Softball Set to Face Cal Poly
LBSU Ranked No. 20 in ESPN Poll; 36-8 on the Season
April 14, 2004 PDF VERSION of this RELEASE 36-8, 6-0 Big West
Up Next: vs. Cal Poly (14-21, 2-4 BWC) • April 17-18
ESPN/USA Softball Rank: No. 20 / NFCA Rank: No. 21 Quickly:
No. 20/21-ranked Long Beach State (36-8) hosts Cal Poly (14-21) for a three-game series at the 49er Softball Complex, beginning with the double-header on Saturday, April 17 at 1:00 p.m. The series concludes on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. The 36-8 mark by LBSU is the best record (thru 44 games) since the 1988 club posted a 36-8 record thru 44 games. The 1988 club lost its ninth game on game No. 45. With its three-game sweep over Utah State last weekend, Long Beach State has won six straight conference season-series (dating back to 2003), and eight out of the last nine (also dating back to last season). In league news, Lindsey Knoff was the BWC Pitcher of the Week. Last Game Recap:
Long Beach State senior pitcher Lindsey Knoff became the sixth player in school history to pitch a perfect game in a 4-0 LBSU victory over Utah State at the 49er Softball Complex on Friday afternoon (4/9). Knoff's perfect game came less than a month after teammate Meredith Cervenka pitched a perfect game against Iowa on March 20. Long Beach State also defeated the Aggies, 5-0 in game one of the double-header. On Saturday (4/10) the Niners crushed the Aggies, 16-0 in five innings. The 16-0 victory marked the third time that LBSU has scored 10 or more runs in a contest this season. The 16-0 win was also the second largest shutout margin victory in program history. The 49ers scored seven runs in the first inning and nine runs in the second inning. In all, Long Beach State pounded out a season-high 16 hits on 27 At Bats with 13 RBI on Apr. 10. The 3-0 sweep also gave LBSU its first shutout weekend (in conference play) since the 2000 season, when they blanked Cal Poly Mar. 18-19.
49ers in Two Top 25 Polls:
Long Beach State made the biggest jump in the USA Today/ESPN Top 25 Poll from No. 24 to No. 20, released on Tuesday, April 13. LBSU entered the poll for the first time this season at No. 25 when the ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Poll was released on March 9. Long Beach moved up one spot in the NFCA Top 25 Poll at No. 21 (poll released Apr. 14).
Blank Check:
The Long Beach State pitching staff has combined to throw five straight shutouts since April 3 at UC Riverside. LBSU has allowed just one run in conference play this season.
LBSU Reaches 36, and a School Record: Long Beach State reached its 36th victory of the season on Saturday, Apr. 10 vs. Utah State. The 36-8 record matches the 1988 club that started 36-8. The 49ers broke the previous school record of 11 straight wins set by the 1996 club, with a 12-game win streak from Mar. 13 to Mar. 30.
Marinating on The Big West:
Long Beach State pitchers, Marcel Torres (0.98 ERA), Meredith Cervenka (1.11 ERA), and Lindsey Knoff (1.25 ERA) rank 1-2-3 respectively in the conference in lowest ERA (as of Apr. 12). LBSU ranks No. 1 in the league with an overall staff ERA of 1.09. All three have won Big West Pitcher of the Week honors this season.
Perfect Circle:
Lindsey Knoff became the sixth player in school history to pitch a perfect game after a 4-0 win over Utah State on Apr. 9. Knoff's perfect game came less than a month after teammate Meredith Cervenka pitched a perfect game on Mar. 20. This was Knoff's second no-hitter of the season. For her efforts, Knoff was selected as the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week (Apr. 12). Knoff won eight straight games from Mar. 5 thru Mar. 25. She gave up one run on three hits in a 9-1 LBSU win over Dartmouth on Mar. 25. She pitched her first career no-hitter in a 7-0 victory over Canisius on 3/17. In fact Knoff had a perfect game into the sixth inning of that contest. For the week, Mar. 17-21, Knoff compiled a 3-0 record and a 0.64 ERA. Knoff went 2-0 in the Fresno State Tournament (3/11-14), giving up just eight hits without allowing a run in 14.0 innings of work for 0.00 ERA. She returned from an ankle injury in the Kipa Aloha Classic (Mar. 4-7) 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 331 career strikeouts are No. 4 all-time at The Beach. Knoff moved to No. 5 all-time in innings pitched this season (89.1) with 628.6 career innings pitched. Knoff has compiled a 10-3 mark this season with a 1.25 ERA in 89.1 innings. Her 50 career wins are sixth most at The Beach. She ranks No. 3 in the Big West in ERA.
Full Cerv-ice:
2003 Big West Co-Pitcher of the Year Meredith Cervenka tossed 33 consecutive scoreless innings from Mar. 17 to Apr. 3, and had 18.0 innings of no-hit softball from Mar. 20 to Mar. 30. She pitched her second consecutive no-hitter in a 1-0 victory over Dartmouth on Mar. 25. Cervenka also added a career-tying high 13 strikeouts in that contest. The 13 K's equaled the school record for most strikeouts thrown in a single game (Cervenka, 2003 and Diane Lewis, 1985). During her 26.0 consecutive scoreless innings since Mar. 13 thru Mar. 25, she was named the Big West Co-Pitcher of the Week (Mar. 25). It was her second Pitcher of the Week award this season. Currently, Cervenka has allowed just one run in her last 56.0 innings pitched. She compiled a 2-0 record in the Utah State series (Apr. 9-10), in 10.0 innings of work. She pitched a four-hit shutout on Apr. 9, including five strikeouts vs. the Aggies. Cervenka went 3-0 from Mar. 30 thru Apr. 4 with a 0.35 ERA, allowing just one run on eight hits and 16 strikeouts in 20.0 innings of work. Cervenka became the fifth player in program history to pitch a perfect game in a 3-0 victory over Iowa on March 20 in the Capital Classic. It was the first perfect game since Ruby Flores pitched a perfect game in 1991. Cervenka was also named to the Capital Classic All-Tournament Team after posting a 2-0 record and a 0.00 ERA. In fact for the week of Mar. 17-21, she totaled 17 strikeouts and only gave up four hits, and no runs. For her efforts, Cervenka was named as the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week (3/23). 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. Her 16 wins have given her 51 for her career, fifth most in school history. Cervenka certainly has been quite productive in the circle for the 2004 campaign. She has recorded 102 strikeouts this season to move to No. 2 all-time at The Beach with 387 career strikeouts. She is 21 strikeouts away from No. 1 (Stacy Van Essen - 408 K's). Cervenka has compiled a 16-3 record with a 1.11 ERA, allowing 20 runs on 64 hits and 102 strikeouts. She is No. 2 in th BWC in ERA, No. 1 in wins, No. 2 in K's, and No. 3 in innings pitched (as of Apr. 13). Six is Good:
Jamie Farnworth landed her second Big West Offensive Player of the Week award for the period ending April 7. Farnworth was given the honor after her performance in the Kipa Aloha Tournament, April 4-7. Farnworth was also 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 36-8 mark this season, after posting a team-best .355 batting average, with 23 runs, four home runs, and 23 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 hit .263 and scored three runs in the tournament in Fresno (3/11-14). Farnworth has also compiled a .518 slugging percentage and a .453 on base percentage this season. She batted .409 at the Capital Classic (Mar. 19-21), pounding out nine hits (2 doubles), two RBI and two runs. She went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in the double-header vs. Dartmouth (Mar. 25). Jamie connected for a .400 batting average in the Utah State series (Apr. 9-10), compiling four RBI. She went 3-for-4 with two runs and three RBI vs. USU on Apr. 10. 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.
Chicks Dig the Long Ball:
Arleigh Thorp is closing in on the career home run record at Long Beach State (16) set by Jessica Smith (1999-02). Thorp has 14 career home runs. She is already the school record holder in career-doubles with 45 (t-No. 6 all-time in BWC history). Thorp has connected for 11 this season, to go along with a .317 batting average, with 29 runs scored, and 28 RBI. Thorp had a monster series vs. Utah State (Apr. 9-10), belting a .714 batting average an compiling five runs, three doubles, and four RBI. Thorp went 3-for-3 with two doubles, three runs and three RBI in the 16-0 victory over USU on Apr. 10. She went 3-for-3 with an RBI double in the 4th inning in game 2 at Riverside on Apr. 3. Thorp compiled a .435 batting average from Mar. 17-21, compiling 10 hits and 10 RBI. She hit a grand slam versus Tennessee State. In fact her five RBI vs. TSU were tied for the third most in a single game in school history. For her efforts, Thorp was named as the Big West Conference Player of the Week (3/23). 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. 4 all-time at The Beach this season with 82 career RBI's.
Double-Duty:
Junior transfer Marcel Torres has been very productive in both the circle and at the plate this season. For the second time this season, Torres was named as the BWC Co-Pitcher of the Week after her dominating performance 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 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. She went 4-for-8 from the plate in the Utah State series with a double, and made an appearance on Apr. 10 in the circle, picking up 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 .246 batting average with 31 hits (six doubles) and 15 RBI, and 10 runs scored. Torres knocked in two runs in the fifth inning at UC Santa Barbara on Jan. 31. Torres has accumulated a 10-2 record and a 0.98 ERA in 76.2 innings pitched, allowing just 11 earned runs and 61 strikeouts. Her ERA is tops in the Big West Conference.
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 went 1-for-2 with two runs scored vs. Utah State on Apr. 10. LJ went 7-for-16 from Mar. 30 thru Apr. 4, with two triples, one home run, three RBI, and five runs scored. Johnson connected for her fourth HR of the season in her first at-bat in game one vs. UCR on 4/3. She went 2-for-3 with three runs and an RBI in game two. Her RBI triple in the fifth inning vs. UCR in game 3 (4/4) helped LBSU unlock a scoreless tie with three runs in the inning. Johnson scored seven runs and drove in four from Mar. 17-21. In fact Johnson was the hero in LBSU's 5-4 win over Wisconsin (3/19) after she hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the game. 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 .295 with 30 runs, 19 RBI, 36 hits, and four stolen bases this season. Her nine career HR's are No. 3 all-time in school history.
I Got the Magic Stick:
Melanie McCauley opened up the conference schedule with a bang, compiling a .625 batting average at UC Riverside (Apr. 3-4), with five hits (2 HR, one double) and four RBI. She belted the two HR's in game one on Apr. 3. Her first career home run in the bottom of the second inning was a two-run shot, and she hit a two-run blast in the bottom of the 4th inning. She notched an RBI in the seven-run inning vs. Utah State on Apr. 10. She is batting .260 on the season with 18 RBI.
If You Smell What the Rock is Cookin':
Catcher, Roxanne Staniorski was named to the all-tournament team at the Clovis Auto Row Softball Classic in Fresno (Mar.11-14). Roxanne went 6-for-18 (.333 batting average) with one run, a double and an RBI. She hit a two-out RBI single in the 4th inning to score Jamie Farnworth in a 1-0 win over North Texas (3/13). She scored the first run in game two in the bottom of the 5th inning vs. Utah State (4/9). For the season, Staniorski has a .266 batting average, and has collected five doubles and 12 RBI as well.
Good Hands with Gervasi in Right Field:
Freshman Kourtnee Gervasi had a solid series vs. Utah State (Apr. 9-10), compiling a .600 batting average (3-for-5) with three run scored, and an RBI. She went 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI in game three vs. Utah State (4/10). She notched an RBI single in the bottom of the 8th inning to help give LBSU a 1-0 victory over Dartmouth on Mar. 25. She helped LBSU grind out a 2-1 win over Sacramento State on Mar. 21 at the plate and in the field. She connected for her first career home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the score a 1-1. Then in the top of the eighth inning, she prevented a possible go-ahead run and threw out Sac. St. player, Amy Walter from right field to first base with two outs to preserve the 1-1 score heading into the bottom of the inning. Gervasi went 3-for-9 (.333) with two runs scored in the Campbell/Cartier Classic in San Diego (Feb. 20-21). Gervasi has patrolled the right field with a 1.000 fielding percentage (27 put outs, 3 assists). Gervasi also has compiled a .238 batting average with 16 runs, 20 hits (two doubles), and seven RBI.
Burdick's Golden Glove:
Senior Colleen Burdick has been steady at first base all season with 337 put outs and 16 assists (1 error) for a .997 fielding percentage. At the lead-off slot, Burdick has compiled a .287 batting average, with 41 hits (eight doubles, two triples), 25 runs, and 25 RBI. She kept her hot bat in the second conference series of the season, notching five RBI an a .400 batting average vs. USU (Apr. 9-10). She went 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs vs. the Aggies on 4/10. She connected for a double that plated two runners in the first inning, and another two-run RBI double in the second inning on Apr. 10. Burdick hit .455 to open the conference schedule, notching five hits and five RBI. Burdick batted .286 with two home runs in the Kipa Aloha Classic (Mar. 4-7) in Honolulu. She went 3-for-6 with three runs in the double-header vs. Dartmouth (Mar. 25).
Fast Starts:
Long Beach State has out-scored its opposition, 37-10 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 2nd (27), 4th (38), 5th (29), and 7th innings (14).
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.
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