April 21, 2004
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Aztecs Head to the Rockies
* San Diego State embarks on perhaps its most challenging road trip of the season this weekend, playing a Mountain West Conference doubleheader at 1 p.m. MDT on Friday at New Mexico before playing at second-place Colorado State at noon MDT on Sunday. The Aztecs have won seven straight and are currently one game ahead of CSU in the MWC standings (for complete standings, click here).
Aztecs Win Seven Straight
* San Diego State swept UNLV in a MWC doubleheader on Friday, 1-0 and 4-1, and have now won seven straight, the team's longest winning streak since a school-record 13 straight wins last year. Pitcher Celena Velasquez (Tucson, Ariz.) earned the saves in both games on Friday.
* In game one, the Aztecs took advantage of the lone Rebel error in the fourth inning when second baseman Joann Figueroa (Phoenix, Ariz.) scored the game's lone run from second on an errant throw to first by the UNLV second baseman. UNLV's best scoring chance came in the sixth when right fielder Brittany Freight singled with two outs and stole second, but when she tried to advance on the catcher's overthrow of second, center fielder Janna Kovensky (San Diego, Calif.) nailed her at third. Pitcher Cori Janelli (Visalia, Calif.) threw 6.2 innings of shutout, four-hit ball and Velasquez came in to retire the final batter with runners and first and second to complete the combined shutout, the team's 10th whitewashing of the season.
* Figueroa tied game two, 1-1, in the fourth when she hit an infield single, advanced to second on right fielder Bree Boyer's (Huntington Beach, Calif.) sacrifice bunt and, after she took third on a wild pitch, noticed that both the pitcher and catcher were near the Aztecs' on-deck circle retrieving the ball with nobody covering home and took off for the plate, just beating the sprinting catcher in a bang-bang play. The Aztecs scored three additional runs, all on Rebel errors, and prevailed, 4-1. Kovensky and catcher Danielle Touhey (Fresno, Calif.) went 2-for-3, while pitcher Deanna Richards (Visalia, Calif.) allowed one run on three hits in six innings and Velasquez earned the save.
Kovensky Changes Record Book Again
* Center fielder Janna Kovensky (San Diego, Calif.) has now played in more games than any San Diego State softball player in history. With two appearances on Friday, her 235 total games surpasses Sarah Hershman's (1999-02) 234.
* Kovensky remained in a first-place tie in the SDSU record book for career runs after not scoring last weekend. She has 126 and is tied with Kellie Nordhagen (1999-02).
* Kovensky moved into sole possession of second place on the hits chart with three on Friday. A single to right field in the fourth inning of game two moved her past Hershman's 212. Kovensky's 213 career hits now only trails Nordhagen's 254.
* Having already broken the career walks record with 65, Kovensky is ranked in the top five of 11 all-time SDSU offensive categories.
* Kovensky is hitting at a .361 clip, second on the team, and leads the squad with 29 runs scored. She is a perfect 13-of-13 on stolen base attempts. Her .419 batting average in MWC action leads the squad.
Velasquez Flourishes in Closer Role
* Pitcher Celena Velasquez (Tucson, Ariz.) has now entered each of the last six Aztec games from the bullpen and recorded two wins and four saves, including two on Friday. She has not allowed a run in 13 consecutive innings, a streak spanning seven games dating to April 3. The four saves are the first of her career.
* Velasqeuz once again looks to be getting hot just as MWC play begins. Last season, she compiled a 2.26 ERA in non-conference games, but had a stellar conference season with a 0.81 ERA and earned MWC pitcher and freshman of the year honors. So far in 2004, Velasquez has a 1.61 ERA in non-conference games and a 0.35 ERA in MWC action.
* With an 11-4 record (.733 winning percentage), Velasquez has the best record on the staff to go along with the team's only four saves.
MWC Home Winning Streak Extended
* The Aztecs have now won 15 consecutive MWC home games, which far surpasses the previous school record for consecutive home conference victories of seven, set in 2002. San Diego State has sponsored softball since 1977 and has been a member of a conference since 1980 and actually recorded their first four-game home conference winning streak in 1995. The record was extended to five in 1996 and six in a span from 1998-99. The current streak began with the 2003 campaign as the Aztecs went 9-0 in MWC home games.
Van Wyk's TWU Team Honored
* As a collegiate freshman, Aztec head coach Kathy Van Wyk's Texas Women's University softball team won the 1979 AIAW College World Series. Last weekend, TWU celebrated the 25th anniversary by honoring the team prior to the TWU Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies on Friday and the current varsity team's Saturday doubleheader versus Abilene Christian. In the 1979 CWS, Van Wyk pitched the first six innings of an 18-inning victory over Arizona State, 1-0. The squad came out of the loser's bracket to defeat UCLA twice by identical 1-0 scores to claim the title. The national championship was won when the Pioneers escaped a runner on third, nobody out situation in the seventh inning of the final game against the Bruins.
* Van Wyk is the winningest coach in San Diego State history with a 263-202-1 record. She broke Linda Spradley's (1984-94) win total of 253 on March 21 when SDSU topped Buffalo, 6-0. The two served as co-head coaches from 1995-96 and compiled a 48-69 mark.
* Under Van Wyk's leadership, the Aztecs have advanced to their lone NCAA Tournament appearances, in 2001 and 2003. The 2001 squad went 3-2 and advanced to the regional championship versus UCLA, while the 2003 team was 1-2 in tourney action.
Sensational Sophomore Paces Offense
* Shortstop Meagan Hartung (San Diego, Calif.) has paced the Aztec offense this season, leading the Aztecs in batting average (.368), at-bats (136), hits (50), doubles (9), triples (2 - tied with Kovensky), total bases (66), slugging percentage (.485), walks (22) and hit by pitches (4) and on-base percentage (.469). She has 25 times as many hits as she had last season as a freshman when she went 2-for-20.
Murphy and Kovensky Interlinked
* Seniors Kelcy Murphy (San Diego, Calif.) and Janna Kovensky (San Diego, Calif.) have played softball together since the summer before their sixth-grade years. The two also went to school together since sixth grade in addition to attending the same pre-school.
* For the season, the two are 2-3 on the team in batting average: Kovensky is second with a .361 average and Murphy is batting .295. Murphy leads the Aztecs with her four homers and 27 RBI.
Offense Comes Alive
* When San Diego State defeated New Mexico, 8-2, in game two of April 11's doubleheader, it marked the most runs scored by an Aztec team in a MWC game since a 9-2 home victory over Colorado State on April 26, 2002, a span of 29 MWC games.
New Single-Game Doubles Record
* Five different Aztecs hit doubles in an 8-4 victory over Hawai'i on Feb. 21, breaking the previous record of four that was set in an 11-0 victory over San Diego at the Aztec Invitational on March 24, 2000. Right fielder Bree Boyer (Huntington Beach, Calif.) broke the record in the seventh with a double down the left field line.
Staying in San Diego a Success
* The only three Aztec players to list San Diego as their hometowns are also the top three hitters on the team: shortstop Meagan Hartung (.368 batting average), Janna Kovensky (.361) and Kelcy Murphy (.295). Hartung went to Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, while Kovensky and Murphy both attended Rancho Bernardo High School.
* Seven of SDSU's 17 players hail from San Diego county, including Amanda Beasley (Spring Valley), Jamie Burton (Carlsbad), Bridgette Caron (Fallbrook), Lacey Craft (Valley Center), Hartung, Kovensky and Murphy. Fourteen players list California cities as their hometowns, while three call Arizona home.
Full of Middle Classmen
* San Diego State's 2004 roster is full of middle classmen. Thirteen of 17 Aztec players are sophomores (six) and juniors (seven), while the team sports only one freshman (Amanda Beasley) and three seniors (Joann Figueroa, Kelcy Murphy and Janna Kovensky).
SDSU Keeps Getting Better and Better
* San Diego State's winning percentage has risen an impressive five consecutive seasons with last season's .650 winning percentage (39-21 record) overall and .800 winning percentage (12-3) in MWC action, breaking team records.
* In fact, SDSU's last four seasons are the four best in school history in terms of overall wins and winning percentage. Prior to 2000, the school had only two winning seasons in the program's first 23 years and has now earned winning records in each of the past four seasons.
Aztecs Selected First in Preseason Poll
* San Diego State was picked to finish first in the 2004 Mountain West Conference preseason coaches' poll. The Aztecs' 23 points and four first-place votes outpaced runner-up Colorado State's 21 points and two first-place votes. Following in the poll were BYU (18 points), Utah (13), UNLV (9) and New Mexico (6).
Final Season at SDSU Field
* The 2004 season will be the final one that SDSU Field will be the primary field for the San Diego State softball team. A new stadium is due to be completed by October 2004. The facility will seat 1,000 with room to add 1,000 more seats. A tree-lined concourse will grace the path between the new stadium and Tony Gwynn Stadium.
* San Diego Padre owners, John and Becky Moores, donated approximately $6.5 million for the combined softball/tennis facility.
Scouting New Mexico
* The Lobos are 27-24 overall but only 1-6 in MWC action, 5.5 games behind San Diego State.
* Second baseman Stephanie Kennedy leads the Lobo offense with a .319 batting average. Outfielder Jamar Bynum is hitting .313. In the circle, Iraina Ogas is pacing the pitchers with a 2.01 ERA.
* San Diego State swept New Mexico on April 11 by 3-2 and 8-2 counts. Last season, the Aztecs and Lobos played an epic MWC Tournament contest with SDSU pulling out a 4-3, 14-inning win in a game that took two days to complete. Catcher Danielle Touhey (Fresno, Calif.) drove in Jacque Vaca with the winning run. SDSU won three of four regular season meetings last year and, after winning the past four in a row, holds a 36-21 advantage all-time.
Scouting Colorado State
* The Rams are 30-11, 6-2 in MWC play and host UNLV on Friday in a MWC doubleheader prior to facing off with the Aztecs. Colorado State was selected second in the MWC preseason coaches' poll (behind San Diego State), finished second in last year's final regular season standings (behind San Diego State), won last season's tournament championship game (defeating San Diego State) and hosts this year's tournament.
* Infielder Ricki Walker has a .425 batting average to lead the Ram sluggers. Pitchers JayCee Wood (1.78 ERA), Megan Masser (1.85 ERA), Genevieve Kelly (2.08 ERA) and Jessica Strickland (2.23 ERA) comprise the balanced pitching staff.
* San Diego State swept the Rams in a MWC doubleheader on April 9 in a pair of one-run decisions. The Aztecs took the opener, 2-1 in eight innings, and the night-cap by a 3-2 count. The Rams defeated San Diego State, 3-1, in the 2003 MWC Tournament championship game at SDSU Field. The Aztecs currently lead the all-time series 27-22.