Feb. 7, 2007
SAN DIEGO -
Week 1 SDSU Softball Notes in PDF Format
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Aztecs To Get 2007 Season Underway; Play Host to 17th Annual Campbell-Cartier Classic This Weekend
The San Diego State softball team will begin its quest for a fourth NCAA appearance in the last seven seasons when it plays host to the 17th annual Campbell-Cartier Classic this weekend at SDSU Softball Stadium. All six schools in the Classic made last year's NCAA tournament, while five of the teams are nationally ranked or receiving votes in the preseason polls.
The Aztecs, who are receiving votes in both the USA Today/NFCA (28th) and the ESPN.com/USA Softball (32nd) polls, will get their season underway on Thursday, Feb. 8 with a game against No. 6/6 and 2006 Women's College World Series participant Oregon State. SDSU will play five other games in the Classic, including contests versus UC Santa Barbara (Feb. 9, 4:30 p.m.), No. 10/10 Cal (Feb. 9, 7 p.m.), Kansas (Feb. 10, 2 p.m.), No. 23/24 UMass (Feb. 10, 4:30 p.m.) and another game against Oregon State (Feb. 11, 2 p.m.).
Kathy Van Wyk. The Aztecs have won six straight season-opening contests with their last loss coming against Illinois-Chicago on Feb. 5 of the 2000 campaign. Since records were first kept in 1980, SDSU is 18-9 (.667) in its opening games.
Opening the season at home hasn't been as kind for the Aztecs as they are 14-13 (.519) in their first home contest of the season. However, SDSU has won its last four opening games on The Mesa, including a 9-4 win over Cal Poly last Feb. 9.
Campbell-Cartier Classic Info
The San Diego State University Campbell/Cartier Classic is an annual event held in the memory of former Aztec softball players Susanne Campbell and Karin Cartier. Campbell and Cartier lost their lives during the 1991 softball season in a single-car accident that took place in Rosarito, Mexico. It left a lasting mark on teammates, coaches and the program.
Campbell, a three-year starting catcher, was in her senior year. She had a .344 batting average, was an all-Western Athletic Conference selection and led the Aztecs in many offensive and defensive categories. She also set several single-season and career records and is among the top softball athletes to wear an SDSU uniform. Her jersey number (5) has been retired.
Cartier, a transfer pitcher from Hawai'i, had an excellent 1991 season at SDSU. She was emerging as a top pitcher and great hitter. Along with Campbell, Cartier was one of the strongest Aztecs in the weight room and possessed good leadership abilities and Division I playing experience. To pay tribute to Susanne Campbell and Karin Cartier, the San Diego State softball team renamed the SDSU Spring Classic in 1994 to the Campbell/Cartier Classic in memory of their friendship and fine athletic ability.In honor of Susanne Campbell and Karin Cartier, an endowment fund has also been established bearing their names.
The recipient of this annual scholarship is a student-athlete who is dedicated, has strong character, possesses leadership skills and demonstrates sportsmanship. Contact assistant coach Sara Hayes for more information about the Campbell/Cartier Memorial Fund at (619) 594-5853.
SDSU Softball Picked to Repeat as MWC Champions
The San Diego State softball team has been picked to win the Mountain West Conference by the league's coaches in a preseason poll released by the conference. Last season, the Aztecs, who are receiving votes in both the ESPN/USASoftball and USA Today/NFCA preseason polls, won their third MWC regular season title in the last five years with a 15-3 record in league play and a 34-15 overall mark, their best winning percentage in school history.
SDSU collected 25 points to capture the top spot in the poll, including five of the possible six first-place votes. Brigham Young received the other first-place vote. The Aztecs were followed by UNLV (19 points), Brigham Young (17 points), Utah (14), Colorado State (10) and New Mexico (5).
San Diego State returns six starters, including sophomore All-American Erin Floros and Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year Christina Ross, from its 2006 squad which finished runner-up to UCLA at the NCAA Lost Angeles Regional.
A Glance At the Aztecs
San Diego State returns six starters, including sophomore All-American Erin Floros and Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year Christina Ross, from its 2006 squad which finished runner-up to UCLA at the NCAA Lost Angeles Regional.
Floros, who was also the MWC freshman of the year, batted .388 and set Aztec single-season high records in slugging percentage (.558) and on-base percentage (.467). She also had top-10 marks in runs, doubles and home runs.
Ross went 17-10 with a 1.82 ERA in her first season on Montezuma Mesa after transferring from Kansas. She struck out 136 batters and walked just 31, while limiting opponents to a .224 batting average.
Sophomore Monica Alnes is the other returning all-MWC performer for SDSU. Last season, Alnes batted .379 and drove in a team-high 32 runs. She also boasted a slugging percentage of .557 and an on-base percentage of .447.
San Diego State set numerous program records in its banner year in 2006. The Aztecs hit a school-record 27 home runs in 49 games, eclipsing their previous record of 19 set by the 1999 squad (48 games). SDSU also set school marks in runs (230), RBI (210) and in walks (158) despite playing in far fewer games then previous seasons. Other records that were broken last season included batting average (.293, .289 in 1996), slugging percentage (.410, .345 in 2002 and 1996) and on base percentage (.379, .344 in 1996).
Youth Is Served
The Aztecs are the preseason pick by the coaches to win the Mountain West Conference despite having the youngest team in the league. 68.4 percent (13-of-19) of SDSU's roster are underclassmen. The 2007 squad boasts seven freshmen, six sophomores, four juniors and just two seniors in Amanda Beasley and Christy Hollingshead.
Utah, which won the MWC tournament last season, is the most experienced team in the conference as eight of its 14 players (57.1 percent) are juniors or seniors.
Scouting No. 6/6 Oregon State
The Beavers, ranked No. 6 in both polls, return 11 letterwinners, including six starters, from their 2006 Women's College World Series team which finished 43-16 overall. Each of Oregon State's top hitters (Mia Longfellow - .323 and Cambria Miranda - .313) return, as well its top pitcher in senior Brianne McGowan (29-9, 1.36 ERA).
SDSU is 10-8 all-time against the Beavers, but have the lost the last two meeting between the two schools. The Aztecs' last win in the series came on March 26, 2003, when they won both games of a doubleheader by scores of 3-0 and 2-1.
A Look At UC Santa Barbara
UC Santa Barbara returns eight starters from the 2006 squad which lost in the NCAA regional final. The Gauchos' top returning hitter is sophomore Christine Ramos, who batted .340 with 21 runs scored a year ago. Senior Jennifer Davis (18-17, 2.60 ERA) is their top returning pitcher.
The Aztecs are 26-23 all-time against UCSB but lost on the road last season by a 3-2 margin.
Scouting No. 10/10 Cal
Cal, which is ranked No. 10 in both preseason national polls, is coming off another successful season that culiminated in a three-game series loss to Oregon State in the NCAA Super Regionals. The Bears, who finished 48-14 in 2006, return sophomores Morgan Siegel (.372, 34 runs) and Lauren Frankiewicz (12-3, 2.23 ERA).
Cal leads the all-time series, 8-1. The Aztecs only win against the Bears came on March 22, 1983 in a 2-0 triumph in San Diego.
A Glance At Kansas
Kansas played strong down the stretch a year ago to win the Big 12 tournament to advance to the NCAA tournament. The Jayhawks lost their four top hitters from last year's team, but do return their No. 1 pitcher in Kassie Humphreys (19-17, 1.19 ERA).
The series between the two schools is tied at 1-1 with the Aztecs winning the last meeting, 2-1, on Feb. 23, 2003.
Junior Christina Ross, who last season was named the Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year, played her freshman season (2005) at Kansas and went 12-9 with a 1.93 ERA, leading the Jayhawks to the NCAA regional and their best overall record since the 1999 season.
Scouting No. 23/24 UMass
UMass finished the 2006 season at 41-16 and a trip to the NCAA Super Regionals. They come into the year ranked No. 23 and No. 24 in each of the preseason national polls, respectively. The Minutemen return eight starters, including their top four hitters, all who hit .364 or better a year ago. In addition, sophomore All-American Brandice Balschmiter (32-9, 0.97) returns for UMass.