ninth, but four batters later, he was taking a seat in favor of reliever J.D. Romero. La Verne's lead was down to 5-1, and the bases were loaded.
Romero struck out the first two batters he faced, but then he hit Chuck Dethloff with a pitch to force in one run before walking Kevin Kinel to make it a two-run game.
``We were really scared, to be honest with you,'' said Jeff Polinsky, the tournament's most valuable player. ``We did it all year. We get a five-run lead and we have to find a way to make it hard on ourselves.''
La Verne (39-9) and Romero were off the hook on the next batter, freshman Starsky Norman, who grounded into a force to end it and send the green La Verne caps lofting into the sky.
It was the first national baseball championship for La Verne, which had been to the Series only once before, in 1984. The Leopards won seven out of their last eight games this year and 23 of their last 25.
La Verne was also the first team from the West Region to win the Series since Cal State-Stanislaus in 1977.
``I think that the fact these teams didn't know us very well worked in our favor,'' said Leopards coach Owen Wright, who also coached the 1984 team.
Polinsky and Doen were joined on the all tournament team by Leopards second baseman Mike Smith and outfielder David Madrid.
Methodist was represented by pitcher Brian Ford, outfielder Bryan Steinhagen, and third baseman Neil Barwick.
Ford set a Series record with 22 strikeouts to go with two victories and a save. The Monarchs (36-19-1) have never won the title but finished third in 1992.
``This is very disappointing,'' said first baseman Chuck Dethloff.
Methodist was beaten twice by La Verne. Among other problems, four Methodist base runners were picked off, two in each game.
``We did not play very well against La Verne,'' Methodist coach Tom Austin said.
Methodist had to play four times in two days including back-to-back games Wednesday. The Monarchs waxed defending champion Wisconsin-Oshkosh 9-3 to qualify for the final.
``I think it took a lot out of us,'' Austin said.
Thanks to a scheduling quirk, LaVerne had to play twice Tuesday just like Methodist. But La Verne had a bye into the final and it appeared to be the rested team. It helped to have Doen.
``I would not have wanted anybody but Jeff out there,'' Wright said. ``The decision had been made last night.''
Doen had Mehtodist hitters off balance all night with curveballs and changeups.
``I kept throwing my curve for first-pitch strikes and they kept waiting fastball,'' Doen said. ``It wasn't until the ninth inning that they caught on and took a swing at the curve.''
Austin thought he could understand what his guys were going through.
``You try mentally to adjust to the curveball but you also have to adjust physically,'' he said.
Before the ninth inning, only two Methodist base runners made it as far as third base.
As for the 62-year-old Wright, it was particularly satisfying to win here because he grew up in the Bridgewater area.
``There is no better place than to win this national championship in good old Virginia,'' he said. ``My brother was here again along with several cousins and nephews.
``It was great. Our kids came in and showed how we play baseball in California.''
by CNB