April 7, 2003
Briefly
The Loyola Marymount University softball team split both doubleheaders against Santa Clara last weekend. On Saturday LMU dropped Game 1, 2-1, to the Broncos but came back to win the second game, 4-3, in nine innings. The Lions made it two in a row winning the first game on Sunday, 2-1, but came up short, 3-0, in Game 2.
Up Next
The Lions return home after playing nearly a month's worth of games on the road. LMU will host UC Riverside on Tuesday, April 8 at 2 p.m. The game is a makeup game for a contest that was rained out in February. The Lions then continue league play hosting the University of San Diego this Saturday and Sunday, Apr. 11-12. The first pitch in the back-to-back Pacific Coast Softball Conference doubleheaders is scheduled for 12 p.m. both days.
The Pacific Coast Softball Conference - A League Of Their Own
The NCAA Division I Management Council Administrative Committee announced the approval of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference (PCSC) for Division I conference membership in women's softball on October 17, 2002. The inaugural season of PCSC softball is slated to begin on April 5, 2003. Wendy Guthrie, former Associate Athletic Director and Senior Woman Administrator at the University of San Diego and current professor in the Sport Management Masters program at the University of San Francisco, will serve as Commissioner of the new conference. Dr. Bill Husak, Director of Athletics at Loyola Marymount University, has taken on the role of President of the Conference Officers. The conference is comprised of six schools: California State University- Sacramento, Loyola Marymount University, Portland State University, Saint Mary's College of California, Santa Clara University, and the University of San Diego. Prior to joining the PCSC, the schools were members of the Western Athletic Conference, Western Intercollegiate Softball League, and Big West Conference for softball league play. Sacramento State and Loyola Marymount have been selected by the PCSC Coaches as the preseason favorites to finish first in the 2003 Pacific Coast Softball Conference standings. Sacramento State finished the 2002 season 18-33 overall and 7-17 in Big West Conference play. The Hornets went on to finish their fall season with a record of 7-0, including two victories over defending national champion California. After falling to Santa Clara in the Western Intercollegiate Softball League title game, Loyola Marymount ended its 2002 season with a record of 38-34. The Lions won 16 of their final 20 contests and earned a ranking of No. 8 in the West Region. Portland State earned the third spot in the preseason poll. The Vikings enter the PCSC following an 11-13 run in the Western Athletic Conference. Portland State's 11 conference wins were the most since the team joined the WAC in 2000. The Vikings finished 22-35 overall. Santa Clara was picked to finish fourth in the poll, followed by St. Mary's and San Diego.
Lions Love Extra Time
Extra inning games don't seem to bother the Lions to much. LMU is 5-1 in extra inning games including the most recent 4-3 win over Santa Clara which took nine innings to complete. The Lions one loss beyond regulation came in a 10-inning contest against Sacramento State. Four of the five wins have come by a slime one-run margin.
Good 'Ole Grassi
Sophomore Jessica Grassi warmed up to league play just fine. Grassi, a 5-foot-0 native of Martinez, Calif., posted a .364 batting average in the opening weekend of PCSC play. Grassi extended her hit streak to seven straight games over the weekend tallying a hit in each of the Lions' four games. She also scored three runs and drove in two runs against the Broncos. As if that were not enough, Grassi also belted her first career home run in the first game at Santa Clara. She matched that performance by hitting another one over the fence the next day. Grassi is hitting .253 on the season
Make-Up Games
The Lions have had three dates cancelled due to rain this year. Two of those were doubleheaders against UC Riverside and Cal Poly. LMU will host UC Riverside in a makeup game at LMU's softball field on Tuesday, April 8 at 2 p.m. The Lions will make up their game against Cal Poly on Wednesday, April 23 at 12 p.m. in San Luis Obispo.
Head Coach Gary Ferrin
LMU's all-time winningest coach enters his ninth season with the Lions' program. His all-time coaching record stands at 307-267-1, which includes five straight 30-plus win seasons. He was honored in 2000 as the WAC Coach of the Year and has had just two years in which the Lions have finished below .500.
The Haps On The Highlanders
UC Riverside has struggled this season and comes to LMU with a 7-27 overall record. Most recently the Highlanders took two out of three from Cal Poly. After dropping the first game in three-game series, the Highlanders won the last two tying there season record for consecutive wins. The wins snapped a 14-game losing skid for UCR. Melissa Sanchez leads the chore of regular starters with a .291 batting average. Kimberly Dillon an Nicole Bethurum lead the pitching staff with three wins each. Bethurum owns the lowest ERA, 4.16, of any Highlander pitcher.
Lions vs. Highlanders: The Series
The first game of the doubleheader tomorrow will mark the 20th meeting between the two schools. UC Riverside holds an 11-8 advantage in the all-time series with the LMU. The Lions and the Highlanders have met four times already this season; at the Long Beach State Invitational, the Chevron Malihini Tournament in Hawaii and in a doubleheader at UCR. The Lions dropped the first encounter with the Highlanders at the LBS Invite and have won the last three meetings. LMU has outscored UCR 17-8 in three Lion victories.
Toreros Talk
San Diego has also had a rough season posting a 6-26 overall record and a 1-3 mark in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. USD endured a 15-game losing streak to open the season. The streak was snapped with a 4-2 win over Harvard. The Toreros hosted Portland State for four games to open their league schedule last weekend. USD dropped three of the four games and sit in fifth place in the conference. Sara Mason leads USD with a .318 batting average and seven doubles. Gina McFarland adn Erin Harmonson own an identical 3-9 record on the mound. McFarland's 2.77 ERA leads the USD hurlers.
Lions vs. Toreros: The Series
LMU and San Diego are no strangers to each other. The Lions own a 48-32 advantage in the all-time series against the Toreros. Since last season the two teams have met nine times with LMU leaving victorious on seven occasions. .
The Long Ball - Record Watch
Sophomore Danielle Kaminaka and junior Sami Strinz are in fighting for the title of all-time home run leader at LMU. Kaminaka has hit seven home runs, while Strinz has hit six so far this season. They are currently tied for No.1 each with 16 career home runs. Also getting into the mix is junior Trisha Gomes. Gomes has hit five home runs this season, including a three-run homer against UC Riverside (Mar.26), placing her third on the list.
