COC BEAT: IT'S NOT THE SAME INDOOR PRACTICES GETTING OLD FOR COC.

Byline: Scott Magoloff Staff Writer

VALENCIA - Mother Nature is wreaking havoc on area softball and baseball programs, which are in the early stages of their seasons.

The rains have washed out many games and, more importantly, many practices. The College of the Canyons softball team, with all of two games under its belt, has suffered.

``We were in the gym (Monday) and last week we were in the gym also,''coach Ray Whitten said. ``(Tuesday) I told them to bring the oldest tennis shoes they've got and a poncho or something. I don't care if it's drizzling; we're going to hit off the machines. There's another storm coming Wednesday and another one on Saturday, so we (had) to take advantage of a little bit of a break on (Tuesday).''

COC's scheduled doubleheader at rival Antelope Valley was canceled and Whitten said a date could not be mutually agreed upon to reschedule even one game. Unless they wind up facing each other in a tournament before conference play begins, it is unlikely the teams will be able to have their annual meeting.

The Cougars' next game is Thursday at Taft. Should the weather again interfere, COC would be relegated back to the gym. There, all Whitten can do is half-hearted fielding drills and batting practice.

It's the defensive drills that suffer the most. Using a soft, almost spongy type of ball which was designed for indoor play, ground balls on a gym floor bounce perfectly. There is no way to simulate uneven dirt and grass on a polished wood floor.

As for the outfield drills, well, the ball can only go as high as the ceiling allows. And batting is practiced with the use of a machine which pitches whiffle balls, which are light, plastic balls with air holes cut out.

``It cramps your style,'' Whitten said. ``A couple of days a week there's a class there and then baseball may want to practice, plus basketball. But you just do what you've got to do.

``I remember three or four years ago when we had a lot of rain we were in the gym for three weeks straight - that really got old. You get kind of antsy to be outside on the dirt and grass and practice like a real team.''

--Playing for seeds: The COC women's basketball team has settled nicely into that No. 4 ranking in the California Community College women's basketball regional poll. And coach Greg Herrick was pleased with that, as it would result in a first-round bye in the playoffs and home games through the semifinals.

Since Orange Coast College, which was ranked No. 3 as of last week's poll, lost two games since then, COC should logically move into that spot.

``We were focusing on that fourth seed, but now it looks like we could get that third seed,'' Herrick said. ``But we're just thinking of Bakersfield right now. That's just speculative.''

COC (22-6, 10-0) can clinch Herrick's fifth Western State Conference South Division championship with a win at Bakersfield tonight. The Cougars wrap up their regular season Feb. 19 against Glendale. Then, the seeding meeting is Feb. 21.

Herrick is the seeding representative from the WSC, meaning he will participate in the research of the playoff teams to help determine seeds.

In what may be considered a slight conflict of interest, Herrick also is in charge of assigning officials to each playoff game. Coaches are asked which ones they would want for their games and are usually assigned those officials.

``I'm going to get the best ones I can get - there's no conflict there,'' Herrick said.

--Recruiting trail: Tasha Allen, whose 20 points per game lead the COC women's basketball team and put her third in the WSC, visited with Northern Arizona's coaches and players when they played at Cal State Northridge on Saturday.

COC had the day off and Allen saw Northern Arizona defeat CSUN 67-52.

``She thought she could help them,'' Herrick said of Allen. ``They had trouble scoring and their coaches specifically told me they were looking to bring in Tasha for that very thing. They're looking to bring in some firepower and she definitely has that.''

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Photo: (color) Tasha Allen, the leading scorer for the COC women's basketball team, visited with Northern Arizona players and coaches Saturday.

Eric Grigorian/Special to the Daily News