May 8, 2012
Weekly Release 14 - Arizona State 
Thursday, May 10
3 p.m. PT - No. 1 Cal (48-3/19-2 Pac-12) vs. No. 2 Arizona State (45-5/17-2 Pac-12)
Levine-Fricke Field - Berkeley, Calif.
Series Record Versus the Sun Devils - 66-44
Last Meeting With ASU - W 3-2 (4/3/11)
Coverage: GameTracker, Twitter
Promotions: 80s Day
Friday, May 11
3 p.m. PT - No. 1 Cal (48-3/19-2 Pac-12) vs. No. 2 Arizona State (45-5/17-2 Pac-12)
Levine-Fricke Field - Berkeley, Calif.
Coverage: GameTracker, Twitter
Promotions: StrikeOut Cancer Game, Softball Bingo
Saturday, May 12
Noon PT - No. 1 Cal (48-3/19-2 Pac-12) vs. No. 2 Arizona State (45-5/17-2 Pac-12)
Levine-Fricke Field - Berkeley, Calif.
Coverage: GameTracker, Twitter
Promotions: Senior Day, Cal Kids Day
Parking Information
Just the Basics
No. 1 Cal hosts Pac-12 rival No. 2 Arizona State for the final conference series of the season with the winner of the series becoming the Pac-12 champion. The Bears (48-3, 19-2 in the Pac-12) and Sun Devils (45-5, 17-2 Pac-12) get things started Thursday, May 10 at 3 p.m. The middle game - Friday, May 11 at 3 p.m. - will be Cal's inaugural StrikeOut Cancer game. The Bears bid adieu to their senior class of Valerie Arioto, Frani Echavarria, Elia Reid, Jamia Reid and Jace Williams on Saturday, May 12 at noon.
Pac-12 Title Up For Grabs
The victor of this weekend's ASU-Cal series will win the inaugural Pac-12 Championship with both teams being two wins away from the conference title. Cal owns a 19-2 Pac-12 record (.905), while ASU is 17-2 (.895) after two games were rained out over the course of the conference season. Since winning percentage determines the winner of the conference, whoever is the first to win two of the three games this weekend will win the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The title would be Cal's second-ever outright Pac-10 or Pac-12 championship, and the first since 1987. In 2005, the Bears tied for first in the Pac-10. Last year's second-place finish was the best since the Bears tied for first in 2005. ASU has two Pac-10 titles - 2011 and 2008.
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 Unanimous No. 1 for Final Regular-Season Poll
In the last poll of the regular season, California softball is the undisputed No. 1 team in the country in both of the national polls. The Golden Bears earned all 20 first-place votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and each of the 30 possible first-place votes in the USA Today/NFCA rankings. This is the fourth time the Bears are the undisputed top team in the ESPN.com/USA Softball rankings and the second go-around when they have garnered all 30 votes in the USA Today/NFCA poll. This week's rankings mark the seventh consecutive week Cal is No. 1in both polls and the 12th time this season that the Bears have been the top choice in at least one poll.
Series Sweeping - an ASU/Cal History
The Bears have swept the Sun Devils six different times over the course of program history. The most recent sweeping was in 2010, when Cal went 3-0 in the desert. The other five sweeps occurred in 2004 (3-0), 1995 (4-0), 1987 (2-0), 1984 (1-0) and 1981 (4-0). The Sun Devils swept three games from the Bears in 2008, with two of those three wins coming in Tempe, Ariz. The Bears led the Sun Devils 64-44 in the all-time series.
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!
Weekday Parking Info
A portion of Witter Lot is available for the public to purchase parking spots, based on a first-come, first-served basis. Fans can also park in the Underhill Lot, Botanical Garden Lot and Lawrence Hall of Science Lot. Please check the Berkeley campus shuttle schedule for all weekday shuttle information. Cal Athletics will not be providing a shuttle from the Underhill Lot this season.
Weekend Parking Info
A portion of Witter Lot is available for the public to purchase parking spots, based on a first-come, first-served basis. Besides Witter Lot, the closest parking lots are the Boalt Hall Lot & Bowles Hall Lot. These lots are located on the west and north sides of Memorial Stadium, respectively. They are both a short - but uphill - walking distance from Levine-Fricke Field and Strawberry Canyon. Rim Way Lot along the East Rim of Memorial Stadium is reserved for construction parking. Fans can also park in the Underhill Lot and Botanical Garden Lot. Please read all parking signage very carefully to avoid citations. Cal softball will not be running shuttles to the Underhill Lot this season.
Cal Quick Hits
Cal brings a seven-game winning streak into this weekend after sweeping OSU and UCLA
Diane Ninemire earned career win No. 1,100 on April 20 - making her the 12th coach in the history of collegiate softball and sixth in Division I ball to hit the 1,100 mark
Cal notched its seventh Pac-12 series victory last weekend - beating then-No. 22 Oregon State 9-1 (five innings), 4-2 and 4-1
The sweep of the Beavers was the fifth Pac-12 series sweep this year
Cal is ranked first in the country in the latest edition of the RPI and No. 1 in both polls
The Bears lost two of three to ASU last year in Berkeley, avoiding the sweep with a 3-2 upset win in the Sunday game
Bears Quick Hits
Valerie Arioto paces the starters, hitting .398 with an incredible 1.009 slugging percentage thanks to her 21 homers
Arioto set a new Bear program record with her 20th homer of the year on April 22
Danielle Henderson is next in line in homers with 14, while Breana Kostreba has 12
Jamia Reid has a team-high 44 stolen bases, going 44-for-46
Arioto leads the Bears in RBI with 55, Jace Williams is second (43), Kostreba is third (38) and Danielle Henderson is fourth (37)
Jolene Henderson (1.10 ERA, 197.2 IP, 31 ER, .179 b/avg) and Arioto (1.29 ERA, 119.2 IP, 22 ER, .190 b/avg.) split the pitching duties
Cal Records
Overall: 48-3
Pac-12: 19-2
Nonconference: 29-1
Home: 12-1
Road: 13-2
Neutral: 23-0
Ranked Opponents: 20-3
Pac-12 Standing: First
Streak: Won seven
Last Five Games: 5-0
Last 10 Games: 9-1
Last Week: 3-0
ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll: 1
USA Today/NFCA Poll: 1
RPI: 1
Jace Excels in Corvallis
Senior second baseman Jace Williams made the most of her last Pac-12 away series, leading the Bears in hitting with a .375 average over three games in Corvallis. In the key Pac-12 series sweep over No. 22 Oregon State, Williams also slugged .500 and had a .400 on-base percentage. More importantly, where Williams' RBI that came in the closest two of the three games. In Saturday's 4-2 win, Williams knocked in one run off a double and a hit. In Sunday's 4-1, Williams again drove in another RBI off a base hit.
Cal Tops RPI
In the latest edition of the RPI - released April 30 - the Bears continue to be first in the nation. Pac-12 rival Arizona State holds at second in the country in this week's rankings after jumping from fifth to third two weeks ago. Eight of the nine Pac-12 teams are ranked in the top 30 with Oregon eighth (down spot from last week), Arizona 10th (same), UCLA 11th (up two spots), Washington 17th (down two spots), Stanford 18th (jumped four spots) and Oregon State 23rd (same). After moving to 69th last week, Utah returns to 71st after being swept by ASU.
Pac-12 Rankings 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. 2 ASU - with No. 12/13 Oregon, No. 15/14 UCLA, No. 16/17 Arizona, No. 17/15 Stanford, No. 18 Washington and No. 24 Oregon State rounding out the competition. OSU is no longer receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA rankings, and Utah is unranked in both polls.
Pac-12 Standings Watch
Cal and ASU are the sole teams with only two conference losses. According to winning percentage, the Bears sit atop the leader board at .905 (19-2), while the Sun Devils are not far behind at .895 (17-2). Oregon owns third place at 11-8 (.579). At .524, UCLA (11-10) is fifth. In fifth at .476 is Arizona (10-11). After sweeping Washington, Stanford moves into sixth at .429 (9-12). Oregon State is seventh (.400, 8-12), Washington is eighth (.304, 7-16), and Utah is ninth (.048, 1-20).
Henderson Nets Three Wins
With an ailing pitcher in Valerie Arioto, Jolene Henderson had to pitch more innings than she's used to during Pac-12 series last weekend in Corvallis against No. 22 Oregon State. Throwing two complete games (Friday's 9-1 win and Sunday's 4-1 victory) and five innings in Saturday's 4-2 victory, Henderson upped her record to 29-1 thanks to the three Ws - which are key in Cal's hunt for a Pac-12 title. Henderson accumulated a 0.82 ERA over the weekend, allowing just two earned runs across the 17.0 innings and three games. Despite nearly doubling the amount of pitches she threw in the first two games, Henderson fanned a recent high of 12 batters in Sunday's victory. In Friday's complete-game win, she walked just one and pitched a two-hitter.
Scouting Arizona State
ASU is 45-5 overall, 387-2 at home, 5-2 when away, 3-1 at neutral site games and 17-2 in the Pac-12
The Sun Devils are first in the Pac-12 in on-base percentage (.453), runs scored (379) and RBI (355) and rank second in batting (.346), slugging (.591)
ASU pitching is right behind Cal in the Pac-12 rankings, standing second in team ERA (2.09), opposing batting average (.2020), wins (45), runs allowed (108) and earned runs allowed (94)
Katelyn Boyd leads the Sun Devils in hitting (.458), slugging (.979) and on-base percentage (.589)
Seven Sun Devil starters are hitting above a .335 mark
On a 10-game winning streak, ASU has not lost since March 10, when then-No. 25/23 Oregon State upended the Sun Devils 4-2 in nine innings
ASU swept its past three Pac-12 series - Utah (13-1 in five, 6-4, 13-5 in six), then-No. 11/13 UW (18-1 in five, 6-4, 13-5 in six) and then-No. 16 Stanford (11-9, 5-0, 7-1)
In Pac-12 play, Katelyn Boyd is hitting .450 and slugging .900
Dallas Escobedo has pitched more than half of conference games, owning a 2.72 ERA while Hillary Bach has a 2.83 ERA in 47 Pac-12 innings
Last Year's Series Against ASU
The then-No. 4 Sun Devils earned a 2-1 series victory over the then-No. 8 Bears in Berkeley during last season - 3-1, 7-2 and 2-3. In the opening game, a perfectly pleasant and sunny Friday in Strawberry Canyon took a turn for the worse in the top of the sixth inning, when ASU plated three to take a 3-1 lead over Cal. Despite scoring first, three runs by ASU were too much for Cal to recoup and the Golden Bears lost, 3-1. In the second game of the series, ASU worked hurler Arianna Erceg for 13 hits en route to a 7-2 Cal setback. After the Golden Bears (21-6 overall, 0-2 in the Pac-10) scored in the first, the Sun Devils (35-2, 2-0 in the Pac-10) scored twice in the fourth to pull ahead 2-1 and then dropped four runs in the fifth to gain the permanent lead. After struggling offensively for the first two games of the series, Cal unloaded for six hits but the final at-bat did not involve putting the ball in play. With the game tied 2-2, bases loaded with two outs, Jordan Wallace waited out a walk to plate Ashley Decker and give the Bears a 3-2 upending over the Sun Devils on April 3.
Senior Class 10th in the Country
The five Golden Bear seniors rank 10th in the nation in winning percentage of 2012 graduating classes. Across the past four years, the five seniors have accumulated a 175-55 record for a .760 winning percentage. Florida (.848), Alabama (.841) and Arizona State (.813) make up the top three.
Bears Break Records
With the regular season still a week away from completion and the season hopefully still far from over, Cal has already broken program records. The 358 runs scored this year is now the team season high, besting the previous mark of 322, which was set in 2007. Similarly, the 319 RBI sets a team record, topping the old high of 286 RBI in 2010. The 72 homers blow the old mark of 55 (set in 2009) out of the water. Should the Bears' bats stay laser focused, the team average could also be a new high with Cal currently hitting .322 and the all-time best being .328, a mark that has stood since 1977. The Bears are on track to get the highest field average - currently owning a .980 with the program high being .978, which occurred in 2005. Cal is also eight wins away from besting the current record of 56, which was set in 2002, the year Cal won its first NCAA Championship.
Senior Q&A With Valerie Arioto
Though she has already enjoyed commencement exercises - donning the cap and gown in December - senior Valerie Arioto finished her academic collegiate career two weeks ago. Arioto further capped off her time in Berkeley on May 3 by receiving the Tom Hansen Pac-12 Medal, which is given to the top male and female senior student-athletes at each member institution. After redshirting her true senior season last year, Arioto paces the starters, hitting .398 with an incredible 1.009 slugging percentage thanks to her 21 homers. Additionally, she set a new Bear program record with her 20th homer of the year on April 22. CalBears.com sat down with the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award finalist to talk all things Berkeley.
Read the Q&A here.
Selection Show Set for Sunday
The Golden Bears will learn their postseason fate on Sunday, May 13. ESPNU will televise the NCAA Selection Show beginning at 7 p.m. PT.
Last Week on the Diamond
The No. 1 Bears notched their seventh Pac-12 series victory and fifth conference series sweep by beating No. 22 Oregon State 9-1 in five innings on May 4, 4-2 on May 5 and 4-1 on May 6 in Corvallis, Ore. Capitalizing on some hot hitting and a trio of Beaver errors, Cal handled OSU 9-1 in five innings on May 4 in the opening game of the series. Frani Echavarria drove in the first two runs in the top of the second. With her Bears leading 6-0, Danielle Henderson sky rocketed the Bears into mercy territory with a three-run jack in the top of the fourth to put Cal up 9-0. OSU avoided being Cal's 24th shutout victim by tacking on a run in the bottom of the fifth. Jolene Henderson (27-1) went the distance, pitching a two-hitter with the one earned run. In the second outing, the Bears scored once in the first, twice in the third and once in the fifth en route to a 4-2 win over the Beavers, getting solo shots from Valerie Arioto and Breana Kostreba, while Victoria Jones and Jace Williams accounted for the other two RBI. Arioto - who notched her 21st homer of the season before even stepping foot in the circle - pitched the first two innings, in which she struck out two and allowed three hits. Jolene Henderson (28-1) threw the final five, with two unearned runs scoring under her watch. For the third time this weekend, an early lead proved key for the Golden Bears, who doubled their lead with two runs in the sixth to take a 4-0 advantage into the seventh, when the Beavers avoided the shutout with one run. In that final game, Lindsey Ziegenhirt homered, and sacrifice flies from Cheyenne Cordes and Jace Williams accounted for two other RBI.
Highlighting Pac-12 Play
Cal has won each of the seventh conference series in which it has played
The Bears have swept five of the seven conference series to date
Cal opened Pac-12 play with a 3-0 sweep of then-No. 9 Stanford
Then-No. 13 Arizona handed the Bears their first conference loss April 14 in an 8-3 decision
Oregon - then ranked No. 14/18 - also managed to steal a game, defeating Cal 1-0 on April 21
The Conference coaches picked Cal to finish second in their preseason poll
Shutout Central
Of Cal's 48 wins this year, 23 of them have been shutout victories. Eight of the shutouts have come during Pac-12 play. In their three losses, the Bears' opponents have shut out Cal in just one of the games. The Bears are three shutouts shy of making the all-time season best list. The current record for Cal shutouts in a season is 38, which occurred in 1992.
Road Warriors
Cal has played either on the road or at a neutral site for 38 of its 51 games. Across their six nonconference tournaments - traveling to Tempe, Las Vegas, Cathedral City, Fullerton, Fresno and Honolulu - the Bears posted a perfect 23-0 neutral-site record. Including its 12 road Pac-12 games, Cal is 13-2 when playing on the road.
Home is a Haven
As if their road and neutral site record was not impressive enough, Cal brings a 12-1 home record into this weekend against Arizona State. The only team thus far to best the Bears at Levine-Fricke Field was then-No. 13 Arizona, which defeated Cal 8-3 on April 14.
Bears Honor Friends of Jaclyn Adoptee on April 30
For the third consecutive year, California softball's Friends of Jaclyn adoptee Bebe and her family made the trip to Levine-Fricke Field to take in a Golden Bear game, but the changes that have occurred in Bebe since her first game in 2010 and this year are nothing short of miraculous. Fatigued beyond belief by cancer treatments during her first Cal outing two years ago, Bebe's father Geoff had to throw out the first pitch while Bebe slept in his arms. Last year, Bebe threw out the first pitch by herself. Before the April 29 game, not only did Bebe throw out the first pitch, but she also enjoyed a warm-up dance session, gave the Bears a pre-game speech then signed autographs for anyone and everyone after the game.
Ninemire Nets Career Win No. 1,100
Head coach Diane Ninemire hit yet another milestone - notching career win No. 1,100 thanks to the 8-1 victory over then-No. 14/18 Oregon on April 20, 2012. Entering the 2012 season with a career record of 1,059-509 in 24 complete years at the helm of the storied Golden Bear program, the Bears' epic success this year powered Ninemire to the necessary 41 wins to hit the next platform. As of April 22, 2012, only 12 coaches in the history of collegiate softball and only six in Division I ball - including Ninemire - had hit the 1,100 mark.
Arioto Breaks Homer Record
Valerie Arioto not only drove in three RBI across four games to power her top-ranked Bears to a Pac-12 series victory over No. 14/18 Oregon and a 10-2 nonconference decision over Santa Clara, but she also broke her own single-season record for homers. She was previously tied - both in 2010 and 2011 - with Veronica Nelson for first place on the Cal program record for homers in a season at 19, but she blasted a shot in the Sunday game against Oregon to propel her to the top. After starting the season third on the career homers list, Arioto is now in second place with an astonishing 51 homers. She needs to hit the 55 mark to tie Nelson for first and 56 to own it outright. She also spread four hits across the four games and accumulated five walks for she is the most feared batter in the country. She hit .444, slugged .778 and rocked a .643 on-base percentage.
Arioto Merits Tom Hansen Pac-12 Medal
After a storied career that is hopefully far from over, California softball utility Valerie Arioto earned herself one of the most coveted awards in the Pac-12 - the Tom Hansen Pac-12 Conference Medal - which is given to the top male and female senior student-athletes at each member institution. Arioto joined men's basketball senior guard Jorge Gutierrez to accept the award at the Academic Honors Luncheon on May 3. The determination is based on the exhibition of the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics and leadership.
Ziegenhirt Earns Golden Bear Award
At the May 3 Academic Honors Luncheon in Berkeley, junior catcher Lindsey Ziegenhirt proudly represented the Cal softball team by earned the Golden Bear Achievement Award. The awards are presented to the student-athlete with the highest GPA on his or her respective team. Ziegenhirt is majoring in psychology.
Talk of the Polls
For each week this season, the Bears were recognized as one of the top-25 teams in the nation, being ranked in each of the national polls. Cal's highest ranking in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll was first - a mark the Bears achieved 11 times. The Bears were the unanimous choice for No. 1 in that poll three times this season. The Bears were also as high as No. 1 in the USA Today/NFCA poll - holding the top spot for six weeks. Cal was unquestionable No. 1 team in that poll once (week eight, April 3), but received 29 of the possible 30 first-place votes three times. The Bears began the season ranked third in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll and fourth in the USA Today/NFCA poll.
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 doubled.
Three Bears Make Player of the Year Top-25 List
Valerie Arioto, Jolene Henderson and Jamia Reid have 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 this Saturday 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 sweeping UCLA and Oregon State, the Bears are now 20-3 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 at 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
-April 20: No. 1 Cal at No. 14/18 Oregon - W 8-1
-April 21: No. 1 Cal at No. 14/18 Oregon - L 1-0
-April 22: No. 1 Cal at No. 14/18 Oregon - W 10-0 (6)
-April 27: No. 1 Cal vs. No. 14/15 UCLA - W 3-0
-April 28: No. 1 Cal vs. No. 14/15 UCLA - W 8-0 (6)
-April 29: No. 1 Cal vs. No. 14/15 UCLA - W 10-3
-May 4: No. 1 Cal at No. 22 Oregon State - W 9-1 (5)
-May 5: No. 1 Cal at No. 22 Oregon State - W 4-2
-May 6: No. 1 Cal at No. 22 Oregon State - W 4-1
2012 Honor Roll
Valerie Arioto
Tom Hansen Pac-12 Medal Winner (5/3)
USA Softball Player of the Year Top-25 Finalist (4/11)
NFCA Player of the Week (3/27)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (3/26)
Chevron Spring Fling All-Tournament Team (3/17)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (2/21)
Lowe's Senior CLASS Award Candidate
Pac-12 Player of the Week (2/14)
USA Softball Player of the Week (2/14)
Muscle Milk Student-Athlete of the Week (2/13)
USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List
Cheyenne Cordes
USA Softball Junior of the Year
Frani Echavarria
Chevron Spring Fling All-Tournament Team (3/17)
Jolene Henderson
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (4/30)
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (4/23)
USA Softball Player of the Year Top-25 Finalist (4/11)
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (4/2)
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (3/26)
Chevron Spring Fling Most Valuable Pitcher (3/17)
Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week (3/13)
USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List
Jamia Reid
USA Softball Player of the Year Top-25 Finalist (4/11)
Pac-12 Player of the Week (4/2)
USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List
Britt Vonk
Chevron Spring Fling Most Valuable Player (3/17)
Lindsey Ziegenhirt
Golden Bear Award (5/3)