Cal Lutheran Baseball Players Rebuked by NCAA Committee

Gabe Diaz and Carlos Cardenas, two former Cal Lutheran baseball players, have been publicly reprimanded by the NCAA Division III Baseball Committee for their arrests for drunk and disorderly conduct in May at the Division III baseball championships in Battle Creek, Mich.

As punishment, the baseball committee withheld $3,150.80 from Cal Lutheran in transportation and per diem reimbursement for the players.

Cal Lutheran released a statement that read, “The university recognizes the seriousness of the situation. It did a thorough investigation of the matter and took reasonable and appropriate action.”

Both players are seniors who have exhausted their eligibility.

College officials, citing school policy, would not reveal what action was taken against the players. Coach Marty Slimak was in Hawaii and unavailable for comment.

Spokesman John Czimbal said Cal Lutheran is contesting the amount withheld because the NCAA docked the school double the actual amount of the two players’ air fare. “We’re still haggling over the amount,” Czimbal said.

Football

As expected, transfer J.J. O’Laughlin was named to start Saturday night at quarterback for Cal State Northridge against Northern Arizona. O’Laughlin beat out another transfer, Clayton Millis, for the starting job.