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2008: All-Pac-10 second-team and NFCA All-Pacific Region second-team selection ... named to the Fresno All-Regional team ... recipient of the Donna Terry Award (Team MVP) ... was one of the brightest young stars in the Pac-10 at the plate and in the circle ... played and started all 70 games, while leading the team in runs (55), hits (71), doubles (17), triples (4) and walks (48) ... her 55 runs were the second most for a season in program history (record is 56 by Gillian Boxx, 1995) and 48 walks were the fifth most in a season ... ranked in the top-10 in several Pac-10 offensive categories: second in runs, fourth in hits, third in doubles, first in triples and second in walks ... had 22 hits over her final 24 games ... in her third collegiate game, went 2-for-3 with four RBI, including a bases-loaded triple, in a 5-1 win over Winthrop (2/9) ... tossed her first collegiate complete game, a one-hit shutout (with nine strikeouts) against Western Michigan (2/16) at the Kajikawa Classic in Tempe, Ariz. ... tallied a .467 batting average to go along with two runs, a double, a triple and four RBI at the Cathedral City Classic 2/8-10) ... recorded the win in the circle and collected two hits, two runs and two RBI vs. UAB (2/22) ... her double led to three runs in Cal's 9-1 win over Sacramento State (2/24) ... went 3-for-3 and hit her first career home run (3/11) vs. Sacramento State ... planted a walk-off double to the left-center field wall to score Julie Meyer in the bottom of the 11th inning of Cal's 3-2 win over Oregon on Apr. 11 ... drilled her second home run of the season, a solo shot, and scored two runs in Cal's 3-1 win over Washington (4/27) ... was clutch again vs. UC Davis (4/30) when she hit a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning to score Taylor Kelly from first base, giving the Bears a 1-0 win ... scored two runs at Oregon (5/3) ... recorded five strikeouts (in eight batters faced, and no walks) in two innings at Arizona (5/8) ... scored three runs and tallied her 100th strikeout of the year in the Regional Championship against Fresno on May 18 ... went 3-for-4 with two RBI against Florida in the first game of the Super Regional (5/23).
High School: A highly decorated athlete at Foothill High School, earned league MVP honors, East Bay Player of the Year honors and an EA Sports All-America nod her senior year ... finished her senior year with a .556 batting average with 40 runs, 12 home runs and 27 RBI in 24 games ... in the circle, went 19-1, striking out 237 batters in 120 innings ... opposing teams hit just .110 against her, as she finished with an ERA of 0.93 ... went 4-0 with 66 strikeouts in the postseason as the Falcons rolled to an NCS title ... the Falcons won three East Bay League championships during her tenure.
Personal: Undeclared major at Cal ... lists Nick Swisher as her favorite athlete ... has one brother, Tim.
Why I chose Cal: "I chose California because it is a prestigious university academically and athletically. It is also close to home so friends and family can support me."
Getting to Know Valerie ... Top 5 1. I love Donkey Kong 2. I love shoes 3. I have a brother named Tim 4. My parents go to ALL my games 5. I was also thinking about playing soccer in college Places I want to travel: I love Europe, but I really want to go to Paris. Italy is my favorite Ideal job after Cal: Something in the communications field, like television broadcasting Weird fact not many people know about me: My fingers are double jointed in many ways! Reality Show I want to be on: American Idol, because I have great vocals Secret food cravings: Chips and salsa
Arioto's Career Statistics Year G AB R H AVG 2B 3B HR RBI BB K SB 2008 70 219 55 71 .324 17 4 2 29 48 51 14-16
Year APP GS CG W L SV ERA IP H R ER BB K 2008 30 8 2 8 3 1 1.93 87.0 60 37 24 57 105
