Cal Baptist softball coach Smith picks up 1,000th career victory
Mike Smith put a comma on it.
The California Baptist University softball coach won his 1,000th career game last week and he remains focused on the near term — the Lancers play a three-game series at UC Davis this weekend — and the long term as he has a vision for CBU competing on the national stage before he retires.
“CBU is home. CBU is family,” Smith said. “I started when the campus was 850-900 students so I’ve seen it all grow tremendously.”
Smith led CBU to the 2009 NAIA national championship and a 525-96 record from 2004-11 before going on to coach at McNeese State and Ole Miss. He is in his third season back in Riverside.
“CBU catapulted my career, just from the success that we had (but) to be the best you have to play the best and coach against the best so I always wanted to coach Division I, and that’s why I left California Baptist in the first place,” Smith said. “I was fortunate enough to coach in the SEC, but you never look out and go, ‘I’m going to 1,000 games!’ I just wanted to have success.”
Prior to his return, Smith led McNeese State to three consecutive 30-win seasons and back-to-back conference titles. He then broke the school single-season wins record at Ole Miss and led the Rebels to four NCAA Tournament appearances in five years.
“I couldn’t have done any of it without the players that I’ve had past and present,” Smith said. “Without them the success wouldn’t have been there (and) none of it would’ve been possible.”
He began his coaching career at Biola University in 1999, recording the program’s only 50-win season and finishing 10th at the 2002 NAIA World Series.
“I got a text message from one of my former Biola players (after reach 1,000 wins),” Smith said. “She was the pitcher in my first collegiate win as a head coach so that was special.”
He was the interim head coach at UC Riverside in 2003 before taking the job at eventual Crosstown Showdown rival California Baptist.
In his first stint at CBU, Smith developed 31 NAIA All-Americans, four NAIA pitcher of the year award winners and four Region II player of the year award winners.
In his first season back in 2022, Smith led the Lancers to a 30-26 record and then to their first NCAA Division I postseason last year after the team qualified as the No. 6 seed in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament.
“It was a bit of a roller coaster ride last year and we battled some injuries, so I think we’re in a much better place now in Year 3,” Smith said. “I still feel we’re a year or two off of where we truly need to be but we have a really good mix.”
This season, Smith continues to use his depth early in the season as CBU (7-4 overall) works to find both individual consistency and team chemistry.
“We’re deep at a couple of positions so I’m trying to platoon players,” Smith said. “Trying to find what’s going to be good chemistry once we get into conference play.”
The Lancers next play at home against Cal Poly on Friday, March 1 at 3 p.m. at John C. Funk Stadium. MEN’S BASKETBALL >> UC Riverside men’s basketball point guard Barrington Hargress was selected as the Big West Conference player of the week.
Hargress propelled UC
Riverside to a 2-0 weekend at a crucial juncture in the season, averaging 19.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game in victories at Cal State Fullerton at UC Davis.
The freshman’s contribution to UCR’s improved postseason chance has been substantial as the Highlanders won four consecutive games and stand tied for the eighth and final Big West Championship spot with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
MEN’S GOLF >> Aaron Buck won the individual title by three strokes as University of Redlands men’s golf team completed its first tournament victory of the season at the San Antonio Division III Shootout hosted by Schreiner University at TPC San Antonio on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
Buck was third on the final day and shot a threeround total of 180 (72-35-73) to finish as the only golfer to shoot par at the threeday event.
The Bulldogs, picked fourth in the SCIAC preseason poll, made a charge on the back nine on the final day to jump from a tie for second, edging Southwestern University by five strokes.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL >> The Mt. San Jacinto College women’s basketball team claimed at least a share of its sixth consecutive league championship with two wins last week.
Valeria Brewer (Jurupa Hills) scored a game-high 19 points, and Breyonna Bell had 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists and four steals as MSJC beat Chaffey 75-38 on Feb. 14, and Bell had 25 points and eight rebounds as the Eagles went on the road to beat San Bernardino Valley 89-62 on Feb. 17.
MSJC (24-3 overall) has won nine consecutive games and wrapped up the regular season at Victor Valley on Friday.