Long Beach State University Athletics
49er softball set to host Mayfair Tournament this weekend
2/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 25, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
LONG BEACH - After traveling to three different tournaments to open the 2009 campaign, the Long Beach State softball team (7-7) will stay local this weekend as it hosts the Mayfair Tournament, Feb. 27-March 1. The 49ers open with a single game on Friday when it takes on Iowa State at 1:30 p.m. LBSU returns to the field on Saturday, facing off with BYU at 8:45 a.m. and Wisconsin at 3:30 p.m. The Beach will close out the action on Sunday with another match-up against the Cyclones (8:30 a.m.) before it tangles with Fresno State (3:15 p.m.). All games will be played at Mayfair Park.
THE OPPONENTS
After a 13-2 start to the season, Iowa State was receiving votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA poll. The Cyclones have posted a .289 batting average and are led by junior Alex Johnson, who is hitting .395 with a team-best 16 RBI. Sophomore Rachel Zabriskie (7-1) has anchored the pitching staff with a 0.48 ERA and 58 strikeouts, while junior Charissa Carlin (6-1) has also been a consistent force on the mound.
Brigham Young has opened the year with a 7-9 record. The Cougars have already faced four top 25 teams, including No. 1-ranked Alabama. Sophomore Jessica Purcell has powered the BYU offense with a team-high 22 RBI and six home runs. Junior Andrea Ramirez, meanwhile, is tops on the squad with a .420 batting average. Sophomore Paige Affleck and junior Christie Zinanti have both shouldered the pitching duties for the Cougars.
After starting the 2009 campaign with six straight losses, Wisconsin (5-8) has bounced back to win five of its last seven games. The 49ers and Badgers have already faced each other earlier in the season at the Cathedral City Kickoff as The Beach emerged with a 7-0 victory. Senior pitcher Leah Vanevenhoven has led UW both at the plate (.394) and on the mound (3.25 ERA). Junior Letty Olivarez, meanwhile, has made 12 appearances in the circle with a team-best 42 strikeouts.
Fresno State (6-3) enters the weekend ranked No. 12 and 15 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball and USA Today/NFCA polls, respectively. Senior Haley Perkins leads the Bulldog offense with a .367 batting average, while freshman Michelle Moses has three of Fresno State's four home runs on the season. Sophomore All-American Morgan Melloh (4-2) has been the go-to pitcher for the Bulldogs, with a 2.42 ERA and 56 strikeouts.
THE SERIES
Long Beach State leads in its all-time series with Iowa State by a 5-1 count. After dropping the first-ever meeting between the two teams in 1996, the 49ers have won five straight, including a 6-0 triumph in San Diego last year.
This will mark the first meeting between LBSU and BYU.
The Beach evened its series with Wisconsin at 2-2 after defeating the Badgers, 7-0, at the Cathedral City Kickoff on Feb. 6, 2009.
The 49ers trail in their all-time series with Fresno State by a 32-12 count. The Bulldogs have won the last seven meetings and edged The Beach, 2-0, at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton last year.
PETTY SHINES
Freshman Taylor Petty (San Pedro, Calif.) showed off her potential last weekend at the USD Tournament, going 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 13.0 innings of work. Petty finished with 14 strikeouts and held her opponents to a .095 batting average.
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 16 hits, six doubles and a .356 batting average. Linke has posted four multi-hit games, including a perfect 4-for-4 performance against Liberty on 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 currently leads the team with nine RBI and is second on the squad with a .326 batting average.
STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE
Once again, The Beach has a tough non-conference schedule as it prepares for Big West play which begins in late March. The 49ers will face seven opponents that were ranked in the preseason polls, while 12 of the teams on LBSU's schedule reached the NCAA tournament last year, including defending national champion Arizona State.
UP NEXT
The 49ers will return to Mayfair Park next weekend when it plays host to the Long Beach State Invitational.
