49ers Host Virginia; LB Invitational
Tournament Features UCLA, Syracuse, Mississippi State, Mercer
March 7, 2006 PDF VERSION of this RELEASE 10-9, 0-0 Big West
home: 3-0 • away: 0-3 • neutral: 7-6 Quickly:
The Long Beach State softball team (10-9) hosts Virginia for a single game at 3 pm from the 49er Softball Complex on Wednesday, before hosting the Long Beach State Invitational, Mar. 10-12 at Mayfair Park in Lakewood.
About Virginia:
The Cavs boast an 11-4 record and have won nine of their last 11 games. Amy McKean leads UVA with a .343 batting average with four home runs and 13 RBI. Virginia has used four pitchers this season, as Madi Gore has posted a 4-0 record with a 2.60 ERA.
About the Long Beach State Invitational:
Long Beach State, along with UCLA, Mississippi State, Mercer, and Syracuse comprise the five-team tournament. Long Beach State defeated UCLA, 1-0, back on Feb. 15 when the Bruins were ranked No. 2. UCLA is ranked No. 4 in the latest ESPN/USA Softball Top 25 Poll. UCLA finished a 6-0 weekend at the Stacy Winsberg Memorial Tournament. The Bruins are 19-1 headed into this week's play. Having recorded four of Mississippi State's last five victories from the circle, including a four-hit shutout of 13th-ranked Washington on Friday afternoon, junior righthander Stephanie Comeaux was named SEC Pitcher of the Week on Tuesday for the Bulldogs. MSU is has an 18-3 record entering this week's play. After a rain-altered tournament in Hawaii, the Mercer softball team hopes to enjoy the predictable sunshine of Southern California this week. The Bears will square off against Loyola Marymount (Tuesday). Mercer (5-9) enters the doubleheader after going 1-2 in the Pepsi Malihini Kipa Aloha Tournament last weekend in Honolulu. The Bears defeated host Hawaii 2-0 while falling 6-3 to UC Riverside and 6-0 to No. 8 California. Syracuse freshman Amy Kelley and senior Alexis Switenko were selected to the Big East Conference weekly softball honor roll on Monday, March 6. The pair combined to help the Orange to a 4-2 record and a berth in the tournament quarterfinals at last weekend's Marriott Buzz Classic in Marietta, GA. The Orange are 8-7 headed into this week's action.
Last Week Recap:
LBSU finished in second place with a 2-3 record at the Hillenbrand Invitational, hosted by No. 1-ranked Arizona, Mar. 3-5. Michelle Turner tossed a three-hitter to lead Long Beach State to a 4-1victory over Wichita State to open the tournament on Friday. The 49ers then fell to host and No. 1-ranked Arizona, 10-0 in the nightcap. Long Beach State split its pair of games in the second day (Saturday) of the Hillenbrand. Turner hit two home runs as LBSU defeated South Florida, 7-4 in the morning game. The Beach, however, fell 10-1 to Sam Houston State in the afternoon contest. The 49ers fell 11-0 to Arizona in the championship game on Sunday. 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 1-4 vs. teams ranked in the Top 25 this season
Long Beach State Invitational (Full Schedule)
March 10
11:15 am: Mississippi State vs. Syracuse
1:30 pm: Mercer vs. Syracuse
3:45 pm: Mississippi State vs. UCLA
6 pm: LBSU vs. Mercer
March 11
9 am: Mississippi State vs. Mercer
11:15 am: UCLA vs. Mercer
1:30 pm: LBSU vs. Mississippi State
3:45 pm: UCLA vs. Syracuse
6 pm: LBSU vs. Syracuse
March 12
10 am: Syracuse vs. Mercer
12:15 pm: Mississippi State vs. UCLA
2:30 pm: LBSU vs. UCLA
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 21 runs in the third inning and 16 in the fifth inning. However, LBSU has been out-scored 27-10 in the sixth and seventh innings of games this season...The 49ers are 10-3 when leading after five innings (0-4 when trailing after five innings).
Player Notes
#3 Tiffanie Wedell
• Leads the team with a .310 batting average (18-for-58) with eight runs scored and eight RBI
• Has had two five-game hitting streaks (Feb. 10-12, Feb. 23-Mar. 3)
• 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 four HR and 17 RBI this season, and has compiled a .288 batting average (third on the team)
• Has a team-high eight doubles
• Has 69 strikeouts in the circle with a 7-5 record and a 1.77 ERA
• 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 season high 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 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 .254 batting average with 11 runs and seven RBI
• 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
#16 Kourtnee Gervasi
• Had a six-game hitting streak (Feb. 10-18)
• Hitting .256, with seven runs and seven 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)
Other 49er Notables...
Jonae Perez had a run and RBI in the 4-0 win over Illinois-Chicago on Feb. 10; she also has a team-high 10 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 a team-high 13 runs this season. Goad hit a team-high .429 at the Hillenbrand Invitational (Mar. 3-5) with four runs, six hits, a triple, one home run, and and RBI...Ashley Weber is hitting .333 in 11 games played...Lacy Tyler had four RBI in the 7-2 win over Kentucky on Feb. 24. |
