SSU ABRUPTLY PUSHED TO BRINKSEAWOLVES LOSE OPENER IN CCAA DOUBLE-ELIMINATION BASEBALL TOURNAMENT

The Sonoma State University baseball team is in trouble in the four-team

California Collegiate Athletic Association tournament at San Bernardino.

The Seawolves, who captured the regular-season title on Sunday to gain the

top seed for the tournament, fell 6-2 to No.4 UC San Diego on Wednesday.

Chico State met Cal State San Bernardino in the late game of the

double-elimination tournament.

The Tritons (35-22), making their first postseason appearance since moving

to DivisionII in 2000-01, play in the championship semifinals today. Sonoma

State plays an elimination game at 11 a.m. against the Chico-San Bernardino

loser.

UCSD overcame a 2-1 deficit with a five-run eighth inning on only three

hits. The big blow was a two-run double by second baseman Ricky Pinocchio.

Colton Daines and Tom Everidge each had two hits for SSU, which fell to

35-26.

CHICO WINS GOLF REGIONAL

Led by all-America senior J.J. Jakovac and junior Marc Peterson, nationally

No.1-ranked Chico State shot a 1-under-par 287 in the final round to win the

NCAA West Region title by 13 shots at Bellingham Golf and Country Club in

Bellingham, Wash.

Sonoma State's Adam Lewis finished in a five-way tie for 15th with a

three-round total of 220 (76, 72, 72) -- 11 stroke off the winning pace set by

Ryan Thornberry of Stanislaus State, who shot 69, 69, 71 for a 209.

The Wildcats, ranked No.1 by Golfstat and the Golf Coaches Association of

America, finished with a 54-hole total of 9-under 855 at the 6,523-yard

course.

Chico State was the only team to finish under par and earns a berth in the

NCAA II National Championships on May 12-15 at Orlando, Fla. It will be the

eighth national appearance and second straight for the Wildcats, who placed

fifth at national last year.

SRJC SOFTBALL

Santa Rosa JC out-hit Butte, but lost, 2-1, to fall out of the Northern

California regionals in Oroville.

SRJC, seeded No.9 in the 16-team single-elimination tournament, finished

the season 29-11. Butte, seeded No.5, improved to 21-9-1.

Christina Leisen took the loss, despite pitching a four-hitter. SRJC had

six hits, including two each by catcher Michelle Holmstedt and shortstop Lisa

Corey.

EX-NEWMAN GRAD INJURED

Patrick Culley, a 1997 Cardinal Newman graduate, was seriously injured

Saturday while playing rugby in Boston.

Culley, 25, whose brother, Andrew, is a senior at Newman, suffered a broken

neck and remains hospitalized in the intensive care unit at Brigham and Womens

Hospital in Boston. He is reported to also be suffering from pneumonia.

A scrum half, Culley was playing for the Gentlemen of Aspen Rugby Club of

Aspen, Colo., when he suffered the spinal injury. He was the captain of the

Humboldt State University rugby club last year and moved to Aspen after

graduating last May to join the high-powered Colorado team.

A fund has been established by the rugby team to help defray costs of

Culley's treatment. Call (970) 920-4800 for additional information.