49ers Travel to No. 1-Ranked UCLA
LBSU 10-3 on the Season
February 24, 2004 PDF VERSION of this RELEASE 10-3, 0-0 Big West
Up Next: at No. 1 UCLA (2/29) • 1:00 p.m. Quickly:
Long Beach State (10-3) travels to No. 1-ranked UCLA (13-0) for a single game on Sunday, February 29 at 1:00 p.m. The 49ers completed the 14th annual Campbell/Cartier Classic hosted by San Diego State with a 3-0 record, including an upset 1-0 victory over No. 4-ranked Washington on Friday (2/20). The games versus No. 17 Oregon and Auburn were cancelled due to poor weather conditions in San Diego. Long Beach State collected 29 Receiving Votes in the latest ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 poll released on Tuesday. This is the second consecutive week that the 49ers collected Receiving Votes in the poll. In league news, Marcel Torres was named Co-Pitcher of the Week. UCLA 411:
No surprise that the Bruins are ranked No. 1 in the polls after a 13-0 record in 2004. UCLA has four players with a .350 batting average or higher, including Andrea Duran (.436) and Stephanie Ramos (.410). The Bruins have generated 78 runs this season, and have limited opponents to just 12 runs scored. UCLA defeated Long Beach State 5-1 back on Feb. 7 at the Long Beach State Invitational. The Bruins have also connected for 24 home runs, six courtesy of Caitlin Benyi, and boast a team batting average of .313. All-American pitcher Keira Goerl leads the Bruin staff with a 7-0 record and a 0.30 ERA, with 61 strikeouts. Not too far behind is Lisa Dodd who has compiled a 5-0 record with a 0.44 ERA and 25 strikeouts. UCLA jumps on opponents early, outscoring the opposition 17-1 in the first inning. But don't forget about the fifth inning, because UCLA outscores its opponents 21-0. But hey, the Bruins have only scored two runs in the seventh inning.
Campbell/Cartier Classic Round-Up
LBSU 1, Washington 0
Long Beach State scored a major upset early this season with a 1-0 victory over No. 4-ranked Washington on Friday, Feb. 20. Lauren Johnson helped LBSU score its lone run in th bottom of the fifth inning after she connected for a single. Johnson then advanced to second base on a wild pitch from UW pitcher, Ashley Boek. After Arleigh Thop was issued a walk, Marcel Torres singled to center field. Johnson proceeded to score on th play due to an error by Washington center fielder Rita Roach. That was all Torres needed, as she improved to 5-0 on the season with seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits and four strikeouts. Torres also went 2-for-3 at the plate, but was not credited with an RBI because of the error in center field.
LBSU 1, Ohio 0
Johnson's score on a wild pitch in the first inning by Ohio junior, Kerri Harley, proved to be the difference in the 1-0 victory for the 49ers (2/20). Johnson connected for her first double of the season, after Colleen Burdick fouled out to left field to start the inning. Harley then walked Thorp, struck out Torres, and walked Jamie Farnworth to load the bases. Johnson would then score on the wild pitch. Meredith Cervenka collected the victory, her fourth after seven shutout innings.
LBSU 6, Iowa State 2
Arleigh Thorp hit a two-run home run, her first of the season, and Long Beach State cruised from there with a 6-2 win over Iowa State on Saturday (2/21). The 49ers tacked on two more runs in the top of the fifth inning, courtesy of a Lauren Johnson RBI that scored Cassie Preece, and two runs in the top of the seventh. Cervenka picked up her fifth victory of the season (5-1) and added nine strikeouts. Leading Off:
Long Beach State (10-3) travels to No. 1-ranked UCLA (13-0) for a single game on Sunday, February 29 at 1:00 p.m. The 49ers completed the 14th annual Campbell/Cartier Classic hosted by San Diego State with a 3-0 record, including an upset 1-0 victory over No. 4-ranked Washington on Friday (2/20). The games versus No. 17 Oregon and Auburn were cancelled due to poor weather conditions in San Diego. Long Beach State collected 29 Receiving Votes in the latest ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 poll released on Tuesday. This is the second consecutive week that the 49ers collected Receiving Votes in the poll. In league news, Marcel Torres was named Co-Pitcher of the Week.
A Little Respect:
Long Beach State collected 29 Receiving Votes in the latest ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Poll released on Feb. 24. It is the second consecutive week that LBSU collected Receiving Votes in the poll.
Torres Earns League Honor:
Marcel Torres, of the Long Beach State softball team, was named the Big West Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week, as announced by the league office on Tuesday. Torres (Diamond Bar, Calif.), pitched a shutout against the No. 4-ranked Washington Huskies last Friday at the 14th Annual Campbell/Cartier Classic hosted by San Diego State. The junior went 7.0 innings, and allowed just four hits, and issued two walks with four strikeouts, in the 1-0 LBSU victory. Torres shared the award with Pacific's Natalie King. With the victory, Torres lowered her ERA to 0.45 and improved her record to 5-0 on the season. Torres has only given up two runs in 31.0 innings pitched this season with five walks and 19 strikeouts.
LJ OK:
Lauren Johnson posted her best season in a 49er uniform last season, and has shown no signs thus far of slowing down in 2004. She generated both runs in the pair of 1-0 victories on Feb. 20 versus No. 4-ranked Washington and Ohio. LJ went 3-for-3 with a .429 batting average in the Campbell/Cartier Classic in San Diego (2/20-21) with three runs, a double, and an RBI. She connected for her seventh RBI of the season in the fifth inning versus Iowa State on 2/21. Johnson went 6-for-15 in the UCSB Early Bird Tournament with three runs and four RBI, and one home run. Johnson has also added two stolen bases to her totals this season as well. Johnson went 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI in the 49ers come-from-behind victory versus Illinois-Chicago on Jan. 30. Johnson hit a three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning versus Oregon State to give Long Beach State a 5-1 lead and eventual win. Johnson went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI in LBSU's 4-1 win over San Diego State on Feb. 7. Johnson is batting a team-best .314 with seven runs, seven RBI, 11 hits, and two stolen bases.
Double-Duty:
Junior Transfer Marcel Torres has been very productive in both the circle and at the plate this season. Torres was named the Big West Conference Co-Pitcher of the Week (2/24) and has accumulated a 5-0 record and a 0.45 ERA in 31 innings pitched, allowing just two runs on 21 hits, and 19 strikeouts. Torres picked up her second victory of the season versus Santa Clara on Jan. 31 when she allowed one run on four hits and three strikeouts in seven innings. Torres pitched seven shutout innings in a 4-0 win over Santa Clara on Feb. 8. Torres shutdown No. 4-ranked Washington allowing just four hits in a 1-0 victory on Feb. 20. Torres has also been efficient at the plate, notching a .222 batting average with eight hits (three doubles) and three RBI, and two runs scored. Torres knocked in two runs in the fifth inning at UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 31.
Cerv-ing Some Heat/ 300th Career Strikeout:
2003 Big West Co-Pitcher of the Year Meredith Cervenka has been quite productive in the circle for the 2004 campaign. Cervenka has compiled a 5-1 record with a 1.54 ERA, allowing nine runs on 26 hits and a team-high 29 strikeouts. Cervenka collected her second win at UC Santa Barbara allowing one run on two hits in LBSU's 8-1 victory. Cervenka pitched 7.0 shutout innings, allowing three hits and six strikeouts in a 4-0 win over Santa Clara on Feb. 6. She pitched her second shutout of the season versus Ohio on Feb. 20,a nd registered a season-high nine strikeouts versus Iowa State on 2/21. Cervenka, in fact recorded her 300th career strikeout versus Santa Clara on 2/6. Cervenka has 314 career strikeouts, sixth most in program history. Her five wins have given her 40 for her career, tied for seventh most in school history.
Gunning for 300:
Lindsey Knoff is one strikeout away from recording career strikeout No. 300. Knoff is currently sidelined with an ankle injury. Knoff moved to No. 6 all-time in innings pitched this season (19.0) with 558.5 career innings pitched.
Six is Good:
Not only did senior short stop Jamie Farnworth hit her first career home run on Jan. 30 in the season opener versus Oregon State, she tacked on two more in the UCSB Early Bird Tournament for a total of three for the season. Farnworth was selected as the Big West Conference Offensive Player of the Week, for the period ending Feb. 12. Farnworth (Upland, Calif.) has helped Long Beach State jump out to a 10-3 mark this season, after posting a .303 batting average, with six runs, three home runs, and seven RBI, and a .917 fielding percentage. Farnworth connected for her first career home run on opening day in a 5-1 win over Oregon State on January 30 at the UCSB Early Bird Invite in Santa Barbara. She followed that performance up the same day with a game-winning three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning versus Illinois-Chicago, to give Long Beach State a 5-4 victory over the Flames. Despite falling to the top-ranked Bruins at the Long Beach State Invitational on 2/7, Farnworth went 2-for-3 with a double off Bruin All-American pitcher Keira Goerl. Farnworth has also compiled a .636 slugging percentage and a .429 on base percentage this season. Farnworth was a Big West All-Conference honorable mention last season, and will play for the Greek Olympic team in this year's Summer Olympics in Athens.
Double Down:
The school record holder in career-doubles (38), Arleigh Thorp, has already connected for four this season, to go along with a .200 batting average, with seven runs scored, and seven RBI. Thorp hit a two-run home run, her first of the season in the Campbell/Cartier Classic versus Iowa State in the first inning to propel the 49ers to a 6-2 victory. Thorp moved to No. 8 all-time at The Beach this season with 65 career RBI's.
Good Hands with Gervasi in Right Field:
Freshman Kourtnee Gervasi has patrolled the right field with a 1.000 fielding percentage (16 put outs, 1 assist). Gervasi also has compiled a .243 batting average with 6 runs, nine hits (one double), and an RBI. Gervasi went 3-for-9 (.333) with two runs scored in the Campbell/Cartier Classic in San Diego (Feb. 20-21).
Burdick's Golden Glove:
Senior Colleen Burdick has been steady at first base all season with 107 put outs and four assists (no errors) for a 1.000 fielding percentage. At the lead-off slot, Burdick has compiled a .250 batting average, with 10 hits (one double, one triple), six runs, and 13 total bases.
Run Support:
Long Beach State has generated 43 runs so far this season, while the pitching staff has allowed just 19 opponent runs. The 49ers have outscored their opposition, 10-3 in the first inning. LBSU has also scored 11 runs in the seventh inning.
49ers Picked 1st:
Long Beach State was selected to capture the 2004 conference crown, according to the Big West Coaches poll released in January. The 49ers return all nine starters from 2003 that finished 17-3 in conference play. |
