Feb. 8, 2011
Friday, Feb. 11
10:30 a.m. PT: Cal vs. Cal State Bakersfield
SE Field - Tempe, Ariz.
Series Record vs. the Roadrunners: First meeting
Last Meeting: N/A
Coverage: Twitter, Gametracker
Saturday, Feb. 12
1:30 p.m. PT: Cal vs. Cal State Northridge
NW Field - Tempe, Ariz.
Series Record vs. the Matadors: 10-8, Bears
Last Meeting: W, 3-1 (3/6/04)
Coverage: Twitter, Gametracker
4 p.m. PT: Cal vs. Texas Tech
NW Field - Tempe, Ariz.
Series Record vs. the Raiders: 3-0, Bears
Last Meeting: W, 12-4 (2/16/08)
Coverage: Twitter
Sunday, Feb. 13
9 a.m. PT: Cal vs. Indiana
NE Field - Tempe, Ariz.
Series Record vs. the Hoosiers: 3-0, Bears
Last Meeting: W, 3-0 in five innings (3/22/92)
Coverage: Twitter, Gametracker
Tournament website: click here
BERKELEY - The No. 12 California softball team embarks on its 2011 journey towards the Women's College World Series with a season-inaugurating four-game weekend at the Kajikawa Classic. The season starts Friday, Feb. 11 with a game against Cal State Bakersfield at 10:30 a.m. PT. The Golden Bears play two games Saturday - a 1:30 p.m. PT match against Cal State Northridge and a 4 p.m. PT game versus Texas Tech. Sunday wraps up the weekend with a game against Indiana that is set to begin at 9 a.m.
About the Kajikawa Classic
California joins many other teams for the traditional season-opening four-day tournament in Tempe, Ariz. The tourney, which is spread out over five different fields, begins Thursday, Feb. 10 and concludes Sunday, Feb. 13. For directions, more information and results, please consult the event's website at clicking here.
Who's On First?
Cal appears set to a return to the NCAA Tournament with 11 returning letterwinners, including star pitchers
Jolene Henderson and
Valerie Arioto. Coming back for her junior season is
Jamia Reid, who bested her own steals record last year with 48 and landed on the All-Pacific First Team. Also returning to the field are six of Cal's 10 All-Pac-10 teamers, including junior outfielder
Frani Echavarria, junior utility
Jace Williams and sophomore catcher
Lindsey Ziegenhirt. A talented crop of eight freshmen will join the returners. Ready for her 24th season at the helm of the Bears is head coach
Diane Ninemire, who won her 1,000th game last season.
Join the Bears in the Social Media Realm
This season, fans of the prestigious California softball team can get even closer to the Golden Bears - through Facebook and Twitter. Social media brings the fans closer to the teams, alerting followers to breaking news, photos and insider information. The Cal Softball Facebook page will feature links to CalBears.com stories, polls, unique photos as well as a weekly video segment - Off-Speed With Jolene - with sophomore pitcher Jolene Henderson. Fans can comment on stories and have conversations with other fans. Cal Softball Twitter is the best place to find game results, links to stories as well as photos and other insider information. You can ask questions of the Cal Softball Twitter and communicate with others as well.
- Facebook users can "like" Cal softball here
- Twitter users can "follow" Cal softball here
- Learn more about the Bears and social media here
Top of the Rankings to Ya!
The California softball team will begin its season very close to where it ended the 2010 campaign - as the No. 12 team in the country. The nation's leading authority on rankings - the USA Today/NFCA Division I Top-25 and ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 polls - both heralded the Golden Bears as the No. 12 team in the country.
Opening Day
Cal will look to return to successful opening day history after dropping the season opener last season, 3-2, to Texas A&M for the first time since 1997. In three of the past five season lid lifters, the Bears have scored 10+ runs.
Scouting Cal State Bakersfield
• Head Coach: Kathy Welter
• PCSC Record: 9-11 (first season of Division I play)
• Top Returners:
o Ryane Petersen (INF/P) - 0.358 BA, 12 HR, 50 RBI
o Karlee Rodgers (OF) - 0.259 BA, 42 H, 8 2B
o Sammy Rodriguez (P) - 3.07 ERA, 114 SO, 21 CG
Scouting Cal State Northridge
• Head Coach: Tairia Flowers
• Big West Record: 15-6 (tied for 1st)
• Top Returners:
o Jennifer Mosier (OF) - 0.367 BA, 51 H, 18 SB
o Jaci Carlsen (UTIL) - 0.324 BA, 8 HR, 44 RBI
o Tracy Allen (INF) - 0.307 BA, 7 HR, 36 RBI
o Hannah Fraijo (P) - 2.69 ERA, 102 SO, 18-8 W-L
Scouting Texas Tech
• Head Coach: Shannon Hays
• Big 12 Record: 7-11
• Top Returners:
o Emily Bledsoe (INF) - 0.373 BA, 9 HR, 41 RBI
o Logan Hall (INF) - 0.325 BA, 53 H, 41 RBI
o Mikey Kenney (OF) - 0.312 BA, 15 HR, 40 RBI
o Ashley Brokeshoulder (P) - 2.43 ERA, 56 SO, 8-6 W-L
o Karli Merlich (P) - 2.72 ERA, 63 SO, 11-3 W-L
• NCAA Tournament: Lost to Hawai'i in Stanford Regional (7-1)
Scouting Indiana
• Head Coach: Michelle Gardner
• Big Ten Record: 4-14 (10th)
• Top Returners:
o Breanna Saucedo (SS) - 0.323 BA, 54 H, 14 SB
o Samantha Berenter (2B) - 0.255 BA, 15 RBI, 17 BB
o Sara Olson (P/1B) - 0.243 BA, 8 HR, 24 RBI
Comparing Cal and Its Opponents
| Opponent |
2010 Record |
2010 Batting Average |
2010 Opponent Batting Average |
2010 ERA |
Current USA Today/NFCA Poll |
Current ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll |
| California |
44-19 |
.282 |
.192 |
1.75 |
12 |
12 |
| Bakersfield |
22-34 |
.292 |
.303 |
4.36 |
NR |
NR |
| Northridge |
31-22 |
.273 |
.272 |
3.56 |
NR |
NR |
| Texas Tech |
38-18 |
.293 |
.225 |
2.42 |
NR |
NR |
| Indiana |
12-36 |
.238 |
.291 |
4.59 |
NR |
NR |
Next Week on the Diamond
The Bears stay in the state of California for their next tournament, heading south to San Diego. On Friday, Feb. 18 Cal faces off against Missouri (2 p.m.) and UC Davis (4:30 p.m.). Saturday will see the squad play UCSB at 2p.m. and San Diego at 4:30 p.m. A single-game Sunday closes the weekend at 9 a.m. against Howard.
The Hot Corner With Jace
This season, junior Jace Williams is gracing CalBears.com with an amazingly written blog called the Hot Corner. Published each Monday morning, barring any 10-page papers due for school, Williams will write about anything that suits her - life in Berkeley, recently played games, school, her hilarious teammates and more. Be sure to check out CalBears.com on Mondays to read all about it. You can be the first to know of new entries by following the Bears on Twitter and Facebook.
- This week, Jace discussed the Super Bowl and preparing for the upcoming season
- Read here
Off-Speed With Jolene
Social Media Mondays continue with the Off-Speed With Jolene - a brief weekly video with the one and only Jolene Henderson. Visit the Cal Softball Facebook page to watch the 1-2 minute videos starring Henderson, who will discuss anything and everything. Fans can leave comments and questions for her as well.
- This week, Jolene tells you all about her Super Bowl and Bears that fall from trees
- Watch here
Pac-10 Coaches Envisage Cal Finishing Fourth
If the predictions of the Pac-10 Conference's softball coaches come true, California will tie for fourth with Washington, according to the annual preseason coaches' poll. The Golden Bears, along with the Huskies, earned 26 votes for the possible fourth-place finish. Defending national champion UCLA and runner-up Arizona tied for first place, each amassing 46 points and four first-place votes. Arizona State holds sole possession of third with 30 points. Stanford came in behind archrival Cal in sixth place, earning four points less than the Bears. Oregon (21 points) and Oregon State (seven points) round out the poll in seventh and eighth place, respectively.
Remembering Last Season
The 2010 Bears chalked up yet another winning year and a successful run into the postseason to which the Bears are accustomed - advancing to Super Regional play after demolishing the Columbus Regional. In addition to posting their 37th consecutive winning record in 2010, the Bears finished 10-11 in the Pac-10 Conference to tie for fourth. The Bears were one of the seven Pac-10 teams to earn an at-large bid to the postseason, marking their 25th consecutive trip to NCAA tournament, which is the second-longest streak in the nation. Cal earned rankings in the top 25 of both polls for the entirety of this season, with ESPN.Com/USA Softball poll tagging the Bears as high as 11 (preseason-Feb. 23) and USA Today/NFCA's highest ranking was 12th, which occurred several times (preseason-Feb. 16, May 11). The Bears never dipped lower than 19 according to ESPN.com/USA Softball or 16th in the USA Today/NFCA poll.
Be a Bat Girl for the Bears
The California Softball program is inviting girls (elementary through middle school) to be designated bat girls for the 2011 season at Levine-Fricke Field. Due to NCAA restrictions, those that have started high school are not eligible to be a bat girl. Space is limited so sign up quickly. Please indicate for which home games you would be available. Contact Operations Assistant Maria Uriarte at maria_uriarte@berkeley.edu to sign up or for more information.
Arioto Named to ASA Top-50 Watch List for the 2011 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year
Valerie Arioto was selected to the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA)'s initial watch list for the 10th annual USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award. This award, which is considered one of the most prestigious honors in Division I women's collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. Arioto, who is an alternate for the U.S. senior national team, earned placement for the past three years.
Three Stellar Recruits To Join Cal in 2012
Three talented student-athletes signed their National Letters of Intent to join California softball, head coach Diane Ninemire announced in the fall. Cheyenne Cordes, Danielle Henderson and Breana Kostreba will suit up in the blue and gold for the Golden Bears in 2012. Cordes will make the short move from her hometown of Fairfield, Calif., to Berkeley next fall. With her, she will bring international experience from her time playing with the U.S. junior national team, winning a gold medal this past summer in Columbia. Henderson - was named First Team All-State Underclassman in 2009 and 2010 and thrice named First-Team All-League - can fill a number of positions on the field, where she will join her sister, current sophomore Jolene Henderson. Kostreba comes to Berkeley by way of Aptos, Calif., where she has already accumulated multiple accolades in just three years included a league championship and has national team and ASA experience as well.
The Paparazzi
Like any of the pictures on CalBears.com? They are available for purchase! GoldenBearSports.com, the official photographer of the Cal Athletics Department, has meet photos available for purchase on their Website at GoldenBearSports.com.
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