June 10, 2008

Berkeley - The California Golden Bear softball team finished the 2008 season ranked No. 14 according to the final USA Softball/ESPN.com Top 25 Collegiate Poll released on Tuesday. The Bears also finished ranked No. 16 in the final USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll.

Cal reached 40-plus wins for the ninth time since 1999 (43-27) and advanced to the NCAA postseason for the 23rd straight time in 2008. The Bears won the Fresno Regional and advanced to their third Super Regional since 2005, and gave the No. 1-ranked Florida Gators all they could handle before bowing out in Gainesville in their best-of-three series. Freshman Valerie Arioto did it all for the Bears this season, leading the team in batting average (.324), runs (55), hits (71) and doubles (17) to earn All-Pac-10 and All-Pacific Region honors. Sophomore hurler Marissa Drewrey won 29 games in the circle with over 300 strikeouts en route to all-conference and all-region accolades. Cal set a team record with 279 RBI as well.

The Pac-10 had five teams in the final poll, including the national champion Arizona State Sun Devils slated at No. 1.