July 25, 2008

Complete Release in PDF Format

Briefly
Since the Pacific Coast Softball Conference was formed in 2003, no team had ever repeated as champions. LMU, the three-time champions and 2007 title holders, looked to put an end to that trend in 2008. A tight race saw four teams in contention entering the final weekend but Sacramento State emerged from the pile, leaving LMU in second place, a mere game back.

Season Recap
The story of the 2008 LMU softball season can be summarized by excellent pitching and a potent offensive attack. The Lions went 38-18 overall to reach the 30-win mark for the 11th time. Along the way, senior Tiffany Pagano won her third PCSC Pitcher of the Year award with a 23-11 record while setting LMU records for career wins, innings pitched, strikeouts, games started, shutouts, and complete games, along with the single-season strikeouts and complete games records. She was joined in the circle by sophomore Melissa Dykema, who followed up an outstanding freshman campaign with a 15-7 mark. The duo combined to finish 1-2 in the conference in ERA, shutouts, and complete games.
At the plate, sophomore J.J. Hartung had a breakout season, leading the league with a .405 average while junior Chelsie Tysdal set a new LMU single-season mark with 50 runs batted in to go along with a .382 average. Sophomore Darcy Pagnini also chimed in with a record of her own, leading the team with 18 doubles. In total, six LMU players hit .300 or better and eight earned places on the All-PCSC teams.
Receiving votes in the preseason polls for the first time in history, LMU got the season off to a hot start by winning its first four games at the BYU/UVSC Red Desert Classic, including extra-inning affairs against Southern Utah and Wisconsin. Dykema's performance against Rhode Island was the highlight of the trip as she struck out a career-high 16 batters in a complete game one-hitter.
The early-season tournament schedule continued at UC Riverside's TEN Construction Tournament, where the Lions split their four games. Although LMU was 6-3 through its first nine games, it had dropped contests to BYU and Creighton (twice), both teams that were receiving votes nationally and games in which victories would have kept the Lions in the national spotlight.
Undeterred, the Lions put on a show in their home opener against Northern Colorado on February 18. Tysdal in particular flexed her muscles, homering three times in the doubleheader and driving in seven runs in a 5-for-7 day. The Lions were hoping that they would carry that momentum into their first real test of the season, a home date with #11 UCLA. Unfortunately, Mother Nature intervened as rain washed away LMU's chances to make it two straight victories over the vaunted Bruins.
Late February rainstorms also interfered with the USD Tournament, in which the Lions could only manage two games, meaning that they had played just twice in 11 days when they headed out to Texas for the UTEP Tournament. The rust showed as LMU went 2-3 in the tournament, including a pair of 1-0 defeats, to close out its early-season road schedule with an 11-7 record.
After playing 16 of their first 18 games on the road, the good news is that the Lions would be playing their next 20 at Smith Field. The comfort of the home-field advantage allowed the Lions to relax and really come alive. They split a doubleheader with a good Loyola of Chicago squad before breaking out the bats against North Dakota, outscoring their opponents 26-2 in the three wins. Although the performance at the plate was impressive, Pagano stole the headlines with a no-hitter in the second game. The senior struggled in the first inning by walking two batters and hitting two more to fall behind 2-0, she recovered to toss her third career no-no, aided by two home runs and seven RBI by junior Megan Ackerman. UC Santa Barbara snapped LMU's four-game winning streak but the Lions would get their revenge the following weekend at the LMU Tournament. The Lions were really hitting their stride at this point. Add in two victories over Bucknell at the tournament and doubleheader sweeps of UIC and UNLV, and LMU was rattling off a season-high seven-game winning streak.
LMU split its last two non-conference doubleheaders to enter PCSC play with a 24-11 record, easily the best in the conference to that point. First up was a home series with Santa Clara. Prior to the first game, LMU was presented with its 2007 PCSC Championship Rings but, as the old adage goes, it doesn't matter this year what you did last year. The Broncos showed no fear, shocking the Lions with three wins in the four games to send the defending champions reeling.
A midweek win at Cal State Fullerton got LMU back on the right track and, with the non-conference schedule completely finished, the Lions turned their attention to their conference opponents. Santa Clara had exposed the chinks in LMU's armor, however, and San Diego took advantage with a 1-0, eight-inning win to open their series. LMU recovered to win the next two in extra innings before closing out the series win with a 1-0 win. Pagano and Dykema stepped up when they were needed most, blanking the Toreros with five- and two-hitters to get the Lions back to .500 in conference play.
That set up a showdown with Sacramento State at Smith Field with two games separating the Lions and the top-of-the-table Hornets. If it was to relinquish its PCSC crown, LMU was not going to go down without a fight and the Lions did brought their A-game, pulling out four straight wins to take over first place in the standings. At the forefront of the attack was senior Tracy Cook, who returned to the field after missing the season to that point with an injury. Her presence spurred the Lions to the four victories, including the last two on Senior Day.
If LMU was to retain its conference championship, it would have to do so on the road, closing out the season with road trips to Portland State and Saint Mary's. The Lions and Vikings split on the penultimate weekend, leaving it all up to the final four games of the regular season. Entering the final weekend, Saint Mary's led the conference with LMU and Sacramento State each a game back and Portland State sitting a mere two games from first. Thanks to its sweep of Sacramento State, LMU controlled its own destiny, knowing that a sweep of the Gaels would give them the title. Winning three games would also keep the trophy in LMU's hands as long as the Hornets dropped at least one game at San Diego. Attention was also on Head Coach Gary Ferrin, who entered the series on 499 career victories. The Lions would come through with #500 in game one and added a second victory later that day for good measure and to move into first place in the standings. Two more wins would make the Lions champions but Saint Mary's pulled out a come-from-behind victory the next morning. Although LMU recovered to take the series, Sacramento State's sweep wrested the trophy from LMU's grasp and ended the Lions' season.

Ferrin Records 500th Career Victory
Already the most successful coach in LMU softball history, Gary Ferrin added another accolade to his impressive resume with his 500th career victory, a 6-1 defeat of Saint Mary's on May 3. His 14th season just completed, Ferrin has led the Lions to winning campaigns 12 times, including 40+ wins three times and 30+ victories 11 times. They have won three PCSC titles under Ferrin and made two NCAA postseason appearances. A list of Ferrin's milestone victories:
#1 - February 19, 1994; 2-0 vs. Santa Clara
#100 - April 13, 1997; 1-0 vs. Santa Clara
#200 - April 8, 2000; 3-0 vs. San Diego
#300 - March 26, 2003; 8-2 at UC Riverside
#400 - March 8, 2006; 3-1 vs. Mercer
#500 - May 3, 2008; 6-1 at Saint Mary's

Eight Lions Earn All-PCSC Honors
Eight LMU players highlighted the Pacific Coast Softball Conference 2008 All-Conference teams. Four Lions headed the First Team, led by conference Pitcher of the Year Tiffany Pagano. Pagano was the PCSC Pitcher of the Year for the second consecutive season and third time in her career. Junior Kirsten Slouber earned her second appearance on the First Team while junior Chelsie Tysdal and sophomore J.J. Hartung were each honored for the first time in their careers. Redshirt sophomore Darcy Pagnini was the lone Lion representative on the Second Team and the trio of junior MiaSarah Cesena, sophomore Melissa Dykema, and freshman Amy Charpentier were Honorable Mention.
The eight LMU players and four first teamers ties Sacramento State for the most honored in each category. LMU's eight honorees are the third-most in the school's history, trailing the ten players from last year and the nine from 2005, both years in which the Lions won the conference title. In addition, the four players awarded First Team status are the second-most in the program, trailing only the five recognized last season.

Pagano, Tysdal Named All-Region
Senior Tiffany Pagano and junior Chelsie Tysdal continued to haul in the postseason awards as each earned spots on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Pacific Region Second Team. This was Pagano's second consecutive appearance on the Second Team as she becomes the first Lion to ever win three All-Region honors while Tysdal was honored regionally for the first time.

LMU in the RPI
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association, in conjunction with mathematician Warren Nolan, has the Lions ranked 120th in its final RPI ratings of the season. They have a strength of schedule of 225 and the country's 45th-best record.

LMU in the National Stats
Lions peppered the national statistical leaders with six individuals ranking among the top-100 or national leaders. Senior Tiffany Pagano was featured in three categories: 37th in victories (23), 46th in strikeouts per 7 innings (8.2), and 47th in ERA (1.45). Junior Chelsie Tysdal also appeared three times: 35th in RBI per game (0.89), 63rd in slugging percentage (.676), and 81st in batting average (.382). She was joined in the batting average category by sophomore J.J. Hartung, who was 36th at .405. Sophomore Darcy Pagnini was the highest ranked LMU player, coming in at 16th nationally in doubles per game (0.33). Proving that the Lions were not a selfish bunch, freshman Amy Charpentier finished 32nd in sacrifice hits per game (0.25) while sophomore Christine Foley was 122nd with three sacrifice flies.
As a team, the Lions were in the top-10 nationally in both batting average (.315) and doubles per game (1.66), both of which ranked ninth. They were 31st in slugging percentage (.451), 32nd in ERA (1.85), 36th in winning percentage (.679), 49th in fielding percentage (.967), and 90th in scoring (4.16).

Lions Win 20 at Home
LMU's sweep over Sacramento State in the final home games of the season pushed its record this season at Smith Field to 20-7. It was the second straight season that the Lions had won 20 games at home and just the third time in history that they had reached that mark.
The longest home stand in LMU softball history (21 games spanning March 4-April 6) was a successful one. The Lions went 14-7, including winning streaks of seven and four games despite losing four of their last five.

35-35 Club
LMU reached 35 victories for the second straight season, the fifth time that had happened in school history. Ferrin led the Lions to back-to-back 35-win campaigns in 1996-97 and then four straight such seasons from 1999-2002.
The 38 total victories tied for fifth-most in a single season at LMU while the 18 losses were tied for second-fewest.

LMU Receives Votes in Preseason Poll
For the first time in program history, LMU opened its season receiving votes in the national poll. LMU received eight votes to finish 13th among "Others Receiving Votes", translating to a ranking of 38th in the preseason NFCA Top 25 poll, released January 24. The Lions claimed their third PCSC tile in five seasons in 2007 and advanced to the championship game of the NCAA Los Angeles Regional, hosted by UCLA.

Lions Preseason Favorites in PCSC
LMU was picked to repeat as Pacific Coast Softball Conference champions in the preseason coaches poll. The Lions received 34 total points and four of the six first-place votes. Sacramento State, the 2007 conference runners-up, received the second-most number of points, 27, including one first-place vote. Portland State was third with 23 points, followed by Saint Mary's (17 points) and San Diego (14 points). Santa Clara received the other first place vote and was picked sixth with 11 points. Voting was conducted by the head coaches of each conference school, with six points awarded for a first-place vote, five for a second, and so on.

Dynamic Duo
In senior Tiffany Pagano and sophomore Melissa Dykema, the Lions had arguably the best pitching combination in all of Division I. In 2007, the pair combined for all 47 LMU victories and were one of five sets of teammates nationwide to win 21-or-more games. This year, only two teams returned a pair of 20-game winners.
Neither disappointed coming out of the gates in 2008. Dykema went 3-1 over the season's first weekend and Pagano was 1-0 with a 0.94 ERA. Both were virtually un-hittable as Dykema set a new single-game record with 16 strikeouts against Rhode Island and Pagano twice had a dozen strikeouts in the season's opening weekend.
Together, they were 1-2 in the conference in ERA, shutouts, and complete games. Combined, they held opponents to a batting average below .200 and had 18 shutouts.

Pagano Making Her Pitch
The PCSC Pitcher of the Year in two of her first three seasons at LMU, senior Tiffany Pagano became the first player in conference history to earn the award three times when she was voted in again in the postseason honors. The senior went 23-11 with a 1.45 ERA and a school-record 274 strikeouts in 241.2 innings, all of which led the conference. She was also the PCSC leader in opponent batting average (.177), complete games (31), and shutouts (10). She had 10 double-digit strikeout games in 2008, including a career-best 14 against UNLV on March 19, and 22 for her career.
Already LMU's career leader in shutouts (34) and strikeouts (820), Pagano became the school's leader in complete games (87) vs. Cal State Bakersfield and the record holder for wins (72) vs. Sacramento State. She is first at LMU in games started (119) and innings pitched (778.1), and second in saves (six), and appearances (141).
With two career no-hitters under her belt, Pagano recorded the hat trick by holding North Dakota hitless on March 8. Despite some first inning wildness that saw her walk two batters and hit two more, resulting in a 2-0 deficit, Pagano settled down to retire 14 of the last 15 batters she faced. It was her first no-no since February 12, 2007 (Northern Colorado) and she also had one on March 23, 2005 against UC Santa Barbara.
Pagano's no-hitter helped earn her PCSC co-Pitcher of the Week honors for March 11 as she also tossed a two-hitter against Loyola-Chicago. She also won back-to-back awards for February 18 and 25 and was lauded again on March 18 after picking up four of LMU's five wins on the week. She was honored again in consecutive weeks April 15 and 22. She had six Pitcher of the Week honors as a senior and 16 for her career, extending her PCSC record. She was named to the All-PCSC First Team three times. Pagano finished the season ranking among the NCAA leaders in three categories. She was 37th nationally in victories, 46th in strikeouts per seven innings, and 47th in ERA.

Don't You Forget About Me
Not to be overlooked by the performances of Pagano was the play of her running mate, sophomore Melissa Dykema. Dykema went 15-7 with a 2.34 ERA and 108 strikeouts in 143.2 innings, ranking second in the PCSC in ERA, opposing batting average (.227), shutouts (eight), and complete games (16) and third in wins and strikeouts.
During the season's opening weekend, she was 3-1 to earn PCSC Pitcher of the Week honors. Against Rhode Island, she set a new LMU single-game record with 16 strikeouts, one of two outings this year that she has had double-digit strikeouts.
In less than two seasons, Dykema is already fourth on the LMU career lists for strikeouts (309), complete games (43), and victories (41).

Cook Comes Back
It was enough to bring tears to the fans' eyes and one could almost hear the theme song to "The Natural" playing in the background when senior Tracy Cook made her first appearances of the season on Senior Day against Sacramento State April 20. Cook was slated to miss the entire season due to a shoulder injury suffered in the fall but was determined enough to play in her final home games that Ferrin slotted her into the lineup as the DP. Good thing, too, as Cook helped the Lions to the all-important victory in Sunday's first game that put them in first place in the PCSC standings. After popping up in her first at-bat, Cook came up with two outs and the score tied in the third and deposited a single to right to keep the inning alive for junior Megan Ackerman's tie-breaking two-run home run. The next inning, with the score tied again, Cook laced a two-out single to center with the bases loaded that again put the Lions ahead. On the very next pitch, Ackerman's grand slam put the game out of reach. Cook finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. She would appear in seven of the season's final 10 games.

Tysdal Tees Off
On a team that featured many offensive stars, junior Chelsie Tysdal stood tall with an explosive season. She led the PCSC with an LMU single-season record 50 RBI and was named to the conference's First Team as well as to the NFCA All-Pacific Region Second Team. Her 11 home runs were also the best in the conference and tied for fourth in a single-season at LMU. Tysdal wasn't just a power-hitter, either. Her 15 doubles were second on the team, tied for fourth all-time, and 75th in the nation, while she also hit a career-high .378 with 65 hits, both second on the squad. Defensively, she picked off five runners and threw out six trying to steal. Overall, she tied or topped her career-highs in 12 offensive categories.
Tysdal won two PCSC Player of the Week awards this season, on February 26 and March 25. The first time, she batted .615 (8-for-13) with three home runs and six RBI, hitting safely in all four of LMU's games to extend her hitting streak to a season-high eight games. Tysdal earned her second career honor after hitting .500 (5-10) with three home runs and seven RBI in four games for the Lions. She hit her first career grand slam to cap LMU's win over UNLV, then opened up the second game of that doubleheader with a two-run shot. In the finale against New Mexico, her solo homer in the fourth proved the difference.

Slouber Sets the Table
You would want your leadoff hitter to get on base and junior Kirsten Slouber fit that role perfectly. The two-time All-PCSC First Teamer hit safely in each of the season's first 12 games (the second-longest streak in the PCSC) and topped the conference with 75 hits. She was third on the team among regulars with a .361 average and delivered multiple hits in a game 29 times, most on the team. Once she was on base, she also performed, swiping nine bags in 12 attempts and scoring 31 times, third on the team. She ranks fourth on the LMU career runs scored chart (120).
Slouber picked up the second PCSC Player of the Week award of her career when she got the season off to a blazing start, batting .455 (10-22) and hitting safely in all five games, including four multiple-hit outings, at the Red Desert Classic.
She concluded the year with her second straight recognition on the All-PCSC First Team.

Hey J.J.
Tysdal's numbers were impressive but the breakout player of the year for the Lions had to be sophomore J.J. Hartung. As a freshman, Hartung hit .200 in just 40 at-bats and was used primarily as a pinch-runner. In 2008, she stepped into the starting role at third base and proceeded to lead the PCSC with a .405 average out of the eighth hole and was named First Team All-PCSC. She topped on the team with ten stolen bases (in 13 attempts) and was among the league leaders in hits (64 - second) and stolen bases (third). She had 18 multi-hit performances, including an LMU season-high four at San Diego, and even slugged .532 thanks to 11 doubles, three triples, and a home run.
Hartung hit .600 (3-for-5) in LMU's doubleheader split with Cal State Bakersfield to earn her first career PCSC Player of the Week award. She opened the weekend by going 2-for-3 with a double and run scored then doubled again in game two, en route to going 1-for-2 and reaching on a hit-by-pitch.

Mia not M.I.A.
With only two seniors on the team, the junior class needed to take on a prominent leadership role and that's exactly what MiaSarah Cesena did, both vocally and with her play. A career .254 hitter, she is batting .301 with 25 RBI despite hitting ninth. She displayed her willingness to do whatever the team needs by laying down nine sacrifice bunts. Her performance was enough to impress other PCSC coaches, who voted her Honorable Mention for the second straight year.
Cesena had a big weekend at UTEP, driving in three of LMU's four runs against UC Riverside and two more against Binghamton.

A for Ackerman
Junior Megan Ackerman backed up Tysdal's power with more fireworks of her own, hitting nine round-trippers, including three multi-homer games this season. After her postseason heroics helped propel the Lions to their first NCAA wins in 2007, she followed that up with multi-homer games against North Dakota, UNLV, and Sacramento State. Against UND on March 8, she went deep twice and drove in an LMU season-high seven runs. She also swung a heavy bat against UNLV, homering three times in the double header, including twice in game two. She replicated those performances in the battle for first place vs. Sacramento State, homering twice, including her third career grand slam, and driving in six in Sunday's game one after hitting a solo shot that proved the difference in Saturday's opener. She finished that weekend 5-for-10 with the three homers and a double to earn PCSC Player of the Week honors for the first time in her career.
After leading the team with nine homers in 2007, Ackerman equaled that number in 2008, second on the team and fourth in the PCSC. She drove in 28 runs and slugged .538. Her 19 career homers tie Tysdal for fourth on the LMU list.

Two-Bags for Pags
Much of LMU's depth was provided by the return of sophomore Darcy Pagnini. After redshirting the 2007 season due to injury, Pagnini split time behind the plate with Tysdal, with both in the lineup everyday, either as catcher or designated player. Towards the end of the season, Pagnini showed even more versatility, filling in at third and first bases. Playing every day allowed her to thrive, as Pagnini led the team with a school-record 18 doubles while adding six home runs and 20 RBI to go along with a .296 average. Her numbers gained her a place on the All-PCSC Second Team. She was effective even when not swinging the bat, placing third on the team in walks (15) and fourth in runs scored (27), ensuring her a vital role as the number three hitter. She also performed well behind the plate, throwing out six baserunners and picking off three.
Pagnini had her first career two-homer game against UNLV, finishing 3-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored.

Foley, Foley, Foley, Foley!
After a slow start, sophomore Christine Foley recovered to hi .271 with a pair of home runs and 23 RBI, fourth-most on the squad. Although she did not match her school-record .416 average from her freshman season, the 2007 PCSC Player of the Year showed what she was capable of when she got hot, putting together a 15 game hitting streak between February 29 and March 16 before it was snapped against UNLV. The streak was the longest on the team.
Foley doesn't hit many home runs but she did hit them in clutch spots as her second homer of the year was a two-run walk-off shot to beat Illinois-Chicago on March 16. Foley hit safely in all five of LMU's games that week to earn PCSC co-Player of the Week honors, hitting .375 with a double, home run, four RBI and three runs scored.

Freshmen Come Through
Head Coach Gary Ferrin started three freshmen in the season opener and they acknowledged the support with Priscilla Satete driving in the year's first run and Amy Charpentier providing the walk-off hit against Southern Utah. Slouber and Charpentier were the only two LMU players to start all 56 games and that was fitting considering that the pair also were responsible for getting the offense going as the first two hitters. Charpentier served as the perfect compliment to Slouber, leading the rookies with a .317 average and all Lions with 23 walks and 35 runs scored. The second baseman was voted onto the Honorable Mention team by PCSC coaches.
Her gritty play was personified against Loyola of Chicago when the 5-1 Charpentier ran over the much bigger catcher to score the second of LMU's runs and start the rout. She also hit her first career home-run in the second win over Bucknell.

Homer Happy
LMU certainly teed off against good UNLV pitching on March 19, blasting seven home runs in the double header sweep, including five in game two. The seven total homers on the day was one short of the school record of eight hit on March 7, 2006 against the University of Pennsylvania while the five dingers in game two tied the single-game record set in the second game of that double header against UPenn. Even more remarkable was that the seven round-trippers were hit by only three players, as junior Megan Ackerman crushed three while junior Chelsie Tysdal and sophomore Darcy Pagnini each had two. Ackerman and Pagnini each went deep twice in the second game, marking the first time ever that two Lions had gone yard multiple times in the same contest.

Pagano's Streaks Snapped
Entering this season, senior Tiffany Pagano had two conference streaks going: she had won 10 straight PCSC decisions and tossed six consecutive home shutouts, totalling 38 scoreless innings. Those streaks were extended with a 9-0 win over Santa Clara on April 5 but were snapped in her next outing as the Broncos finally pushed across a run and handed Pagano her first PCSC loss since May 13, 2006.

The Most Important Run
At San Diego, three of the four games were decided by a 1-0 scoreline, the first time that had ever happened between LMU and a PCSC opponent (LMU and Santa Clara once played consecutive 1-0 games in 2001, before the PCSC was formed). It was the first time the Lions had played more than one 1-0 game in the same weekend since playing a pair at Santa Clara April 16-17, 2005.
The last time LMU played back-to-back 1-0 games against the same opponent was March 28, 2002, when it split a double header with Tulsa. They followed that with a 1-0 win over Louisiana Tech to play three straight 1-0 games. That year's squad also set the team record for most 1-0 games played in a season, cranking out 10 such contests, going 8-2. This season, the Lions have played nine games that have finished 1-0, going 6-3.
The San Diego series was also the first time in program history that the Lions had played three consecutive extra-inning contests and the first time since March 22, 1995 (Southern Utah) that they had had both games of a double header against the same team go into extra innings.

Ferrin Signs Nine for `09
Head Coach Gary Ferrin will be reloading for the 2009 season by bringing in nine new players. With his 2009 recruiting class, Ferrin could field an entirely new team as he has all nine positions covered.
"I feel this may be the strongest and deepest team LMU has ever fielded. We will have quality depth everywhere," Ferrin said. "I expect our incoming freshmen to contribute right away and compete for starting spots."
A catcher, Stephanie Hughes is a local product out of Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, the same school that produced current Lion Darcy Pagnini. A four-year varsity player for the Mustangs, Hughes was named First Team All-Bay League three times and was an All-Area selection in 2008, when she led the Bay League in home runs, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. In 2007, Hughes played summer ball in Italy, earning an invite to try out with the Italian National Team. She is well-decorated in travel ball, joining up with LMU teammates Christine Foley and Priscilla Satete to play in the 2006 ASA California State Final and National Championships, the 2006 and 2002 Triple Crown World Series, and the 2004 USSSA Nationals, for which she earned a place on the All-Tournament team. Hughes has also excelled in the classroom, where she is a four-time Scholar Athlete and a member of both the principal's honor roll and the California Scholastic Federation.
Shortstop Sam Fischer comes to LMU from Simi Valley High School, where she was the Ventura County Player of the Year and First Team All-State. She led the county in home runs with 11 while hitting .471 with 32 runs batted in and 30 runs scored. Fischer helped SVHS start the 2008 season with 30 straight victories before they suffered their only loss in the CIF-Southern Section Division I championship game. In addition to being named First Team All-CIF, she was also the Ventura County Star Player of the Year, a member of the Los Angeles Times Southland All-Star team, and featured in the San Fernando Valley Classic All-Star Game, where she won the Home Run Derby.
Kelly Sarginson will add some versatility to the Lions, as she has played first and third bases in travel ball and shortstop on her high school team. Hailing from Northgate High School in Walnut Creek, Sarginson hit .571 her senior season and was named Medium School All-State. A four-time All-Diablo Foothill Athletic League selection, she capped her career by being inducted into the Northgate HS Athletic Hall of Fame. A member of the Nor Cal Shockers, Sarginson played in the 2007 ASA Gold Nationals and hit .432 for her travel ball team.
One of three multi-purpose infielder/outfielders, Brittany Pereda led Lutheran High School in Orange in hitting with a .400 average. She was named the Trinity League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, as well as First Team All-League. Additionally, she was her high school Female Athlete of the Year and the CIF Scholar Athlete of the Year. Pereda played club softball for O.C. Batbusters Gold.
Arriving from Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, Corie Goodman will add some depth on the mound for the Lions. The pitcher recently helped her club team, S.D. County Breakers, go 6-0 in Gold Qualifying to advance to the Gold Nationals.
Kylie Ahlo is another versatile infielder, having earned Second Team All-State and First Team All-Interscholastic League of Hawai'i honors at Iolani High School in Honolulu, HI. The shortstop/second baseman will be joined on the Lions by her high school teammate, Kaz Masutani. An infielder/outfielder, Masutani was a three-time First Team All-ILH selection and a two-time member of the All-Hawai'i team, including a First Team member as a senior in 2007. She spent a year at Oregon State but did not play, giving her four years of eligibility at LMU.
The final infielder/outfielder, Erika Marmolejo, hails from Merced, where she was included on the All-CIF Central Section team and an All-Area selection. She led her league in hitting, slugging, runs batted in, home runs, and on-base percentage and was voted Merced High School Athlete of the Year. She played her travel ball with O.C. Athletics Gold.
A third baseman/outfielder, Katrina Bodewig adds speed to the class having led Brea Olinda High School in stolen bases. She was a four-year starter for BOHS, earning team Defensive Player of the Year honors her freshman year. As a senior, she was selected to play in the Orange County All-Star Game while being awarded Century League Scholar Athlete and the United States Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award recognition. Bodewig also played her club ball for O.C. Athletics Gold.