Lucas commits to USC

Newport Harbor water polo standout signs with Trojans, while UC Irvine baseball team announces the signing of 12 players.Newport Harbor High girls’ water polo player Kally Lucas said she has signed a national letter of intent with USC.

Lucas, a member of the Sailors’ 2004 CIF Southern Section Division I championship team, picked the Trojans over Loyola Marymount and Princeton.

She led Newport Harbor in steals (74) and assists (62), and was third on the team in goals with 52.

“I really liked what I saw at USC,” Lucas said. “It just seemed to fit, and a lot of my family went to USC.”

Lucas, a second-team All-CIF Southern Section Division I selection last year, also won a CIF title in 2003 as a member of Newport Harbor’s girls’ swimming team.

In other signing news, UC Irvine announced the signing 12 baseball players to letters of intent.

The Anteaters signed five pitchers, four infielders, two outfielders and one catcher. The group is led by shortstop Luis Tovar, a member of Baseball America’s Top 100 Prospect List.

Eric Pettis, a pitcher who led El Camino Real High to the Los Angeles City Section title last season, also signed.

Among the regionally and nationally ranked recruits who signed with the Anteaters were pitcher Cory Hamilton, catcher Francis Larson and outfielder Sean Madigan.

The other signees were outfielder Nick Baligod, pitcher and infielder Christian Bergman, pitcher Tom Calahan, infielder Jeff Cusick, shortstop Nick Farinacci, pitcher Jarret Semler and pitcher Reid Suitor.