49ers Travel to Fresno For Tournament
LBSU Enters Top 25 Poll at No. 25 This Week
March 9, 2004 PDF VERSION of this RELEASE 17-4, 0-0 Big West
Up Next: at Fresno State Tournament • March 11-14
ESPN/USA Softball Rank: No. 25 / NFCA Rank: RV
Quickly:
No. 25-ranked Long Beach State (17-4) travels to Fresno for the Clovis Auto Row Softball Classic, March 11-14. LBSU squares off against No. 1 UCLA for the third time this season under the lights at 7:00 p.m. on March 11. The 49ers conclude the tournament against San Diego State on March 14 at 1:00 p.m. Long Beach State last weekend won the 4th annual Kipa Aloha Malihini Tournament with a perfect 7-0 record. Jamie Farnworth was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, while Marcel Torres was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher. Meredith Cervenka, Arleigh Thorp, and Colleen Burdick were all named to the All-Tournament Team. With its 17-4 record, LBSU jumped into the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday, Mar. 9 at No. 25. Clovis Auto Row Tournament Info:
March 11
3:00 p.m. - North Texas vs. Oregon State
5:00 p.m. - Fresno State vs. San Diego State
7:00 p.m. - UCLA vs. Long Beach State
March 12
9:00 a.m. - Oregon State vs. San Diego State
11:00 a.m. - North Texas vs. UCLA
1:00 p.m. - Utah vs. Oregon State
3:00 p.m. - Utah vs. Long Beach State
5:00 p.m. - Fresno State vs. Long Beach State
7:00 p.m. - Fresno State vs. North Texas
March 13
9:00 a.m - Oregon State vs. Long Beach State
11:00 a.m. - UCLA vs. Utah
1:00 p.m. - Fresno State vs. Oregon State
3:00 p.m. - Fresno State vs. Utah
5:00 p.m. - Long Beach State vs. North Texas
7:00 p.m. - San Diego State vs. UCLA
March 14
9:00 a.m. - Utah vs. North Texas
11:00 a.m. - UCLA vs. Oregon State
1:00 p.m. - San Diego State vs. Long Beach State
3:00 p.m. - Fresno State vs. UCLA
Kipa Aloha Tournament Round-Up
Long Beach State captured the 4th Annual Kipa Aloha Tournament after posting a perfect 7-0 record in the tournament, March 4-7. Jamie Farnworth was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament, while Marcel Torres was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher. Meredith Cervenka, Colleen Burdick, and Arleigh Thorp were all named to the All-Tournament Team. LBSU defeated Siena, 15-0 in the opening game of the tournament, marking the second largest margin of victory in school history. Torres finished the tournament with a 3-0 record, 0.00 ERA, and 20 strikeouts.
Leading Off:
No. 25-ranked Long Beach State (17-4) travels to Fresno for the Clovis Auto Row Softball Classic, March 11-14. LBSU squares off against No. 1 UCLA for the third time this season under the lights at 7:00 p.m. on March 11. The 49ers conclude the tournament against San Diego State on March 14 at 1:00 p.m. Long Beach State last weekend won the 4th annual Kipa Aloha Malihini Tournament with a perfect 7-0 record. Jamie Farnworth was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, while Marcel Torres was named the Most Outstanding Pitcher. Meredith Cervenka, Arleigh Thorp, and Colleen Burdick were all named to the All-Tournament Team. With its 17-4 record, LBSU jumped into the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday, Mar. 9 at No. 25.
49ers in The Top 25:
Long Beach State entered the polls at No. 25 in the latest ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Poll released on March 9.
Hawai'i Seven-0:
Long Beach State went a perfect 7-0 in the Kipa Aloha Tournament in Hawai'i (3/4-7). Jamie Farnworth garnered the Most Outstanding Player of the Tournament, while Marcel Torres earned the Tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher. The 49ers belted out 40 runs on 45 hits and six home runs. Pitching was equally as dominant, as the staff of Torres, Cervenka, and Knoff had a combined ERA of 0.47. Long Beach State crushed Siena, 15-0 in the opening game of the tournament. It was the second largest margin of victory in program history. In fact the 12 runs scored by the 49ers in the first inning were the second most runs scored in an inning in program history. According to Assistant Coach, Ralph Levy, Long Beach State has won 14 straight games in Hawai'i, and 10 straight out of state games (Utah State last season, and Hawai'i this season). LBSU has outscored its opponents in Hawai'i, 66-9 in that span of 14 games.
Best Record Thru 21:
Long Beach State has compiled the best record thru 21 games (17-4), since the 1988 squad started 18-3 thru 21 games.
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 to a 17-4 mark this season, after posting a team-best .389 batting average, with 13 runs, four home runs, and 14 RBI. 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. She garnered the Most Outstanding Player honor in the Kipa Aloha Classic (March 4-7) after batting .556 with 10 hits, seven runs, seven RBI, and a home run. She went 2-for-2 with five RBI and two runs vs. Siena (3/4). Farnworth has also compiled a .667 slugging percentage and a .507 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.
3 Benjamin's:
Lindsey Knoff returned from an ankle injury in the Kipa Aloha Classic and recorded her 300th career strikeout in a 4-1 win over College of Charleston on 3/5. Knoff went 7.0 innings and allowed just one run on four hits and six strikeouts in her return to the circle. Her 309 career strikeouts are No. 7 all-time at The Beach. Knoff moved to No. 6 all-time in innings pitched this season (33.0) with 572.5 career innings pitched.
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. Johnson scored seven runs and drove in four, and hit one home run in the Kipa Aloha Classic (Mar. 4-7). Johnson hit a two-run home run in the championship game versus Hawai'i (3/7) to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning. She went 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBI vs. Siena on mar. 4. 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 .273 with 14 runs (team-best), 11 RBI, 15 hits, and three stolen bases this season.
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) after tossing a shutout against the then No. 4-ranked Washington Huskies on Feb. 20 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 has accumulated an 8-1 record and a 0.77 ERA in 54.1 innings pitched, allowing just six earned runs on 38 hits, and 40 strikeouts. Torres dominated the Kipa Aloha Classic (Mar. 4-7) after pitching 19.0 innings, allowing just one run on nine hits and 20 strikeouts. Torres did not allow a double, triple, or home run versus her opponents. Torres produced a season-high nine strikeouts versus Charleston on 3/6. She was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Pitcher. She also did damage at the plate in the Kipa Tournament, notching a two-run home run, her first of the season, versus Charleston on Mar. 6. 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 .250 batting average with 14 hits (three doubles) and nine RBI, and four runs scored. Torres knocked in two runs in the fifth inning at UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 31.
Cerv-ing Some Heat
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 7-1 record with a 1.30 ERA, allowing 10 runs on 37 hits and 36 strikeouts. Cervenka went 2-0 in the Kipa Aloha Classic (Mar. 4-7) with a 0.64 ERA in 11.0 innings of work. 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, and 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 321 career strikeouts, sixth most in program history. Her seven wins have given her 42 for her career, tied for seventh most in school history.
Double Down:
The school record holder in career-doubles (39), Arleigh Thorp, has already connected for five this season, to go along with a .267 batting average, with 12 runs scored, and 11 RBI. Thorp belted out seven hits in 18 at bats for a .389 batting average in the Kipa Aloha Classic (Mar. 4-7). She helped LBSU rally from a 1-0 deficit in the championship game versus Hawai'i with a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning on March 7. She also scored five runs and drove in four in the tournament as well. 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. 6 all-time at The Beach this season with 69 career RBI's.
Good Hands with Gervasi in Right Field:
Freshman Kourtnee Gervasi has patrolled the right field with a 1.000 fielding percentage (17 put outs, 2 assist). Gervasi also has compiled a .196 batting average with 7 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 163 put outs and nine assists (no errors) for a 1.000 fielding percentage. At the lead-off slot, Burdick has compiled a .262 batting average, with 17 hits (three doubles, one triple), six runs, and eight RBI. Burdick batted .286 with two home runs in the Kipa Aloha Classic (Mar. 4-7) in Honolulu.
Fast Starts:
Long Beach State has out-scored its opposition, 22-3 in the first inning this season. In fact LBSU generated 12 runs in the first inning alone versus Siena in the Kipa Aloha Classic on march 4. It was the second most runs scored in an inning in program history. LBSU has also generated the bulk of its runs in the 5th inning (22) and 7th inning (12).
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. |
