May 3, 2004
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Aztecs Say Goodbye to SDSU Field
* The San Diego State softball team plays its final five games at SDSU Field this week as a new stadium is being built for the 2005 Aztecs. SDSU is also in the middle of a tight race with Colorado State for the Mountain West Conference regular season championship, which would be SDSU's third consecutive title. Three talented seniors will take part in their final home games on Saturday.
* A non-conference game awaits the Aztecs at 3 p.m. on Tuesday versus Louisiana Tech and the MWC season comes to a conclusion with doubleheaders at 1 p.m. on Friday against Utah and at 1 p.m. on Saturday against BYU.
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.
Down the Stretch They Go
* The Aztecs lead Colorado State by one game in the MWC standings (see page 3 for complete up-to-date standings). Each team has four games remaining as the Aztecs host Utah in a MWC doubleheader at 1 p.m. on Friday and BYU at 1 p.m. on Saturday, while Colorado State plays host to New Mexico in doubleheaders at noon MDT on Saturday and at 1 p.m. MDT on Sunday.
* San Diego State has already clinched at least a No. 2 seed and first-round bye at this year's tournament from May 13-15 at Colorado State. If the Rams and Aztecs finish tied for first, SDSU would earn the No. 1 seed because the Aztecs won three-of-four from CSU this season.
* The Aztecs have also clinched the right to host the 2005 MWC Tournament. The team that finishes first place one year hosts the tournament the next, but no team can host two years in a row so Colorado State is ineligible.
Streak Holds Steady at 15
* The Aztecs have 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.
Winningest Class in History Says Goodbye
* Three San Diego State seniors will play their final home games in Saturday's doubleheader versus BYU, slated for a 1 p.m. start. The senior class has by far the best record of any class in SDSU history, 155-87-1 (.640 winning percentage), and has helped lead the team to their two NCAA Tournament appearances in school history with aspirations to make it a third this season. Second baseman Joann Figueroa (Phoenix, Ariz.), center fielder Janna Kovensky (San Diego, Calif.) and third baseman Kelcy Murphy (San Diego, Calif.) helped lead the 2001 squad as freshmen not only to the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, but also all the way to the regional championship against UCLA on the Bruins' home field, two wins shy of the Women's College World Series. The 2002 squad just missed out after sitting on the bubble while the 2003 Aztecs were 1-2 at regionals.
* Figueroa earned all-MWC honors in 2002 and 2003, along with being named to the NFCA all-West Region team in 2003. She is ranked in the top five of four SDSU career offensive categories (see page 2 for a complete list). Figueroa had the game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh of a 1-0 NCAA Tournament win over Wisconsin on May 18, 2001.
* Kovensky is at the top of three SDSU career records charts, is ranked second on five other charts and fourth on three (see page 2). She was on the 2001 all-MWC team. Kovensky earned all-region honors in 2001 for her 6-for-13 performance in SDSU's five games, including a home run, three RBI and two runs. Her solo homer gave SDSU their final tally of a 2-0 opening-game victory over Cal State Northridge.
* Murphy is two shy of taking over sole possession of the top spot on the SDSU career RBI chart and is ranked in the top five of two other categories (see page 2). At the 2001 NCAA Regional, she had a clutch one-out single in the seventh inning of SDSU's second game against Wisconsin with SDSU trailing, 1-0. The tying run scored on that play and the Aztecs would go on to score six runs in that inning to stave off elimination and end Wisconsin's season, 6-1.
Aztecs Keep Hold of First Place
* San Diego State swept UNLV in a road MWC doubleheader on Saturday night, 5-2 and 6-3, to move into sole possession of first place in the MWC, one game ahead of Colorado State. Third baseman Kelcy Murphy (San Diego, Calif.) hit three doubles in game one to tie a school record, while pitcher Celena Velasquez (Tucson, Ariz.) won both games and extended her scoreless innings streak to 27.2 before allowing a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning of game two. The Aztecs struck early in both games, tallying two runs in the top of the first each time.
* Game one saw Murphy hit three doubles to tie the school record and drive in four, an Aztec season high and one off the school record. She also had the winning hit, a bases-clearing three-run double to give the Aztecs the final runs of a 5-2 victory. Shortstop Meagan Hartung (San Diego, Calif.) was a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs scored and catcher Danielle Touhey (Fresno, Calif.) had a 2-for-4 performance. Velasquez pitched the final 4.1 innings, earned the win and allowed no runs on four hits.
* In game two, Velasquez earned another win, throwing the final 4.0 innings, giving up one run on five hits to end her scoreless streak at 27.2 innings. Center fielder Janna Kovensky (San Diego, Calif.) powered a two-run homer over the left field fence in the top of the first and Aztec single tallies in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth gave SDSU a 6-3 victory. First baseman Lacey Craft (Valley Center, Calif.) went 3-for-4 with her first career triple, Murphy had another three-hit performance, this time all singles, and Hartung and designated player Bridgette Caron (Fallbrook, Calif.) contributed two hits each.
Murphy One and Seven Away From RBI Records
* When third baseman Kelcy Murphy (San Diego, Calif.) drove in five runs on Saturday, it gave her 101 on her career, just one short of the SDSU career record of 102, set by Erryn Gutjahr (1996-99). Murphy's 34 RBI on the season is tied for third on the SDSU record charts and is just seven short of her record-setting 2002 season. She also leads the 2004 Aztecs with four homers.
Kovensky Keeps Rising on Career Charts
* Center fielder Janna Kovensky (San Diego, Calif.) broke the SDSU career record for runs scored when she crossed home plate on a fielder's choice in the first inning of game two of April 23's doubleheader against New Mexico. Kovensky now has scored 132 runs, surpassing Kellie Nordhagen's (1999-02) 126.
* Kovensky has played in more games than any San Diego State softball player in history. Her 242 total games surpasses Sarah Hershman's (1999-02) 235.
* Kovensky is in sole possession of second place on the career hits chart with 221, trailing only Nordhagen's 254.
* Having already broken the career walks record with 68, Kovensky is ranked in the top five of 11 all-time SDSU offensive categories (see left).
* Kovensky is second on the squad with a .366 batting average and leads in runs (35) and stolen bases (16). If her batting average stands, it would be the fourth highest in San Diego State history.
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 ranked in the top three on the team in batting average: Kovensky is second with a .366 average and Murphy is third at .326.
Sensational Sophomore Paces Offense
* Shortstop Meagan Hartung (San Diego, Calif.) has rebounded from a 2-for-20 freshman season with a flourish, leading the 2004 squad with a .378 batting average (59-for-156), .500 slugging percentage, .478 on-base percentage, 59 hits, 12 doubles, 78 total bases and 26 walks. Her two triples ties her with center fielder Janna Kovensky for the team lead.
* Hartung's 26 walks is just two shy of the school record of 28, set by Anne Marie Risquez in 1998 and her 12 doubles are two shy of the school record, held by three players.
* Her current batting average would be the third best in SDSU history and her on-base percentage would set a school record, breaking Trish Mang's 1988 season of .462.
Velasquez Flourishes in Closer Role
* Pitcher Celena Velasquez (Tucson, Ariz.) has entered 10 of the past 12 Aztec games in relief, including seven consecutive at one point, and has five wins, five saves and a 0.24 ERA in 29.0 innings dating to April 9. She also stranded the first 11 runners she inherited during the impressive run before allowing one of two runners inherited in Saturday's game two versus UNLV to cross home plate. Velasquez threw 27.2 consecutive scoreless innings before allowing a sixth-inning sacrifice fly in game two of Saturday's doubleheader at UNLV.
* The five saves, all in MWC contests, shatters the previous MWC season record for saves in conference games of three, set by former Aztec Bre DeSanta in 2002 and tied by current Ram Megan Masser last season. Velasquez is only two away from tying the MWC season record for saves in all games at seven, set by Masser in 2003. Velasquez is tied for 10th this season among NCAA Division I pitchers with her five saves (as of rankings through April 25), three behind Houston's Jenny Johnson's eight.
* Velasqeuz once again has turned up the heat in MWC action. Last season, she compiled a 2.26 ERA in non-conference games, but had a MWC-record low ERA of 0.81 ERA in conference contests to earn MWC pitcher and freshman of the year honors. So far in 2004, Velasquez has a 1.61 ERA in non-conference games and a stellar 0.39 ERA in MWC action.
* With a 14-4 record (.778 winning percentage), Velasquez has the best record on the staff to go along with the team's only five saves. She has won eight consecutive games and is 5-0 in MWC action.
* Velasquez has not let the light air of high-altitude cities affect her pitching, allowing only one earned run in 14.2 innings (0.48 ERA) in cities with elevations of 4,300 feet or greater.
Pitching Staff Ranked 23rd in NCAA
* San Diego State's team ERA of 1.43 ranks 23rd among 265 NCAA Division I teams, as of the latest rankings through April 25, and is on pace to break the MWC record of 1.62, set last year by SDSU. The current San Diego State ERA is 1.45.
* Celena Velasquez's (Tucson, Ariz.) ERA of 1.25 and Cori Janelli's (Visalia, Calif.) 1.37 ERA would rank the pair at numbers three and five in the MWC record book. Deanna Richards' (Visalia, Calif.) 1.71 ERA would place her seventh.
Homers Coming at Record Pace
* San Diego State has hit 16 homers this season, just three short of the team record of 19, set in 1999.
Van Wyk is Winningest Coach in SDSU History
* Kathy Van Wyk is the winningest coach in San Diego State history with a 268-203-1 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 against host UCLA, while the 2003 team was 1-2 in tourney action.
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.
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: center fielder Janna Kovensky (.378 batting average), shortstop Meagan Hartung (.366), and third baseman Kelcy Murphy (.326). 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.
Scouting Louisiana Tech
* The Lady Techsters are 25-28, third place in the Western Athletic Conference with an 8-7 record after splitting a four-game set with Hawai'i in Honolulu over the weekend. Last season, Louisiana Tech was 16-42 and last compiled a winning record in 1999 (34-18).
* Kristi Blodgette leads Louisiana Tech with a .367 average, while Marla Pinkston's 1.85 ERA paces the pitching staff.
* In the only meeting between the teams, San Diego State pulled out a 3-2 home win on March 8, 1986.
Scouting Utah
* The Utes are 19-28, 7-9 in MWC action.
* The offense is led by Glennis Donnelly's .390 batting average. Brianna Gourdin leads the Utes with a 3.23 ERA.
* The teams split their MWC doubleheader in Salt Lake City on April 3 with Utah taking the opener in 11 innings, 4-3, and SDSU rallying for a eight-inning, 4-3 victory in game two. Utah leads the all-time series, 36-19. Against each other, the teams are 7-7 in MWC action and 1-1 in MWC Tournament play.
Scouting BYU
* The Cougars are 31-16, 8-7 in the MWC.
* Ianeta Le`i leads the offense with a .376 average and seven homers. Ashlyn Russell has hit a team-leading 10 of the team's 52 homers. Brooke Boyce's 2.40 ERA leads the pitching staff.
* The Cougars and Aztecs split their MWC doubleheader in Provo, Utah, on April 3. BYU won SDSU's MWC opener, 6-2, and the Aztecs came back for a 5-2 night-cap win. SDSU holds a 12-5 all-time advantage.