Long Beach State University Athletics
Long Beach State softball travels to USD Tournament for five games
2/19/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 19, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
LONG BEACH - The Long Beach State softball team (4-5) will be back in San Diego for the second weekend in a row as it takes part in the USD Tournament, Feb. 20-22. The 49ers are set to open play on Friday with games against Colorado State (Noon) and Boise State (2:30 p.m.). LBSU returns to the field for another doubleheader on Saturday when it battles host University of San Diego at 10 a.m., before squaring off with the Broncos again at 4:30 p.m. The Beach closes out the weekend with a noon match-up against the Rams on Sunday.
IN THE POLLS
Long Beach State opened the season ranked No. 20 and 24 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball and USA Today/NFCA polls, respectively. After getting off to a 4-5 start in their first two tournaments, however, the 49ers have dropped out of both polls.
THE OPPONENTS
Colorado State (5-5), which was picked to finish fifth in the Mountain West Conference, is coming off a split at the aTEN Construction Tournament in Riverside, Calif., last weekend. The Rams defeated San Diego, 2-0, and UC Riverside, 6-2, but fell to Tulsa twice. Sophomore Caitlan Stem has paced CSU with a .412 batting average. Ashley Munoz, meanwhile, has two of the Rams' three home runs on the season and has knocked in a team-leading 12 RBI. Freshman Kelli Eubanks (2-1) leads a four-person pitching staff with 21 strikeouts in 21.2 innings pitched.
Boise State took last week off after opening its inaugural season at the Cathedral City Kickoff. The Broncos finished the tournament with a 2-2 record, defeating Fordham and Wisconsin. In three games played, freshman Lexi Straton has posted a team-leading .600 batting average, while classmate Christina Capobianco is not far behind, hitting at a .500 clip with three RBI. Freshman Aubray Zell has been the Broncos' top hurler as she earned both of the team's wins. Zell owns a 3.62 earned run average with nine strikeouts in 9.2 innings of work.
The University of San Diego went 0-4 in its season-opening weekend at the aTEN Construction Tournament, which featured Tulsa, Colorado State and UC Riverside. Junior Carey Casciola led the Toreros with a team-high six hits, while senior Lindsey Fleet knocked in five runs on four hits. Senior Katie Jo Nelson and junior Jennifer Ellenbeck split most of the time in the circle for USD.
THE SERIES
Long Beach State trails in its short series with Colorado State by a 2-1 count. The two teams last met in San Diego at the 2006 Aztec Invitational, as the Rams came away with a 9-0 victory.
This will mark the first meeting between The Beach and Boise State as it is the inaugural season for the Bronco softball program.
The 49ers lead in their all-time series with host San Diego by a 6-2 count. Long Beach State defeated the Toreros, 6-0, in the last meeting at the Aztec Invitational on Feb. 9, 2008.
POCOCK NAMED CO-BIG WEST PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior catcher Kristen Pocock was tabbed the co-Big West Field Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday (Feb. 16). Pocock led the 49ers to a 2-3 mark against a tough field, which featured three ranked teams, at the Campbell/Cartier Classic. On the weekend, Pocock went 3-for-6 with seven walks, one home run and four RBI. The Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., native also posted a 1.000 slugging percentage, while reaching base 80 percent of the time.
TURNER BACK ON TRACK
Sophomore Brooke Turner is coming off one of the most memorable freshman campaigns in school history. The Buena Park, Calif., native earned second-team All-America, first-team All-West Region and first-team All-Big West honors, while also being tabbed the conference pitcher of the year. After allowing nine earned runs on 12 hits in the season opener against then No. 22/23 Georgia, Turner bounced back to post her 18th and 19th career shutouts with wins over Wisconsin (7-0) and Utah State (8-0). Turner, who is 3-2 on the season, currently ranks sixth on the 49er career charts in ERA (1.15) and eighth in strikeouts (268). She is also just one shutout shy of breaking into the all-time top 10.
LINKE TAKES THE LEAD
Senior Danielle Linke (Whittier, Calif.) has taken over the leadoff spot in the 49er lineup and hasn't dissapointed as she is tops on the team with 12 hits, five doubles and a .400 batting average. Linke has posted three multi-hit games, including a perfect 4-for-4 performance against Liberty (Feb. 7).
GRIFFIN GOES DEEP
Senior Jennifer Griffin powered the 49er offense at the Cathedral City Kickoff (Feb. 6-8) with a team-best three home runs in four games, finishing with a 1.071 slugging percentage. The Whittier, Calif., native is currently tied for the team lead with seven RBI and is second on the squad with a .370 batting average.
NAKAWATASE STEPS UP
Junior transfer Jodi Nakawatase had a big game vs. No. 8 Stanford, going 2-for-2 and driving in all three of the 49ers' runs with a bases-clearing double. The Long Beach native is currently tied for the team lead with seven RBI.
ON DECK
After hitting the road for the first three weekends of the season, Long Beach State returns home to host the Mayfair Tournament, Feb. 27-March 1. The 49ers open the weekend with a single game against Iowa State Friday at 1:30 p.m. All games will be played at Mayfair Park in Lakewood, Calif.
