April 19, 2012
Weekly Release 11 - Oregon 
Friday, April 20
6 p.m. PT - No. 1 California (40-2/11-1 Pac-12) at No. 14/18 Oregon (31-9/8-5 Pac-12)
Howe Field - Eugene, Ore.
Series Record Versus the Ducks - 73-37
Last Meeting With UO - W 5-2 (4/17/11)
Coverage - Live Stats, Twitter, Live Video for a Fee
Saturday, April 21
5 p.m. PT - No. 1 California (40-2/11-1 Pac-12) at No. 14/18 Oregon (31-9/8-5 Pac-12)
Howe Field - Eugene, Ore.
Coverage - Live Stats, Twitter, Live Video for a Fee
Sunday, April 22
Noon PT - No. 1 California (40-2/11-1 Pac-12) at No. 14/18 Oregon (31-9/8-5 Pac-12)
Howe Field - Eugene, Ore.
Coverage - Live Stats, Twitter, Live Video for a Fee
Just the Basics
The No. 1 California softball team heads north of the border to face No. 14/18 Oregon in Eugene. The series gets underway Friday, April 20 at 6 p.m. It will be a 5 p.m. first pitch for the middle game on Saturday, April 21 and things conclude Sunday, April 22 at noon.
Cal Quick Hits
• Cal brings a two-game winning streak to Oregon thanks to a 10-2 five-inning win over Santa Clara on Wednesday
• Diane Ninemire earned career win No. 1,099 by beating the Broncos
• Cal notched its fourth Pac-12 series victory last weekend - beating Arizona 2-0 on April 13 and 6-0 on April 15 but losing the middle game 8-3
• Cal is ranked first in the country in the latest edition of the RPI and No. 1 in both polls
• Cal swept Oregon last year in Berkeley, but the Ducks swept the Bears in Eugene the year before for the first time in series history
Bears Quick Hits
• Valerie Arioto paces the starters, hitting .421 with an incredible 1.074 slugging percentage thanks to her 19 homers
• Arioto tied her own Cal season record for homers in a season with 19; she needs one more to set a new Bear program record
• Danielle Henderson is next in line in homers with 13, while Breana Kostreba has 10
• Against Santa Clara, Danielle Henderson and Lindsey Ziegenhirt both homered
• Jamia Reid has a team-high 36 stolen bases, going 36-for-38
• Arioto leads the Bears in RBI with 52, Kostreba is second (34), Jace Williams is third (33) and Danielle Henderson is fourth (33)
• Jolene Henderson (1.15 ERA, 151.2 IP, 187 SO, .186 b/avg) and Arioto (1.37 ERA, 107.2 IP, 21 ER, .181 b/avg) split the pitching duties
Cal Tops RPI
In the latest edition of the RPI - released April 16 - the Bears are first in the nation. Alabama is in hot pursuit in second and Tennessee - which lost to the Bears 13-5 in the first game of the season - is third. Pac-12 rival Arizona State is fifth. Eight of the nine Pac-12 teams are ranked in the top 30 with Oregon in eighth, Arizona 10th, Washington 12th, UCLA 15th, Stanford 22nd and Oregon State 27th. Utah is ranked 64th.
Pac-12 Watch
The Pac-12 continues to dominate the rankings with eight of the nine teams owning spots in the polls. Two of those eight teams are in the top 10 - No. 1 Cal and No. 3/4 ASU - with No. 11/9 Washington, No. 12/13 Arizona, No. 14/18 Oregon, No. 15 UCLA, No. 19/16 Stanford and No. 24 Oregon State rounding out the competition. OSU is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA rankings. Cal is the only team to have just one conference loss over the first four weeks, owning a .917 Pac-12 percentage. Arizona State is not far behind, owning an 8-2 Pac-12 record for second with Oregon hot on the Sun Devils' tails with an 8-5 conference record. Arizona is fourth (8-6), followed by UCLA (6-6), Washington (6-8), Stanford (6-9), Oregon State (4-7) and Utah (0-12).
Scouting Oregon
• The Ducks netted their first Pac-12 series sweep last weekend in Salt Lake City, earned 9-0, 6-2 and 11-1 wins over the Utes
• Prior to the trip to Utah, Oregon beat then-No. 7 UW 5-3 and then lost 6-3 in nine innings
• On Wednesday, the Ducks beat Portland State 10-4 and 1-0 in a doubleheader in Eugene
• Samantha Pappas paces the Ducks, hitting .396, though Christie Nieto is right behind her at .387
• Courtney Ceo, who was hitting .378, suffered a season-ending injury
• The Ducks are outhitting their opponents .321-.237 and outscoring them 250-119
• Jessica Moore has handled all but 90.2 innings of the pitching - posting a 1.99 ERA in 179 IP, going 21-6
• Karissa Hovinga has hurled 87.2 innings with a 2.56 ERA
Last Year's Series Against Oregon
Cal swept Oregon last year - 5-0, 2-0 and 5-2 - in Berkeley. Jolene Henderson pitched two of the wins against the Ducks with a 0.00 ERA, earning her NFCA Player of the Week and Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors. Arianna Erceg notched her first Pac-12 win in the Sunday game. Lindsey Ziegenhirt slugged 1.375 across the three games versus Oregon and a nonconference game to propel her to Pac-10 Player of the Week and California Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week laurels.
Earlier This Week on the Diamond
Cal tallied four runs in the first and tacked on another five in the second as the Golden Bears downed Santa Clara 10-2 in five innings on Wednesday afternoon. Valerie Arioto led Cal to victory on both sides of the ball - striking out a season-high 13 batters and driving in two runs off two hits. She had a no-hitter going until the top of the fifth, when the Broncos scored two earned runs off three hits. Danielle Henderson and Lindsey Ziegenhirt joined the homer club with Henderson driving in three runs and Ziegenhirt notching a solo shot. Frani Echavarriaalso tallied two RBI with a hit.
Bears Continue to Own Top Billing in Both Polls
Despite losing only its second game of the entire year, Cal still has the nation's confidence as the Golden Bears remain the No. 1 team in both the ESPN.com/USA Softball and USA Today/NFCA polls. This week marks the fourth consecutive time that Cal (39-2 overall/11-1 in the Pac-12) has owned first place in both rankings. In the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll, the Bears captured 15 first-place votes in the poll, securing their ninth time in 10 weeks as the top-ranked squad. The Bears received 24 of 30 first-place votes in the USA Today/NFCA poll this week and have now topped the poll for four consecutive weeks.
Cal Versus the Pac-12
Batting: second (.349)
Slugging: second (.563)
On-base percentage: third (.436)
Runs scored: tied for first (302)
RBI: third (272)
Home runs: first (64)
Total bases: second (617)
Sac flies: tied for third (11)
Stolen bases: second (70)
Fielding percentage: second (.980)
Cal Pitching Versus the Pac-12
ERA: first (1.30)
Opposing batting: first (.186)
Batters struck out: first (333)
Batters struck out looking: tied for first (81)
Wins: first (40)
Hits allowed: first (180)
Runs allowed: first (61)
Earned runs allowed: first (50)
Walks allowed: first (68)
Home runs allowed: first (6)
Bears in the Pac-12
Hitting: Arioto - seventh (421); J. Reid - ninth (.407)
Slugging: Arioto - first (1.074); Kostreba - 10th (.713)
On-base percentage: Arioto - first (.630); Echavarria - 10th (.475)
Runs scored: Arioto - third (48)
Hits: J. Reid - tied for third (59)
RBI: Arioto - tied for second (52)
Home runs: Arioto - first (19); D. Henderson - tied for fourth (13)
Walks: Arioto - first (55); Williams - sixth (29)
Bear Pitchers in the Pac-12
ERA: Henderson - first (1.15); Arioto - third (1.37)
Opposing batting average: Arioto - second (.181); Henderson - fourth (.186)
Batters struck out: J. Henderson - second (170); Arioto - seventh (117)
Batters struck out looking: J. Henderson - first (58)
Saves: J. Henderson - tied for fourth (3)
Home runs allowed: Arioto - second (1); J. Henderson - tied for fourth (4)
Next Week on the Diamond
Cal returns home to host No. 15 UCLA. The series starts Friday, April 27 at 3 p.m., continues Saturday, April 28 at 1 p.m. and concludes Sunday, April 29 at noon. All games will be played at Levine-Fricke Field. Cal To Host StrikeOut Cancer Game on May 11
In partnership with the NFCA and the American Cancer Society, Cal is set to host its inaugural StrikeOut Cancer game on May 11 against Arizona State. At that game, the Golden Bears will don pink hair ribbons and encourage all fans to wear pink. Those fans who do wear pink will receive giveaways such as Silly Bandz and foam sticks. In addition to collecting general fan donations, Cal softball will be selling pink hair ribbons as a fundraiser for the ACS. Fannie Wallace - two-time cancer survivor and grandmother to current Golden Bear Jordan Wallace- will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Since starting the StrikeOut Cancer initiative more than 10 years ago, the NFCA has raised thousands of dollars to support the fight against cancer.
Cal Adds 704 Bleacher Seats to Levine-Fricke Field
Cal Athletics has installed 704 more seats at Levine-Fricke Field. With the addition of the new seats - which are in the outfield - crowd capacity at Levine-Fricke Field more than doubles. The last homestand against then-No. 3 Washington on March 30 and April 1 saw record attendance figures. At the April 1 doubleheader, there were an incredible 680 fans in attendance. Adult tickets are $8 and seniors (age 65 and above) are $4. Cal students and youth 12th grade and under get in free to all softball games. Gates open at Levine-Fricke Field one hour before first pitch. Tickets can be purchased on game days starting an hour and a half before the start of the game. Ticket booths are located at the front entrance of Levine-Fricke Field.
Three Bears Make Player of the Year Top-25 List
Valerie Arioto, Jolene Henderson and Jamia Reidhave the utmost honor of being named three of the 25 finalists for the 2012 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, the Amateur Softball Association announced April 11. This award, which is considered the most prestigious honor in Division I women's collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. The three Golden Bears were also named to the top-50 watch list, and Cal is just one of two schools with three student-athlete representatives.
Cal Kids Days Return
Join us every Sunday during the Pac-12 season for your chance to run around the bases and get autographs from the team after the game! All youth 12th grade and below receive free admission to every Cal softball game, including Cal Kids Days!
The Bears Versus Ranked Competition
After splitting the series with then-No. 13 Arizona, the Bears are now 12-2 against ranked competition this season: -Feb. 10: No. 3/4 Cal vs. No. 9/14 Tennessee - W 13-5
-Feb. 19: No. 1/3 Cal vs. No. 25 LSU - W 14-3 (5)
-March 14: No. 1/2 Cal vs. No. 21/22 Texas A&M - W 3-0
-March 15: No. 1/2 Cal vs. No. 6 Texas - W 6-3
-March 15: No. 1/2 Cal vs. No. 19/18 Hawaii - L 3-1 (10)
-March 23: No. 2 Cal at No. 9 Stanford - W 9-0
-March 25: No. 2 Cal at No. 9 Stanford - W 4-3
-March 25: No. 2 Cal at No. 9 Stanford - W 8-0
-March 30: No. 1 Cal vs. No. 3 Washington - W 2-1
-April 1: No. 1 Cal vs. No. 3 Washington - W 5-3
-April 1: No. 1 Cal vs. No. 3 Washington - W 6-4
-April 13: No. 1 Cal vs. No. 13 Arizona - W 2-0
-April 14: No. 1 Cal vs. No. 13 Arizona - L 8-3
-April 15: No. 1 Cal vs. No. 13 Arizona - W 6-0
2012 Honor Roll
Valerie Arioto
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-25 Finalist (April 11)
NFCA Player of the Week (March 27)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (March 26)
Chevron Spring Fling All-Tournament Team (March 17)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (Feb. 21)
Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Candidate
Pac-12 Player of the Week (Feb. 14)
USA Softball Player of the Week (Feb. 14)
Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week (Feb. 13)
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List
Cheyenne Cordes
USA Softball Junior of the Year
Frani Echavarria
Chevron Spring Fling All-Tournament Team (March 17)
Jolene Henderson
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-25 Finalist (April 11)
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (April 2)
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (March 26)
Chevron Spring Fling Most Valuable Pitcher (March 17)
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (March 13)
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List
Jamia Reid
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Top-25 Finalist (April 11)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (April 2)
USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Watch List
Britt Vonk
Chevron Spring Fling Most Valuable Player (March 17)
Reserve Seats, Parking by Joining Blue & Gold Team
For the first time in program history, fans of the perennial powerhouse California softball team can reserve seats and parking by joining the Ninemire Blue & Gold Team. By pledging your support of $1,000 or more to the Golden Bears, you receive the following membership benefits: one VIP reserved parking pass good for all 2012 home games; two reserved seats at all 2012 home games; an exclusive Ninemire Blue & Gold Team t-shirt; Cal Bear Backer Points; and a tax deduction.
Opening Day
Thanks to the 13-5 win over Tennessee to start the 2012 season, Cal has now won 33 of its year openers. In five of the past seven lid lifters, the Bears have scored 10+ wins.
Ninemire Utilizes Multiple Line-Ups
In each of the four games in the desert to start the season, head coach Diane Ninemire started a slightly shifted nine. Victoria Jones, Danielle Henderson, Lindsey Ziegenhirt and Taylor Vincent all saw time behind the dish. Jace Williams shifted between third and second, while Danielle Hendersonplayed at first and third in addition to her catching time. In total, all 17 active players saw time on the field or in the batter's box.
Preseason Rankings Rate Cal Softball as No. 3/4
After finishing the 2011 campaign as the No. 5 team in the country according to both polls and the final Women's College World Series standings, Cal started 2012 as the third and fourth best teams, according to the preseason rankings. The ESPN.com/USA Softball poll placed the Golden Bears at No. 3 while the USA Today/NFCA standings hold Cal at No. 4. With the No. 3 laudation by the ESPN.com/USA Softball, the poll placed Cal two spots ahead of its final 2011 ranking while the USA Today/NFCA rankings have the Bears one spot of their final ranking.
Pac-12 Softball Coaches Envision Cal to Finish Second
The Pac-12 coaches forecasted the Bears to finish second in the prestigious conference according to the preseason poll released Jan. 28. The Golden Bears received two first-place votes and 58 total points to take second in the preseason poll, marking the highest predicted finish since 2005. Just three points ahead of Cal, defending national champion Arizona State garnered six first-place votes to occupy the No. 1 spot in the annual poll. Arizona, which took third, rounded out the first-place votes with one. Last year, Cal was in a tie for fourth in the preseason poll only to take second, which was the highest conference finish for the Bears since they tied for first in 2005. In eight of the past 11 seasons, the Bears have finished higher than they were predicted to in the preseason poll. In 2002, the coaches foresaw Cal finishing in a tie for sixth, but not only did the Bears take fourth, they also went on to win the national title.
Bears Celebrate Holidays With Friends of Jaclyn Adoptee
Before departing Berkeley to spend the winter break with their families, the Bears spent time with important members of their Cal family - Bebe Wiggs and her family. In 2010, the Bears adopted Bebe, a local child with pediatric cancer, through the Friends of Jacyln Foundation. The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (FOJ) is a non-profit, charitable organization that improves the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors and their families. This past December, Cal joined the Wiggs family for a holiday celebration. Everyone enjoyed a delicious dinner at the newly opened Simpson Center for Student-Athlete High Performance. Following the meal, the group headed to the softball squad's brand-new locker room for presents and a big surprise for Bebe. Prior to the dinner, the Bears and staff selected a locker that will be Bebe's for the duration. They filled it with presents for her and then gift wrapped the locker for Bebe.
USA Softball Lauds Cordes as Junior of the Year
Freshman Cheyenne Cordesjoined an elite group of people when USA Softball and the Amateur Softball Association recognized her as the Athlete of the Year from the Junior Women's National Team program. Cordes helped lead the United States to the gold medal at the International Softball Federation Junior Women's World Championship, Dec. 6-17, in Cape Town, South Africa. She was the only member of the team to start in all 11 games in Cape Town and one of two athletes to play in all 11 games. While seeing time primarily at third, she also led the U.S. in hits (15), extra base hits (seven), RBI (12) and stolen bases (three).
ASA/USA Softball Names Arioto to National Squad
Senior Valerie Ariotoearned herself a spot on the 2012 USA Softball Women's National Team, the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) of America announced Jan. 11. Arioto joined 11 athletes in the selection. An additional five athletes will be named to the squad, which will compete at the International Softball Federation (ISF) Women's World Championship, following a 2012 USA Softball Women's National Team and USA Softball Women's Elite National Team Selection Camp in June. In her rookie season with the USA Softball Women's National Team, Arioto started in 24 of 26 games played. At the plate, she was 21-for-57 (.368), hitting a team-high eight doubles, two triples and four homeruns. She had 19 runs scored and 21 RBI. Arioto and her teammates who were named to the 2012 USA Softball Women's National Team helped Team USA win the gold medal at the 2011 World Cup of Softball in July in Oklahoma City and the 2011 Pan American Games in October in Guadalajara, Mexico.
The Hot Corner With Jace
This season, senior Jace Williamscontinues to grace 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.
Remembering the 2011 Campaign
• After starting the year ranked 12th in both national polls and slated to finish fourth in the Pac-10, the Bears ended the season second in the conference and fifth in the country after making it to the Women's College World Series
• Cal closed out the year at a 45-13 clip with an impressive 15-6 conference record
• The Bears won at least one game in each Pac-10 series and swept three schools - then-No.17 Oregon, Oregon State as well as then-No. 8 and defending national champion UCLA
• Earning the seven seed and top billing at the Louisville Regional, Cal made its 26th appearance in the NCAA Tournament
• In Louisville, the Bears outscored their opponents, 13-3, and won all three games to give Cal its 12th Regional title in the past 13 years and ninth Regional in which the Bears posted a perfect record
• Cal battled Kentucky in a three-game series to win the Lexington Super Regional, marking the first victories over an SEC team in Super Regionals
• The Bears lost the opening game of the WCWS to Alabama, but defeated Oklahoma State before losing to eventual runner-up Florida
• Cal was ranked in the top-25 all season, reaching a season highs of No. 5 (ESPN.com/USA Softball) and No. 6 (USA Today/NFCA) during the season
• The NFCA lauded Jolene Henderson and Jamia Reid as All-Americans
• The Cal coaching staff was named the Pacific Regional Staff of the Year
• The NFCA put Jolene Henderson, Jamia Reid, Jace Williams and Britt Vonk on its All-Pacific Region Team
• Six Bears merited All-Pac-10 laurels with Henderson as the Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year
• Jace Williams and Lindsey Ziegenhirt earned the Pac-10 All-Academic honors
Cal Coaches Ink Four Recruits for 2013 Campaign
As they have built quite a reputation in doing, the California softball coaching staff has signed four outstanding recruits to National Letters of Intent, head coach Diane Ninemire announced this fall. Vanessa Alvarez, Khala Taylor, Jasmin Mejia and Nisa Ontiveros will suit up in the Blue & Gold come the spring of 2013. A speedy trackster out of Temecula, Calif., Khala Taylor will no doubt be an asset on the base paths. At the plate, she's a triple threat who can bunt, slap and swing away. Jasmin Mejia will fill in the outfield with her great range and strong arm. She also wields a powerful bat. Nisa Ontiveros is a powerful pitcher who is expected to make an immediate contribution in the circle with her great ball movement.
