Taft’s Voytek Reinstated by City Section, Will Play Friday

Taft High pitcher Nathan Voytek, who last week was declared ineligible for violating a state rule governing transfer, was reinstated by a City Section appeals committee Tuesday and is eligible to begin playing immediately.

However, Taft will forfeit each of the four victories in which Voytek participated and falls to 5-17 overall, 1-13 in Northwest Valley Conference play.

Voytek, a sophomore right-hander who transferred to Taft from Trinity High in Washington, Pa., was 4-1 with an earned-run average of 1.07 and was riding a string of 28 consecutive scoreless innings when he was suspended.

Last summer, Voytek left his single mother and relocated to Woodland Hills, where he moved in with Larry Schneiderman, a coach Voytek met while playing in the 1989 Pony World Series in Voytek’s home town. Schneiderman has filed the paper work but has not yet officially been designated Voytek’s legal guardian.

City Section Commissioner Hal Harkness ruled last week that Voytek was ineligible because he changed residences without being accompanied by his mother, his guardian of record. Harkness added that in a transfer situation in which there is a change of guardianship, an athlete is ineligible for one school year unless hardship is granted.

Had Schneiderman filed a petition for hardship before the season started, Voytek likely would have been ruled eligible, Harkness said last week.

Schneiderman maintained that the transfer rule was not knowingly violated. In essence, Voytek (5-foot-10, 160 pounds) was granted hardship after the fact.

“Although rules are rules, I was glad to see that they did this with an understanding of what it was like to be in his situation,” said Schneiderman, an accountant who met Voytek while managing the Encino entry in the Pony World Series. “I think the punishment fit the crime.”

Taft will forfeit conference victories over San Fernando, Granada Hills and Cleveland and a tournament win over Venice.

Voytek, who threw shutouts in each of his victories, is raring to roll for the stumbling Toreadors, who have lost five consecutive games. Voytek will start Friday against El Camino Real, the only team to beat him.

“I’ll definitely be out there,” said Voytek, who did not attend the appeals hearing. “I’m ready.”