SPORTS

LOST IN THE SHUFFLE

Long Beach State was not selected as one of the eight NCAA baseball regional sites Monday, but the 49ers are still alive in their quest for a berth in the postseason tournament.

The 49ers’ application forms to play host to a regional at Blair Field were misplaced by the NCAA and attached to a bid sheet from a school that had already been rejected.

Long Beach’s bid was never reviewed by the NCAA baseball committee.

The 49ers, ranked 14th by Baseball America, clinched a share of their third Big West Conference title with a three-game sweep of Pacific.

Long Beach (38-15), which closed its conference schedule with nine victories in a row, finished tied with Nevada for the conference lead at 16-5. A victory Wednesday by Cal State Fullerton (15-5) would also give the Titans a share of the title.

Nevada won the season series against Long Beach and Fullerton to earn the conference’s automatic NCAA berth. The 49ers, who have advanced to the College World Series three times in the past five years, can likely earn a berth with two victories against Arizona in a three-game series starting tonight at Blair Field. Pairings in the 48-team bracket will be announced Monday.

Rolando Avila of Long Beach State stole his 40th base to tie a 15-year-old school season record in the 49ers’ 3-0 victory over Pacific on Sunday. Michael Hernandez (7-3) pitched six scoreless innings to stretch his streak to 23 1/3 innings.

CHAMPIONSHIP FEVER

The legacy of the Long Beach City College men’s track team continued in the Southern California community college finals Saturday at UC San Diego as the Vikings won their 14th title in 16 seasons under Coach Ron Allice.

Tunji Bello won the 100 and 200 meters in 10.69 and 21.42 seconds, respectively, and ran on the Vikings’ victorious 400-meter relay team, which timed 40.30, as Long Beach amassed 179 points to run away from runner-up Riverside (127).

Jonathan Jordan bounded 50 feet 4 inches to win the triple jump.

Long Beach will now vie for its 11th state title in 16 seasons Friday and Saturday at Cerritos College. The Vikings have placed no lower than second in the state meet or Southern California championships with Allice as coach.

Karen Vigilant set a school record to win the 400 hurdles in 1:00.68 as the Long Beach women finished second in the Southern California meet for third time in five years with 107 points. Defending state champion Riverside won with 164.

Magdalena Lewy won the 1,500 in 4:39.70 and was second in the 3,000 (10:11.29) and in the 5,000 (17:30.76) contested May 7. Long Beach’s Angel Carver (39-10) and Erika Spencer (142-8) of Cerritos were winners in the triple jump and javelin.

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The Long Beach City College softball team has earned its third consecutive berth in the state tournament in Visalia. Long Beach (39-5) will face Sacramento (51-12-1) Friday in the eight-team tournament which will run through Sunday.

Lisa Balbirnie pitched a no-hitter to lead the Vikings over Chaffey, 4-0, in the Southern California regionals Saturday. The freshman from Millikan High also pitched a three-hitter in a 5-1 victory over Chaffey last Friday.

The second-seeded Vikings (39-5) opened play in the four-team double elimination tournament with a 3-0 shutout of No. 15 College of the Desert. Ompa McKenna pitched a four-hitter in the victory.

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Freshman Mariann Luevano of Downey won the 100-yard butterfly (57.73) and the 100 backstroke (56.85) at the Southern Section Division III championships Saturday at Belmont Plaza.

Danielle Dealva of Warren won the 100 freestyle (52.65) and combined with Karen Poppin, Kathryn Slabodnik and Summer Rivers in the Bears’ victorious 200 medley relay (1:54.08). In the boys’ competition, Bobby Bredice of Paramount won the 50 freestyle in 21.31 and was second in the 100 freestyle (46.41).

The Long Beach Wilson 200 freestyle relay of Kristen Barth, Lauren Westberg, Tracy Bastain and Carrie Rowe swam to victory in Division III.

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Long Beach Poly is the three-time defending state champion, but the Jackrabbits could be challenged by Moore League rival Long Beach Wilson in the Southern Section Division I finals Saturday at Veterans Stadium.

Keisha Backus of Wilson ran wind-aided marks of 11.25 and 23.43 in the 100 and the 200, respectively, in the preliminaries Saturday and anchored the Bruins’ 400-meter relay to the meet’s fastest time in 46.54.

Michelle Nelson of Wilson turned in the top qualifying mark in the 400, timing 57.03, and leaped a wind-aided 18-6 1/2 to qualify second behind Pam Simpson of Poly (wind-aided 19-5).

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Le’Gretta Hinds of Long Beach State won her second consecutive Big West title in the 400-meter hurdles Saturday at New Mexico State. Hinds timed 1:00.05 and was second in the 100 hurdles in 13.85.

Brooke Mabe (38:07.11) and Laite Pale (144-4 1/2) were second in the 10,000 and discus to help the 49ers to fifth in the team competition won by Utah State.

Long Beach finished fifth in the men’s standings also won by Utah State. Patrick Scott was second in the long jump (24-3 1/4) and triple jump (49-3 1/2) for Long Beach. Jamie Barragan and Jason Frudakis added third-place showings in the 100 (10.77) and decathlon (6,391 points) for the 49ers.

NAMES IN THE NEWS

Danielle Scott, who helped Long Beach State to the NCAA volleyball title last fall, has been named winner of the Honda award given to the top women’s college volleyball player.

Heather Carll of La Mirada has signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Concordia University. The 6-3 Carll, the Suburban League most valuable player, averaged 16.3 points, 12.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

Ahn Vo of Long Beach Jordan advanced to the Southern Section badminton singles finals before losing to top-seeded Lily Chan of San Marino. The unseeded Vo finished 34-1.

Michelle Tschirky of Long Beach Wilson was fifth in the all-around competition in the Southern Section individual gymnastics finals at Brea-Olinda High Saturday.