49ers Travel to No. 1 Arizona for Tournament
LBSU Competes in Fourth Tournament of the Season
February 28, 2006 PDF VERSION of this RELEASE
8-6, 0-0 Big West
home: 3-0 • away: 0-1 • neutral: 5-5
Quickly:
The Long Beach State softball team (8-6) competes in its fourth tournament of the season at the 2006 Hillenbrand Invitational hosted by No. 1-ranked Arizona, Mar. 3-5.
About the Hillenbrand Invitational:
Long Beach State competes in the five-team tournament vs. Wichita State, South Florida, Sam Houston State, and host Arizona. U of A is ranked No. 1 in the latest ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 poll released on Feb. 28. The Wildcats are 15-1, and have five players hitting .340 or better. Caitlin Lowe leads Arizona with a .481 batting average. Alicia Hollowell has compiled an 8-0 record in the circle with a 0.14 ERA. South Florida (10-6) has had five pitchers see action this season, with Bree Spence leading the charge with a 4-0 record and a 0.67 ERA. Sam Houston State (5-6) has a staff ERA of 4.16. Lauren Boone has compiled a .414 batting average for SHSU. Wichita State (9-4) has won nine of its last 10 games, including five straight since Feb. 24.
Last Week Recap:
LBSU completed a busy week with an overall 4-3 record (2-3 at the Aztec Invitational, 2-0 vs. Southern Utah). The 49ers opened the Aztec Invitational on Feb. 23 with a pair of losses to San Diego State and Colorado State, before defeating Kentucky, 7-2 on Feb. 24. After Kentucky took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, Long Beach State answered with four runs in the bottom of the third inning. Brianna Goad (Norco) led the inning off with a walk, and quickly scored after a stolen base and a throwing error by the UK centerfielder. Tyler provided the key hit in the inning when her single plated Turner and Wedell. A Brooke LeSage (Corona) single followed to score Kourtnee Gervasi (Baldwin Park). Tyler finished the game with four RBI. Long Beach State ended the tournament on Saturday with a split, falling to Western Kentucky, 1-0, before defeating Wagner, 5-2.
Long Beach State swept its double-header vs. Southern Utah at the 49er Softball Complex on Feb. 22. LBSU took game one, 5-0, and game two, 8-3. Junior Michelle Turner (Buena Park) earned her third straight win in the circle after her three-hit shutout performance in game one. Turner also recorded a season-high nine strikeouts. Southern Utah opened game two with a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the 49ers responded with three runs in the bottom the inning to take the 3-1 lead. Beaver's triple to lead off the inning was the first triple of the season for the 49ers. After the bases were loaded, SUU pitcher Amy Sauer walked Kourtnee Gervasi (Baldwin Park) to plate Beaver. Another walk to Tyler scored Wedell. Panita Thanatharn (Chino Hills) went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
Notes
Headlines in ‘06
• Long Beach State will try and win its third consecutive Big West Title (6th overall) in program history
• The 49ers were picked second, behind CS Fullerton in the annual Big West Pre-Season Coaches Poll, released in January
• Long Beach State lost three first-team all-conference performers last year (Meredith Cervenka, Lauren Johnson, Marcel Torres). Cervenka was a three-time BWC Co-Pitcher of the Year, while Torres was a two-time BWC Co-Pitcher of the Year
• Keep an eye on: Jonae Perez, Michelle Turner, and Tiffanie Wedell. Perez was the 2005 Big West Freshman Field Player of the Year. Wedell has been the staple at second base for the 49ers. She was a 2005 Big West Honorable Mention, and Michelle Turner is a transfer pitcher from UCLA.
• Long Beach State has a very young squad, featuring eight newcomers (six freshmen). Michelle Turner and Lindsay Russo are both junior transfers
• The 49ers play five opponents ranked in the Top-20 (UCLA, Arizona, Oklahoma, Washington, and Northwestern) this season. Long Beach State is 1-2 vs. teams ranked in the Top 25 this season
Hillenbrand Invitational (Full Schedule)
Date Game Time
Mar. 3 LB vs. Wichita State 9 am
Mar. 3 South Fla vs. Wichita State 11am
Mar. 3 South Fla vs. Sam Houston St 1 pm
Mar. 3 Arizona vs. Sam Houston St 3 pm
Mar. 3 Arizona vs. LB 5 pm
Mar. 4 South Fla vs. LB 9 am
Mar. 4 Sam Houston St vs. LB 11 am
Mar. 4 Sam Houston St vs. Wichita State 1 pm
Mar. 4 Arizona vs. Wichita State 3 pm
Mar. 4 Arizona vs. South Fla 5 pm
Mar. 5 #5 vs. #4 9 am
Mar. 5 #3 vs. Winner of 9 am 11 am
Mar. 5 #1 vs. #2 1 pm
A Look Inside the Numbers:
Long Beach State has been most productive in the third and fifth innings of games this season. The 49ers have scored a total of 20 runs in the third inning and 14 in the fifth inning. However, LBSU has been out-scored 22-8 in the sixth and seventh innings of games this season...The 49ers are 8-3 when leading after five innings.
Player Notes
#3 Tiffanie Wedell
• Leads the team with a .356 batting average (16-for-45) with eight runs scored and seven RBI
• Has scored a run in eight of the 14 games played this season
• Had a five-game hitting streak (Feb. 10-12)...Has a current four-game hitting streak (Feb. 23-25)
• 5-for-5 in stolen base attempts
• Went 2-for-3 with a run and RBI vs. Kentucky on Feb. 24
• Had three RBI in LBSU's 6-2 win over Tulsa on Feb. 18
• Went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the season opening win vs. Illinois-Chicago (Feb. 10)
• Went 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI in the 11-6 win over Southern Utah (Feb. 10)
# 15 Michelle Turner
• Big West Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 20)
• Leads the 49ers with two HR and 13 RBI this season, and has compiled a .311 batting average (second on the team).
• Has a team-high seven doubles
• Has 53 strikeouts in the circle with a 5-4 record and a 1.03 ERA
• Tossed a three-hit shutout and went 2-for-4 from the plate with a pair of RBI in LBSU's G1 win over Southern Utah (Feb. 22)
• Went 2-for-2 with a run and RBI vs. Wagner on Feb. 25
• Pitched a five-hit shutout with six strikeouts (no walks) in LBSU's 1-0 win over UCLA on Feb. 15. Also scored the game-winning run in that contest
• Made her 49er debut by pitching a one-hit shutout (with five strikeouts) in the 4-0 season-opening win over Illinois-Chicago on Feb. 10. Turner also connected for a two-run home run in the fifth inning of that game
#2 Jessica Beaver
• Hit Long Beach State's first triple of the season in G2 vs. Southern Utah on Feb. 22
• Has hit three doubles this season
• Has compiled a .250 batting average with nine runs and four RBI
• Went 2-for-3 with a run scored in the season opening win over Illinois-Chicago (Feb. 10)
• Went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored, including a three-run double in the fifth inning in LBSU's 11-6 win over Southern Utah on Feb. 10
#16 Kourtnee Gervasi
• Had a six-game hitting streak (Feb. 10-18)
• Third on the team in batting average (.273), with six runs and five RBI
• Hit .500 for the week (Feb. 15-18) with a run and an RBI...Had the game-winning RBI in the 1-0 win over UCLA on Feb. 15
• Hit an RBI single in the third inning of LBSU's 11-6 win over Southern Utah (Feb. 10)
#8 Brooke LeSage
• Hit her first home run of the season in the top of the seventh inning in LBSU's 6-2 win over Tulsa on Feb. 18
• Hit .500 for the week (Feb. 15-18) with two runs and an RBI
Other 49er Notables...
Jonae Perez had a run and RBI in the 4-0 win over Illinois-Chicago on Feb. 10; she also has eight walks on the season...Melanie McCauley scored two runs in LBSU's 11-6 win over Southern Utah on Feb. 10...Brianna Goad has scored nine runs this season (t-1st) on the team...Ashley Weber is hitting .385 in seven games played...Lacy Tyler had four RBI in the 7-2 win over Kentucky on Feb. 24... |
