Glendale Community College

GLENDALE - Angel Rodriguez felt some extra pressure coming into the Glendale Community College baseball team's critical contest with College of the Canyons Thursday at Stengel Field. The Vaqueros starting pitcher didn't mind the extra meaning on the Western State Conference South Division game, tossing eight shutout innings to lead his team to a 6-1 win that broke a four-game losing streak and kept it in first place. PHOTOS: GCC vs. College of the Canyons baseball “Angel Rodriguez, that's what happened,” GCC Coach Chris Cicuto said of his difference maker on the mound.

Glendale Community College ranks above statewide averages for student success, according to a recent accountability report that compared more than 100 other campuses. Glendale Community College was measured on eight levels, such as in student pass rates for basic classes, their completion of vocational programs and success in transferring to four-year institutions. By following student achievement in up to six-year periods, the report can shed light on whether state funds are being put to good use, said Edward Karpp, dean of research, planning and grants at Glendale Community College.

The curtain rose on a new partnership Tuesday as the operators of the Alex Theatre announced they were teaming up with Glendale Community College in an effort to better market campus performances and generate additional revenue for the theater organization. Glendale Arts, the nonprofit that operates the Alex, has opened a ticket outlet on the college campus and will now market the school's performances on its website, which gets about 60,000 hits a month, said interim Chief Executive Elissa Glickman.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - In an ending symbolic of most of the match, the Glendale Community College women's volleyball team got close, but just couldn't catch Santa Monica City College. The Vaqueros rallied from a seven-point deficit, when the Corsairs needed only six more to win, to close to within three in the third game and came all the way back from an early eight-point deficit to tie the fourth game only to be denied a shot at a fifth game when Santa Monica closed out the Western State Conference match, 25-17, 23-25, 25-19, 25-19.

Unlike past years in which the prestigious Ojai Tournament served as an entity unto itself for community college tennis, this year, players had to qualify out of conference tournaments. The 113th annual Ojai Valley Tournament was the final event for junior college tennis, with the Southern California Regionals and state tournament taking place under the umbrella of the prestigious tourney. “It was a lot different. You had to qualify this year,” Glendale Community College men's Coach Bob MacKay said.

GLENDALE - Even without the benefit of a hit, the members of the Glendale Community College still enjoyed a huge opening inning during a pool-play game of their tournament Friday night at the Glendale Sports Complex. The Vaqueros showed patience at the plate while batting for nearly 20 minutes, racking up five walks and scoring five runs. The Glendale coaching staff wasn't even aware the Vaqueros hadn't registered a hit. “I thought maybe we had one or two hits,” said Glendale assistant Sal Pizzo, who saw Glendale pick up an 11-0 victory against Gateway College (Ariz.)

SANTA ANA - Good-bye hugs were exchanged in right field before a few tears and plenty of beads of sweat were wiped away by many of the members of the Glendale Community College baseball team. It came shortly after the Vaqueros saw their season wrap up Saturday with a 4-3 defeat against El Camino Compton in an elimination contest of the Southern California Fullerton Super Regional at Santa Ana College. “It's a special group of guys,” said Glendale college Coach Chris Cicuto, whose team finished 27-13.

MEN'S TENNIS Glendale Community College 6, L.A. Pierce College 3: The Vaqueros picked up a Western State Conference road victory Thursday. Glendale (7-4, 3-2 in conference) got singles wins from Gaspar Macalutas (6-0, 6-0), Dat Le (6-4, 6-7(4-7), 6-0), Son Trinh (6-0, 6-1) and Santiago Segovia (6-4, 6-4). Picking up doubles victories for the Vaqueros were Andrew You and Macalutas (8-4) and Oscar Lam and Stephen Joharry (8-2). WOMEN'S TENNIS Santa Monica City College 7, Glendale Community College 2: The host Vaqueros fell Thursday in a Western State Conference match.

An upright piano, installed near the administration building at Glendale Community College last month as part of a three-week performing arts project, is slated to become a permanent fixture on campus. The piano was one of 30 placed at public sites around Los Angeles County by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra to celebrate 15 years under the leadership of music director and pianist Jeffrey Kahane. “One of the best parts of having the piano outside on campus is to see students with no other access to musical instruments just playing with it and having fun,” said Peter Green, chairman of the visual and performing arts division at Glendale Community College.