49ers Host Ohio State, No. 16 Northwestern
Turner Ranks No. 1 in the Big West in ERA
March 21, 2006 PDF VERSION of this RELEASE
14-12, 0-0 Big West
home: 7-3 • away: 0-3 • neutral: 7-6
Quickly:
The Long Beach State softball team (14-12) hosts Ohio State for a double-header on Friday, Mar. 24, before hosting No. 16-ranked Northwestern for a single game on Saturday, Mar. 25. Both games are slated for 1 pm.
Turner Named Big West Pitcher of the Week (for the second straight week):
Junior Michelle Turner was selected as the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week for the second straight week, as announced by the league office on Monday. This was her third overall Pitcher of the Week honor this season.Turner (Buena Park) collected wins No. 10 and 11 vs. Utah Valley State on Sunday at the 49er Softball complex. In game one, Turner pitched a three-hit shutout, her fifth of the season, to go along with six strikeouts (no walks) in the 1-0 win. Moreover, Turner did not allow a hit after the fourth inning. Turner replaced Jennifer Martinez in the top of the seventh inning of game two (Martinez left with the 49ers down 3-2) and picked up the win after inducing a ground out to end the inning. Jessica Beaver's three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh lifted LBSU to the 5-3 win. For the season, Turner has complied an 11-5 record with a 1.44 ERA and 90 strikeouts. Turner in fact has walked just two batters over her last five starts.
About Ohio State & Northwestern:
Ohio State has compiled 12 wins as of Mar. 19...Megan Schwab paces the Buckeyes with a .358 batting average...OSU is hitting .271 as a team and has a 2.91 staff ERA...Jamee Juarez has both shutouts this season...No. 16-ranked Northwestern is 16-6 as of Mar. 20...The Wildcats are just 1-4 when trailing after four innings...Tammy Williams has boasted a .357 batting average to lead the team.
Last Week Recap:
A Breezy Goad RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning gave LBSU a 1-0 win in game one over Utah Valley State, before a Jessica Beaver three-run home run the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the 49ers to a 5-3 win over the Wolverines in game two on Sunday afternoon at the 49er Softball Complex. The 49ers started their rally in the seventh inning in the first game, when Melanie McCauley drew a two-out walk. Stefanie Trutanic then was placed at first base as the pinch runner. After a Franciska Morlet single advanced Trutanic to second base, Goad followed with the single to score Trutanic. Michelle Turner (10-5) collected the victory in the circle, after allowing just three hits to go along with six strikeouts (no walks). It was her fifth shutout of the season. Moreover, Turner has walked just two batters in her last five starts. Long Beach State held a 1-0 lead, before Utah Valley State scored two runs in the top of the third inning to take a 2-1 lead in game two. The 49ers evened the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning when Lacy Tyler scored after McCauley grounded out to the short stop. Utah Valley State responded in the top of the seventh when Chris Jiminez's triple plated Sara Roskelley to give the Wolverines a 3-2 lead. Long Beach State once again used its late game heroics in the bottom of the seventh inning. After Goad led off with a walk, and Tiffanie Wedell reached on an error by the first baseman, Beaver slammed a three-run home run over the left field wall to lift LBSU to the 5-3 win. Turner collected the win (her 11th) after she replaced Jennifer Martinez, who left the game when the 49ers trailed 3-2. Beaver finished game two, 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored.
News & 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 is a junior transfer
• The 49ers play or have played six opponents ranked in the Top-25 (UCLA, Arizona, Oklahoma, Washington, Mississippi State, and Northwestern) this season. Long Beach State is 1-6 vs. teams ranked in the Top 25 this season
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 22 runs in the third inning and 21 in the fifth inning. However, LBSU has been out-scored 37-24 in the sixth thru eighth innings of games this season...The 49ers are 10-2 when leading after four innings (2-8 when trailing after four innings; 2-2 when tied after four innings).
Player Notes
# 15 Michelle Turner
• Three-time Big West Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 20, Mar. 13, Mar. 20)
• Pitched the seventh perfect game in school history (was the sixth player to throw a perfect game) and added a career-high 11 strikeouts in Long Beach State's 8-0 win over Mercer on Mar. 10
• Leads the 49ers with four HR and 21 RBI this season, and has compiled a .272 batting average (third on the team)
• Has a team-high nine doubles (No. 1 in the Big West)
• Has 90 strikeouts in the circle with an 11-5 record and a 1.44 ERA
• Ranks No. 1 in the Big West in ERA (1.44)
• Ranks t-No. 1in the Big West in Wins (11)
• Ranks No. 3 in the Big West in Strikeouts (90)
• Recorded her fifth shutout of the season in the 1-0 win over Utah Valley State on Mar. 19
• Tossed a three-hitter to lead Long Beach State to a 4-1 victory over Wichita State to open the Hillenbrand Invitational (Mar. 3)
• Had two 2-run home runs and nine strikeouts in the circle to lift Long Beach State to a 7-4 win over South Florida at the Hillenbrand Invitational (3/4)
• 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 the game-winning three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning of G2 to lift LBSU to a 5-3 win over Utah Valley State on Mar. 19
• Has two of Long Beach State's four triples this season
• Has compiled a .244 batting average with 15 runs and 14 RBI
• Connected for a three-run triple vs. Mercer on Mar. 10
• Hit .267 at the Hillenbrand Invitational, Mar. 3-5, with two runs, one HR, and three RBI. Hit a two-run home run in the first inning in LBSU's 4-1 win over Wichita State (3/3)
• 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
# 1 Breezy Goad
• Leads the team with a .339 batting average and has scored a team-high 16 runs (No. 8 in the Big West)
• 7-for-8 on stolen base attempts (No. 2 in the Big West)
• Hit the game-winning RBI single in the seventh inning of G1 to help LBSU to the 1-0 win on Mar. 19...Hit .429 in the double-header vs. Utah Valley State (3-for-7)
• Hit .357 at the Long Beach State Invitational (Mar. 10-12), including a 4-for-5 performance with four RBI vs. Syracuse on Mar. 11
#3 Tiffanie Wedell
• Hitting .266 with 13 runs scored and nine RBI
• Has had two five-game hitting streaks (Feb. 10-12, Feb. 23-Mar. 3)
• 6-for-6 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)
#16 Kourtnee Gervasi
• Had a six-game hitting streak (Feb. 10-18)
• Hitting .273, with 10 runs and eight RBI
• Had a .444 batting average at the Long Beach State Invitational (Mar. 10-12), with three runs, three doubles, and an RBI
• Hit her first home run of the season with a two-run shot in the second inning vs. South Florida on Mar. 4
• Posted a .500 batting average 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)
#4 Ashley Weber
• Hitting .394 in 16 games (12 started) this season, with six RBI
• Hit .545 (6-for-11) at the Long Beach State Invitational (Mar. 10-12) with three runs and three RBI |
