Brooks Oversees Master’s Revival

All things considered, The Master’s College baseball season wasn’t half-bad. At least the Mustangs (22-27) played a full season.

Master’s pulled the plug after 36 games last season because several players were caught viewing pornographic materials on the Internet.

Coach Monte Brooks, in his first season, rebuilt the program almost from scratch. When he took over last summer, he had five players.

“We prayed a lot and believed the Lord would field a team for us,” Brooks said. “We knew He’d bring us kids dedicated to excellence who are unselfish.”

The team set 11 school records and achieved 20 victories for the first time since 1993.

Danny Cato, a shortstop from Saugus High, batted .362 with 21 stolen bases and set a school record with 158 assists. Outfielder Jim Young batted .317 with nine home runs.

Ruben Escobar (8-6), a junior transfer from Victor Valley College, set a school record by pitching 130 innings, struck out 105 and had a 4.06 earned-run average.

III-Peat: Cal Lutheran received its third consecutive invitation and fourth in six seasons to the NCAA Division III Softball West Region Championships on Friday at UC San Diego.

Cal Lutheran (25-10) will face top-seeded Simpson College at 1 p.m. San Diego plays Chapman in the other first-round game.