April 7, 2008

Cheff to coach 2,000th game at LCSC 

BASEBALL

Lewis-Clark State College’s legendary baseball coach Ed Cheff will reach a milestone on Tuesday, barring any bad weather. 

When the Warriors take on College of Idaho in a 4 p.m. doubleheader at LCSC’s Harris Field, Cheff will be coaching in his 2,000th game at the Lewiston college in the opener. 

Cheff, who currently has a 1,588-407-4 record, is in his 32nd year as the Warriors coach and has one of the most impressive collegiate baseball resumes for any level. His teams have won at least 38 games every season and have won 50 or more games 17 times. In 1983, his team won a school record 69 games. 

Under Cheff, LCSC has won 15 NAIA World Series national titles in the last 24 years. His teams played in 11 consecutive national championship games during 1982-92, and have won 111 World Series game. 

Cheff began his coaching career at LCSC on March 4, 1977 in a 15-0 win over Northwest Nazarene. That was the first of 197 shutouts LCSC posted under Cheff, while his Warrior teams have been shut out only 30 times, including just seven in the last 14 years. His teams went 266 straight games during 2001-05 without being shutout. 

This year’s team had a 23-game win streak snapped over the weekend, which is the third longest in school history. LCSC won 27 straight in 1986 under Cheff, which is the school record. On the other side, LCSC has never lost more than five consecutive games under Cheff, and the last time that happened was in 1979. 

Cheff’s teams have scored 10 or more runs in 890 games, and also have scored 20 or more runs in 78 games. The Warriors have scored 30 or more runs four times. 

During his career, Cheff has coached against 167 different teams from 42 states and Canada. 

He has a career-best 135 wins against Central Washington, which also is the team he has faced the most in his LCSC career (157 times).  

This year’s squad stands 29-4 overall and lost two straight games to Dixie State University in the bottom of the ninth inning over the weekend. The Warriors are hitting .365 as a team and are averaging 13.3 runs per game. Kyle Greene, who became only the ninth player in NAIA history to hit two grand-slam home runs in a game on Saturday, leads the Warriors with a .475 average with 11 home runs, 50 RBI and 16 doubles. Mickey Pingree is hitting .432, while Sean Halton is at .400. 

The Warrior pitching staff has a 3.30 earned run average and has struck out 281 batters while issuing 107 walks. Matt Fitts is 5-0 on the season, while Michael Guerrero and Blaine Hardy are both 5-1. 

LCSC faces a busy week with six games in six days. After Tuesday’s doubleheader, LCSC and College of Idaho then wrap up the three-game series at 2 p.m. on Wednesday. The Warriors then hit the road to face Concordia in Portland in single games Friday-Sunday. 

Region I standings – (Note, LCSC’s games do not count in the region standings) – British Columbia 10-3 in Region, 16-15 overall; Concordia 8-5, 11-14; College of Idaho 7-5, 15-16; Corban 4-9, 7-18; Oregon Tech 4-11, 12-20. 

WOMEN’S TRACK

The Warriors will trek to Cheney for the 37th annual Pelluer Invitational Track and Field Meet at Woodward Field on Friday and Saturday. 

Teams expected to compete in the meet including NCAA Division I schools Eastern Washington, Montana, Washington State, Gonzaga, and Idaho, along with LCSC, Seattle University, Community Colleges of Spokane, and Whitworth. 

The LCSC track teams were in Boise last Friday and Saturday to participate in the Idaho Cup against Idaho State, Boise State, Northwest Nazarene and the College of Idaho.  

Calin Hantau led the men’s side for the Warriors with a second-place finish in the 5,000-meter steeplechase, while Melissa Neuman led the Warrior women by placing third in the javelin, fifth in the discus, and seventh in the hammer throw. 

MEN’S TENNIS

After a two-week break, the Warrior men return to action on Sunday when they take on Gonzaga at noon in Spokane. 

The two teams met to open LCSC’s season on Jan. 21, with Gonzaga claiming a 4-3 win. The Zags won four of six singles matches, including two in the third set, to hold on for the win. 

LCSC is 10-9 overall and only has one match remaining after Sunday, which is on April 20 against Green River Community College.