LOOKING IN ON: CCSN BASEBALL

Saturday, April 14, 2007 | 7:26 a.m.

Losing four games at the College of Southern Idaho three weeks ago still stings the Community College of Southern Nevada baseball players.

It was only the second time in the eight years of the Coyotes' program that it was swept in a four-game weekend series in the Scenic West Athletic Conference. College of Southern Idaho also did it in 2002.

"They're embarrassed," CCSN coach Tim Chambers says of his players. "It put us in a huge hole. (If) we split that series, we're up by four games."

CCSN and College of Southern Idaho are battling for the league title with three weekends remaining in the regular season.

The Coyotes play host to the College of Eastern Utah in a doubleheader today at Morse Stadium, then travel to Salt Lake Community College and cap the season at home against CSI. The SWAC champ hosts the conference tournament.

Southern Idaho "definitely has the upper hand," Chambers said. "But we're as good as they are, or better ... we just have to make up for it at the end."

You are getting sleepy

Bryce Massanari was hitting .160 when he booked an appointment with Barbara Russom, who is Chambers' aunt and is known as Aunt Bee in the CCSN clubhouse.

Russom, 65, lives about a mile from the Henderson campus and for years has hypnotized Coyotes to boost their confidence and help them focus.

After visiting Aunt Bee, Massanari is hitting .405 in conference games. He's pining for another session of hypnosis, but Russom underwent a pair of four-hour back surgeries last week and is recuperating at University Medical Center.

"I just saw her, and she said how she wants to go to Grand Junction," Chambers says of Grand Junction, Colo., site of the NJCAA World Series. "I said, 'I do, too!' "

Game matches name

Tylien Manumaleuna already had a memorable name. Now his hitting is becoming unforgettable.

The freshman first baseman and left-handed-hitting slugger from St. George, Utah, has cracked five home runs in his past five games.

Chambers said it's the first time a Coyote has accomplished that feat in the eight years of the program.

"When the ball hits his bat," Chambers says, "it sounds different than when it comes off other players' bats."

Manumaleuna, a former Philadelphia Phillies draft pick, has dropped 30 pounds from his 5-foot-11 frame since the preseason and now weighs 230 pounds.

Coyote duel

Former CCSN pitchers went against one another last Friday when Brigham Young beat UNLV, 5-3, in Provo, Utah.

Rebels starter Craig Heyer yielded eight hits and five earned runs over 7 1/3 innings and sustained the loss. Jesse Craig, the winner who made it to the ninth inning, gave up nine hits and two earned runs.

All about attitude

After several horrible seasons, the CCSN softball team has been bolstered by coach Ysidro Jimenez. The Coyotes (23-11, 19-9) trail Northern Idaho (32-15, 20-8) by a game in the league.

Budget cuts have forced Chambers, also the CCSN athletic director, to make the softball coach's job a part-time position, which impresses him even more about Jimenez.

"It's an unbelievable turnaround," Chambers says. "He's on a mission. All he wants to do is win. He's real tough on them. It's all about attitude."