April 19, 2005
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Aztecs Plan For Fresh Start In Second Half Of Conference Season
The San Diego State softball team (23-21, 1-9 MWC) have not gotten off to the start in the Mountain West that they expected in the first half of the conference season, but they envision a strong finish in the second half. The beginning of the final frame of MWC play begins this weekend as the Aztecs make their final road trip of the season, this time to Utah to take on Brigham Young (30-9, 9-1 MWC) and the University of Utah (15-22, 3-7 MWC) in a pair of conference doubleheaders.
SDSU in coming off a pair of tough losses at rival UNLV, where the Aztecs outhit the Rebels 7-5 in two games, but the longball, including a grand slam, and the gritty pitching of Jacque Kerrigan kept SDSU off the board. Last season the Aztecs began the MWC season in Utah, splitting the two doubleheaders with the Cougars and Utes.
Aztecs Vs. The Cougars
SDSU and Brigham Young have faced each other 21 times, with the Aztecs holding a 12-9 edge in the all-time series. Earlier this season, BYU took two from the Aztecs, winning 5-0 and 2-1. Head coach Kathy Van Wyk is 12-9 against the Cougars, but BYU has won the last four match-ups with SDSU.
Aztecs Vs. The Utes
The Aztecs trail the all-time series with Utah 21-31, splitting with the Utes earlier this season in San Diego, losing 5-0 and coming back with 1-0 win behind Celena Velasquez's three-hit shutout. Van Wyk is 13-18 against the Utes, and the teams have evenly split the last 12 games in the series.
Velasquez, Pitching Staff Break Into National Rankings
Junior pitcher Celena Velasquez and the San Diego State pitching staff have made a name for themselves this season, breaking into the first national rankings of 2005, released last week by the NCAA. Velasquez ranked sixth nationally in saves with five, and is 30th in ERA, posting a 1.03 average in 129.1 innings of work. The Aztec hurlers ranked 27th nationally with a 1.51 ERA, just .01 behind Lehigh and Illinois State for 25th on the list.
Breaking All The Records
SDSU is already surpassing the 2004 softball edition in numerous statistics, and doing it just 44 games into the season. Aztec pitchers had 251 strikeouts last season, but the 2005 bullpen, led by Celena Velasquez and Cori Janelli, already have 316. The 316 strikeouts also set a new team record, eclipsing the 266 the 2001 team tossed. Velasquez (167) and Janelli (130) have also topped their strikeout totals from last season of 101 and 85 respectively and now rank third and fifth respectively in the Aztec single-season record book. Last season Velasquez had five saves, a feat she has already matched this season, and with 10 in her career, she is just a save away from the NCAA career record books.
Freshman Megan McDonald is closing in on the 2004 team as well with four home runs, tying Kelcy Murphy's mark last season.
Burlingame Has Got Game
When SDSU recruited teammates Kristen Carranza and Allison Smith from Burlingame High School in Burlingame, Calif., the Aztecs felt that they could be everyday starters and top hitters for the team, but they did not know it would happen in their freshman year.
Smith leads the team with a .316 average, mostly at third base and second base. She is third on the team with 12 RBI, and has six doubles, a triple, a home run and eight runs scored. Smith is third on the team in slugging (.429) and second in on base percentage (.362). She paces the Aztecs in MWC play with a .387 average.
Carranza is third on the Aztec team with a .307 batting average, including a .267 average in MWC play, splitting time in right field, first base and as a designated player. She is second on the team with 18 RBI and 15 runs scored, and tied for the team lead with six doubles and leads the team with three triples. She has a team-high .373 on base average and is second on the team with a .439 slugging percentage.
The pair's 20 hits are nearly half of the team's 49 in MWC play, and they have scored three of the team's six runs.
Pitching Staff Among The Best In Nation
Two-time Mountain West Pitcher of the Year Celena Velasquez and senior Cori Janelli are back to lead an excellent Aztec pitching staff. Velasquez, a junior, already has a 11-8 record with five saves and a 1.09 ERA. She leads the team in appearances (31), strikeouts (167), and opponent batting average (.173), in 135.1 innings of work. She currently ranks first in the MWC in earned run average, opponent batting average, strikeouts, and saves, while she is second in innings pitched and fourth in wins. Janelli has posted a 1.61 overall ERA this season, including a 9-11 record with 130 strikeouts and 30 earned runs in 126.0 innings pitched. She ranks third in the conference in ERA and is fourth in opposing batting average. Janelli places third in the league in innings pitched and strikeouts. Sophomore Katie Cochran is also in the mix with a 3-2 record and a 3.33 ERA. She has 19 strikeouts in 33.2 innings.
M(eagan) & M(egan)
Junior infielder Meagan Hartung and freshman designated player/infielder Megan McDonald are providing a punch for SDSU this season. Hartung led the 2004 Aztecs in batting average (.364), on base percentage (.462), runs (37), hits (64), doubles (13) and triples (two). Her outstanding season showed up in numerous places on the SDSU single-season charts, including top-five finishes in batting average (3rd), runs (t-3rd), hits (5th), doubles (4th), walks (t-1st), and on-base percentage (t-1st). She has .238 average this season, with five doubles, a home run, six RBI and a team-leading 16 runs scored.
McDonald is batting .220 with three doubles, a team-high four home runs, six runs scored and a team-high 19 RBI. She is versatile on defense as well, playing catcher and first base to go with her designated player duties.
Newcomers Delight
SDSU newcomers are producing big numbers for the Aztecs this season. With the mix of talented veterans and new players, SDSU has a chance to be really special. Last week, the freshmen accounted for 5 of SDSU's 7 hits and 2 of 3 doubles.
Freshman Allison Smith posted a .500 batting average over the weekend against UNLV, with 3-for-6 showing, including two doubles.
Mahoney Joins Century Club
Senior outfielder Erin Mahoney recently became one of the newest members of the 100-hit club, with a single in her final at-bat against Southern Utah March 5, to cap off a 3-for-4 afternoon. Her next potential achievement will be when she surpasses her 34 sacrifice hits to move into the all-time Aztec career books. She is also just 9 steals shy of fifth place on the stolen base list,
Other Aztecs approaching the 100-hit mark include senior Danielle Touhey (85 hits) and junior Meagan Hartung (96 hits).
Aztecs Tough At Home
Last season the Aztecs were 22-9 at home, including two-game sweeps of No. 21 Oklahoma State and Mississippi State, plus conference opponents Colorado State, New Mexico, and UNLV. SDSU was also 7-3 in San Diego during MWC play. The last two seasons combined, the Aztecs were 46-15, a .754 winning percentage, the most home wins by any team in the MWC.
So far this season the Aztecs are 11-7 at home allowing only 45 runs in 18 games (31 of which came in five contests), while SDSU is averaging 4, including 27 extra base hits. Over the past three seasons the Aztecs are 57-23 at home, a .713 winning percentage.
Van Wyk Is Winningest Coach In SDSU History
Kathy Van Wyk is the winningest coach in SDSU history with a 294-228-1 record. She broke Linda Spradley's (1984-94) win total of 253 on March 21, 2004, when the Aztecs 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, SDSU has advanced to its only two 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.