The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 22

UCR walks past Cal State, 14-1 IT COLLEGE BASKETBALL infer the ball up," Parnell said, explaining La Riviere's removal. "We thought La Riviere wad very capable, and he showed he was real capable those six innings," UCR coach Jack Smithe-ran said. -I The Highlanders (1-0 CCAA, 10-3 overall) rode a 13-hit attack and a cool-headed, game by right-hander Rich Guer-j rero. Guerrero struck out six; walked three and scattered four hits. He provided UCR a much-needed, steady effort following the Highlanders' dramatic 7-6 tri-, umph Tuesday over NCAA Division I superpower Cal State Ful-lerton.

"We wrapped up so much emotion in that game that we came out flat today," Smitheran said: Cal State pulled ahead 1-0 Thursday in the bottom of the fifth on Gary Frank's fielder's choice with the bases loaded. Kircherer, UCR's shortstop, saved two runs with a diving stab. Jim Doyle's one-run triple in the sixth put UCR ahead for good, 2-1. The Coyotes played with a catcher pressed into emergency service, Mason Branham. First-string catcher Eric Selby broke his leg in Cal State's alumni game and is lost for the season.

Backup Ed Hernandez is nursing shoul-i der troubles. Cal State and UCR meet 2:30 p.m. today at UCR. By Jim Long Sun Sports Writer SAN BERNARDINO Six Cal State San Bernardino pitchers needed maps to find the strike zone in their California Collegiate Athletic Association baseball opener. As one might suspect, the opposing UC Riverside Highlanders didn't need directions around the basepaths.

On Thursday, the Coyotes issued 11 walks, three wild pitches and when they did find the strike zone two home run balls as they lost to UCR, 14-1, at Fisca-lini Field. UCR blew open the game with a seven-run eighth inning. The bulk of the rally came on a two-run homer by Stephen Kircherer off reliever Mike Costello and a grand slam by Sommer McCartney off reliever Steve Lewis. "If we throw strikes, we don't have any problems," Cal State head coach Don Parnell said. "They are not a good hitting ball-club.

They're not 14 runs better than us." Cal State (0-1, 4-6) faded when starter Scott La Riviere, their No. 1 pitcher, was lifted after walking the first Highlanders batter of the seventh. La Riviere struck out five, walked four and left with UCR only leading 2-1. "He was getting high in his pitch count and he was getting GINA FERAZZIThe Sun C2 The Sun FRIDAY, February 25, 1994 Roar of the crowd Letters to the sports editor Oberjuerge'sTorvill and Dean column sparks outrage Shame on you for printing Paul Ober-juerge's derogatory and belittling comments on the British people and the ice dancing team of Torvill and Dean. Regardless of his opinion on T.

and D. there was no excuse to attack British people, and the editors should have known better than to print what amounted to a column of ethnic slurs. Perhaps you should keep Paul home in the future. He must come over as the classic Ugly American when he is overseas. How embarrassing.

ELISABETH GROGAN San Bernardino Please, oh, please, will someone put Paul Oberjuerge out of his misery. It is becoming so sad that he cannot seem to find pleasure in anything and resorts to making a fool out of i himself with his insights (I jest) from the Winder Olympics. The commentary about Torvill and Dean again shows the man's inability to appreciate the good things in the world. His great i(?) wit managed to take the words frumpy and to a new low. Paul, take the rest of the Olympics off.

I TOM DEPKO Fontana I There was no merit to the Torvill and Dean column, it was merely a self-righteous bashing of two foreigners. Oberjuerge's constant use of nationalistic slurs shows him as nothing more than an ethnic racist. Are you bashing because they refused you an inter-. view? Or perhaps you are just turned sour by any country that may be superior to your own in an Olympic sport? What business is it of yours to assume and discuss the romantic relationships of entire countries? Could you please explain to me the virture of your comment "The United King-', dom is populated by nerly 60 million people. You almost wonder how.

Are they all immigrants?" What a beautiful piece of journalistic attitude. Oberjuergue shows a complete lack professionalism. If facts and integrity are and all it takes to be editor of a newspaper is a sharp pencil and a sharp tong--ue, sign me up. j. MOLLY GREEN Highland Sports in brief Victor Valley College's Len Brutcher has tried his hand at minor-league baseball, but now his future seems to be on the basketball court.

Still having a ball Cal State women sweep BASEBALLSOFTBALL WC's Brutcher trades pro baseball career for shot at playing major college basketball. By Jim Long Sun Sports Writer VICTORVILLE Out of the ashes of his pro baseball career, Len Brutcher forged a respectable college basketball career not to mention a shot at a real future. Brutcher has gone from being a second-round draft choice of the Chicago White Sox in June 1988 to being a key player for Victor Valley College's men's basketball team and one of San Bernardino County's premier junior college players. The 6-foot-6 forward (and former right-handed pro pitcher) is now considering recruiting contacts from NCAA Division I schools Cornell, Duquesne and St. Bona-venture; NCAA Division II Florida Southern and NAIA Division I Azusa-Pacific.

There are a few smaller schools, too, he says. A bachelor's degree from any of the above looks fine on a job resume and Brutcher is in good position to get one. His choice depends on how much playing time he can get. In between the White Sox and VVC, Brutcher pitched part of the 1992 season for the Adelanto-based High Desert Mavericks, a Single-A, California League affiliate of the San Diego Padres in '92. It was during his stint with the Mavericks that Brutcher's baseball world crashed and burned.

and if they get out of basketball, they're usually too old for baseball. I'm lucky." "He's a basketball player now," WC coach Bruce Victor said. Leaving the Victor Valley was out of the question for Brutcher in the fall of 1992, even though he was out of baseball, out of work and living in an area suffering 17 percent unemployment. "My wife (Judy) had a real good job as a physical therapist," Brutcher said, where she's worked at St. Mary's Desert Valley Hospital in Apple Valley.

"She'd put in four real hard years of school. So, I decided I'd go back to school." VVC is across town from Brutcher's home in Victorville. He joined the school's basketball team for the 1992-93 season after Victor noticed him in a physical education class and talked him into joining the team. Brutcher became a big contributor for WC with his strong rebounding and reliable three-point shooting. Off the floor, he stabilized the Rams with maturity and steadiness.

The basketball skills were always there. Brutcher was a top-rated high school player in his hometown of Syracuse, N.Y. He even had an offer or two from Division I schools, he said. But he chose baseball. Four seasons later, Brutcher had a 32-15 record in pro baseball and his picture on a 1991 Upper Deck baseball card.

But he had never risen above Single-A. So he went back to basketball. Brutcher's biggest adjustment has been disciplining himself to a schoolbasketball schedule that is more rigid than a baseball player's. He carries 19 units at VVC (including during basketball season); 12 is considered full-time status. He has his marriage.

And church. And basketball. The way he sees it, there's a future in all that. The Sun SAN BERNARDINO Junior center fielder Michelle Mapstead hit for the cycle for Cal State San Bernardino in game one of a non-conference double-header against UC San Diego on Thursday. Mapstead, a San Gorgonio High graduate, went 4-4, including a grand slam, eight RBI and two runs scored, as the Coyotes (7-5) beat the Tritons 14-4.

In game two, Mapstead went 2-3, with a run scored and a stolen base as Cal State won 6-0. Amy Colton added a solo homer, going 2-4 with two RBI. Mika Candela-ria recorded her second shutout for the Coyotes this season, only allowing six hits in the game. SBVC FALLS IN TOURNEY: SAN BERNARDINO Sopho more first baseman Jake Merca-do hit a two-run home run and scored twice for the San Bernardino Valley College baseball team as it lost in the first round of its own tournament, 10-5, to Imperial Valley on Thursday. Sophomore right-hander Eric Rodriguez took the loss for the Indians (4-6), who will play Com-pton at 1 p.m.

today. Rodriguez allowed six runs and eight hits in eight innings-plus. WC LOSES: SAN BERNARDINO Freshman second baseman Frankie Maldonado scored on a one-out single by freshman right fielder J.P. Hamilton for the Victor Val-' ley College baseball team as it dropped a 6-1 decision to Southwestern in the first round of the San Bernardino Valley College baseball tournament. Gibbs decides to turn down Panthers' job offer Even perfection wasn't enough to lure Joe Gibbs out of retirement.

Gibbs, who said coaching the Carolina Panthers would be the perfect job, said Thursday he has decided not to return to Basketball helped him rise above the loss. 1 PICTURE PERFECT ENTERTAINMENT "I don't think many people get the chance I've had," the 24-year-old Brutcher said. "When guys get out of baseball, they're usually too old to go to basketball Vk LIVE SPORTS PAY-PER-VIEW SUPER SYSTEM UMass downs Temple Mike Williams' second game-winning TOP 25 shot against Temple gave Massachusetts DOWN With Built-in Descrambter PAYMENT (909) 882-2351 its third consecutive Atlantic 10 title. RESIDENTIAL SATELLITE OF AMERICA 1200 E. Highland San Bernardino OPEN 7 Dayi IT'S BACK! Limited return engagement at the San Bernardino County last-place Beavers (2-11, 6-16).

INDIANA 81, NORTHWESTERN 74: Damon Bailey scored 33 points and Alan Henderson added 24 to lead the 12th-ranked Hoo-siers (10-3, 17-5) to a Big Ten road win over Northwestern (2-11, 11-11) that spoiled Wildcats coach Ricky Byrdsong's return after a four-game leave of absence. LONG BEACH ST. 84, NEW MEXICO ST. 83: Rod Hannibal made two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to lift the host 49ers (9-6, 15-8) over the Aggies (11-3, 19-4) in the Big West. From Sun News Services The junior guard banked in a 25-foot three-pointer with eight seconds to play Thursday night to give the llth-ranked Minutemen a 51-50 victory over No.

8 Temple in the rematch of the Feb. 13 game he won with a foul-line jumper. That was the game that was followed by the threatening tirade of Temple coach John Chaney against his counterpart, John Calipari. ARIZONA 96, OREGON ST. 69: Khalid Reeves scored 30 points as the ninth-ranked Wildcats (11-3, 21-5) won their fifth consecutive game with a Pac-10 rout of the Museum NOW through FEB.

27 'SC falls to Stanford, 66-55 NFL coaching. After weeks of agonizing over his future, he withdrew his name from consideration to be the Panthers' first coach. "After a lot of discussions and a lot of thought, it has become apparent that for me, right now in my life, with my family and everything the way it is, I'm having a tough time making the commitment," Gibbs told The Charlotte Observer. "I just don't think I can go back into coaching now." Gibbs, 53, who coached the Washington Utedskins to three Super Bowl titles before retiring last March, said the decision is perma-nent. WORLD CUP WONT EXPAND: World Cup will not expand beyond 24 the president of soccer's governing body said.

FIFA expanded its showcase event from 16 to 24 teams for the 1982 tournament. Some have suggested it expand again following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. Its membership now totals 190 nations, an increase of 40 since 1985. "It's impossible," FIFA president Joao Ha-velange said at the conclusion of a three-day workshop with the 24 World Cup teams. "Already at 24, we are at the edge of the possibilities of the players, who belong the the clubs and have to be at the disposal of the national associations." BASEBALL'S ANTI-TRUST IN DANGER: Senate hearings aimed at stripping baseball of antitrust exemption will resume March 21 at spring training in Florida.

"Let the baseball owners come and try to explain how destroying the job of the commissioner is in the best interest of the fans," Sen. Howard Metzenbaum, D-Ohio. RAMS' TIPPETT RESIGNS: Howard Tippett has resigned his position as special teams coach of the Los, Angeles Rams. Tippett, 56, joined the Rams in 1992. Before that, he spent four years as an assistant with the Green Bay Packers, one year as defensive coordinator at the University of Illinois, and six years as linebackers-special teams coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Rams' special teams struggled throughout the 1993 season. EX-NORTH STARS OWNER SETTLES: Norm Green, the former owner of the Minnesota North Stars, settled a lawsuit that accused him of sexually harassing female employees. KSTP reported that Green and Kari Dzied-iic settled Wednesday night after two days of mediation. The case was to go to trial in May. i The lawsuit, filed in March 1993, said Creen created a hostile work environment for with dozens of unwanted kisses and fre-jquent comments about their makeup and clothes.

BRIEFLY NOTED: Debbie McMullen defeated Marianne DIRupo 177-167 to win the $50,000 New Orleans Classic for her first LPBT title in Harvey, La Norm Duke rolled a 300 game, his third in two days, and continued to lead after four rounds of the Professional Bowlers Association True Value Open in Peoria, 111. The SEC told officials in Birmingham it would abandon the city's old, gray Legion Field and stage its 1994 championship football game in Atlanta. Motion Theatre a i SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY MUSEUM California St. exit from MO in Redlands 9Q9798-857Q Tuesdays -Sundays 9 6 P.M. Adults $5 Children under 1 a S4 REACTOR is an IWERKS Touring Technologies traveling turbcKneatrc production.

The Associated Press LOS ANGELES Freshman Brevin Knight scored all 12 of his points and had six of his nine assists in the second half Thursday as Stanford snapped a three-game losing streak by beating USC 66-55. Knight made eight foul shots in the final 2:16 as the Cardinal held off the Trojans. Dion Cross led Stanford (7-6 Pacific 10, 14-8 overall) with 13 points. Jim Morgan added 10 points for the Cardinal. The Trojans (5-9, 12-11) got nearly all of their offense from forwards Mark Boyd and Lorenzo Orr.

Boyd had 19 points and 10 rebounds while Orr had 16 points and seven rebounds. USC reserves accounted for only three points on a three-point shot by Damaine Powell with 15 seconds left in the game. USC lost despite scoring the game's first 11 points. Stanford then outscored the Trojans 18-6 to go ahead 18-17. The Cardi nal led at halftime 27-26.

USC coach George Raveling said his team couldn't make its outside shots. "We had plenty of opportunities to win the game, but we came out in the second half and went l-of-8 on three-pointers, shot 34 percent from the field, and got to the (free-throw) line just three times," he said. "I guess that was the way it was meant to be. "I was tremendously disappointed in our perimeter offense. It just wasn't there." About the reserves of the respective teams, Raveling said, "They got 18 points and six rebounds out of their bench.

Probably the difference in the game was their bench and ours in terms of productivity." Stanford coach Mike Montgomery said his team struggled early. "We played as if we were afraid to make mistakes, and you can't play that way," Montgomery said of the opening few minutes. "Our bench saved us and got us back into rhythm." Mfc TENT hJjlPl I MmjhNDIttVD. Cal State women win, 68-65 1-10 at WATERMAN 245 E. REDLANDS BLVD.

SAN BERNARDINO Local colleges Kit WZWT I TENT SALE! Golf Clubs Golf Clothes Golf Shoes The Sun CARSON Senior forward Kim Young scored 28 points for the Cal State San Bernardino women's basketball team as it nipped CS Dominguez Hills, 68-65, in a California Collegiate Athletic Association game on Thursday. Tammie Beckley added 16 points and Mary Alice Lott 12 points for the Coyotes (8-1, 22-3), the 15th ranked team in NCAA Division II. Despite the loss, the Toros (4-6, 13-13) earned a berth in the four-team CCAA Tournament, which will be played at ther Cal State S.B. or Cal Poly Pomona. REDLANDS LOSES: POMONA Michael Anderson sank four three-point field goals for part of his 19 points for the University of Redlands basketball team as it dropped its season finale, a 87-80 Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference decision to Pomona-Pitzer on Thursday.

Jason Bragg added 15 points for the Bulldogs, who finish the season 5-9 in the SCIAC and 10-15 overall. Alexey Dvortscak scored 11 points for Redlands. Bill Cover led all scorers with 25 points for the Sagehens (12-2, 19-6). Golf Bags Golf Accessories 50 OFF lItarts Feb. 26th ENDS Feb.

27th 1, From Sufi News Services p..