CLU NOTEBOOK; IT WON'T BE EASY FOR KINGSMEN.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

THOUSAND OAKS - The victory hurt more than the defeat.

A loss to Claremont in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader meant the Cal Lutheran baseball team has to wait until this week to clinch an outright conference title and secure a playoff berth. Because the Kingsmen have a three-game lead over La Verne with three conference games remaining, that problem doesn't seem too big. The loss of left fielder Jason Claros during the second game will be harder to overcome.

Claros injured his ankle in the seventh inning and could be out two or three weeks.

``That's a huge loss for us,'' Kingsmen coach Marty Slimak said. ``We don't know yet who's going to take his spot. We do have guys that can replace him, but he's having a great year for us.''

In addition to providing solid defense, the freshman is one of CLU's leading hitters with a .403 average and 16 RBI. He homered in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader, which was a makeup from a February rainout, and doubled in the first game.

The severity of Claros' injury should be determined when he is reevaluated later this week.

--Home finale: The last regular-season Kingsmen baseball game is Friday at 3 p.m. against Occidental. CLU closes Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play Saturday with a doubleheader at Occidental.

An outright conference title would ensure a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs, which start May 18. The Kingsmen (22-8-2, 16-2) have won eight of the past nine SCIAC championships.

--A big finish: When the Regals softball team is healthy, it is competitive. But staying healthy hasn't been easy for CLU.

The Regals enter the final weekend of the season at 14-25, but an influx of players returning from the disabled list helped CLU finish SCIAC play 11-7 after sweeping Redlands in a doubleheader Friday.

Junior Jennifer Lemons had been out with a ruptured disc in her back, leaving all the pitching to sophomore Carrie Hardy. She returned last week and earned a win. Freshman outfielder/pitcher Erin Neuhaus also returned against Redlands and went 3 for 4.

The Regals finish the season at home Saturday with a nonconference doubleheader against UC San Diego at 1 p.m.

--Double trouble: The Regals turned seven double plays in Friday's two games against Redlands, including four in the second game. CLU had only turned a combined seven double plays before the doubleheader.

--On par for a title: The Kingsmen golf team (6-1 in dual matches, 25 season points) takes a two-point advantage into Thursday's SCIAC championships, meaning even a tie would give CLU its seventh title in eight years. The Kingsmen were second last season.

Freshman Randy Cox, sophomore Arron Bondi and Junior Anthony Zinnato lead the Kingsmen into the 36-hole event at Brookside.

--Off to Ojai: The regular season is done for the men's and women's tennis teams, but for some members the season continues at the Ojai tournament starting Thursday. The tournament serves as the NCAA Division III Western individual championships.

--Basketball camps: The Kingsmen Speed and Jumping Camp was added to the lineup of instruction offered by the CLU basketball staff this summer.

Kingsmen head coach Rich Rider and assistant Tom Butler will help campers age 12-17 improve vertical jumping ability and cover topics such as speed training, quickness techniques and ways to increase flexibility. The five-day session starting July 17 at CLU is $125 and participants receive a book and one-hour video to reinforce the teachings.

Rider's annual Point Guard and Perimeter Play Camp runs July 31-Aug. 2 at CLU. The camp for boys and girls 7-17 is $110. Information for both camps: [phone].