Softball News Updates

Sophomore Mary Claire Brenner hit three home runs in a game to break the previous school record of two home runs in a single game. Brenner was a perfect 3-for-3 at the pate against Southern Utah as Oregon State won 11-0 in five innings during play at the Kajikawa Classic.

Carson City, Nevada - Western Nevada College’s softball team finished with a 1-5 record ending a difficult weekend in Henderson, Nevada on a positive note. The Wildcats lost their first five straight games including their season opener against the defending 2009 NJCAA Division I national champions, Yavapai College of Arizona. WNC fell to Yavapai, 12-2, Arizona Western College, 7-1, Central Arizona College, 7-4, South Mountain College, 8-1 and Pima Community College, 9-1, before earning a 12-0 shutout of Gateway College. First-year Wildcats Coach Leah Wentworth said her team performed well despite the losses. “There were a lot of positives,” as WNC scored in every game, and three Wildcats players batted .500 or above for the weekend against “really good competition,” she said. “These are year-round teams that have been practicing outside” while the Wildcats have been working indoors and waiting for the snow to melt on Edmonds Park Field A in Carson City, where they will play home games this year. The second year team includes eight freshmen and seven sophomores. Wentworth said her team made significant progress to build on before heading into Scenic West Conference play in a few weeks. “There were things we needed to work on, defensively, and we were putting the ball in play,” she said. “I feel good about where we started and where we are going.” The Wildcats next head to St. George, Utah for doubleheaders against Salt Lake Community College (Feb. 10-11) and Colorado Northwestern Community College (Feb. 12-13).

Nevada senior pitcher Katie Holverson, the 2009 WAC Pitcher of the Year, has been named to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2010 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award. Holverson is 61-31 with a 2.23 ERA in her career at Nevada. Last year, she went 28-11 with a 1.70 earned-run average in leading the Wolf Pack to its second straight WAC title and NCAA Tournament appearance. This award, which is considered the most prestigious honors in Division I women’s collegiate softball, is designed to recognize outstanding athletic achievement by female collegiate softball players across the country. The 2010 Pre-Season Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 35 schools and 14 different NCAA Division I Conferences. The list includes 27 seniors, 17 juniors and six sophomores. The list will be cut to 10 on May 12 and the final three finalists will be announced on May 26. The winner of the 2010 USA Softball National Collegiate Player of the Year Award will be announced prior to the start of the 2010 NCAA Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

The USA Today/NFCA and ESPN.COM/USA Softball Division I preseason polls have been released and NCAA defending national and Pac-10 champion Washington has been ranked No. 1 in both polls. The Huskies, coming off their first-ever national championship in 2009, enter the 2010 campaign as the No. 1 preseason pick for the first time in school history. Washington returns 2009 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year and Women’s College World Series Most Offensive Player Danielle Lawrie in 2010. Other key offensive players also returning to help the Huskies defend its national title, include All-American junior shortstop Jenn Salling, junior infielder Morgan Stuart, sophomore infielder Niki Williams and sophomore outfielder Kimi Pohlman. The Huskies begin defense of their title on February 11 against Auburn in Tempe, Ariz. In the NFCA poll, which is voted on by NCAA Division I head coaches, one representing each Conference, tabbed Washington as the unanimous No. 1. ARIZONA STATE came in at No. 5, ARIZONA at No. 6, UCLA at No. 8, and rounding out the top 10 was STANFORD at No. 10. The sixth Pac-10 squad is CALIFORNIA, which was picked at No. 12.
In the USA Softball Collegiate top 25 poll, Washington nabbed No. 1 with 17 first-place votes. Arizona was tabbed No. 4, UCLA No. 6, followed by Arizona State at No. 7. California came in at No. 11, followed by Bay Area-rival Stanford at No. 12. Also receiving votes in the poll was OREGON.
Arizona State is coming off its fourth-consecutive NCAA Women’s College World Series appearance IN 2009. The Sun Devils return a strong squad highlighted by sophomore pitcher Hillary Bach who tallied 31 wins in 2009, ranking third all-time in the ASU single-season records. The Sun Devils begin their
season on February 11 with a doubleheader against Mississippi and San Jose State in Tempe, Ariz.
The Arizona Wildcats are coming off their 21st appearance in the Women’s College World Series in 22 years. They return a strong team in 2010, with junior outfielder Brittany Lastrapes leading the way. Lastrapes was Arizona’s only first team NFCA All-American in 2009, batting .481 with only 14 strikeouts. The Wildcats begin their 2010 campaign on February 12 with a doubleheader against Western Michigan and Purdue in Tempe, Ariz.
UCLA is coming off a 45-11 campaign in 2009 reaching the NCAA Super Regional title game. The squad is led by senior pitcher Megan Langenfeld who was 17-2 last season. UCLA begin its season on February 12 vs. Georgia in Clermont, Fla.



The USA Today/NFCA Division I Top 25 Poll
1 Washington
2 Alabama
3 Florida
4 Michigan
5 Arizona St.
6 Arizona
7 Georgia
8 UCLA
9 Missouri
10 Stanford
11 Oklahoma
12 California
13 Georgia Tech
14 Ohio St.
15 Northwestern
16 Tennessee
17 Baylor
18 LSU
19 North Carolina
20 Massachusetts

ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25
1. Washington
2. Alabama
3. Michigan
4. Arizona
5. Florida
6. UCLA
7. Arizona State
8. Georgia
9. Missouri
10. Oklahoma
11. California
12. Stanford
13. LSU
14. Georgia Tech
15. Baylor
16. Ohio State
17. Northwestern
18. Tennessee
19. Florida State
20. DePaul
21. Louisville
22. North Carolina
23. ULL
24. Fresno State
25. UMass

PALM SPRINGS, CA – Amidst the worst rain, mudslides, rock falls and economy in recent Southern California memory, the sun shone on the Toys for Tots USSSA softball tournament in Palm Springs.
The tournament got underway on Friday night December 11. Director Jerry Ramsay was confident, yet somewhat apprehensive, about whether the 108+ teams would get to complete the games on Sunday.
The sun shone, however, on the 25th annual Toys for Tots Tournament and even though rain fell during the day on Friday and in the middle of the night on Saturday, the fields were groomed and dry by the games’ start at 6 p.m. on Friday night and then again on Sunday morning at 8 a.m.
Ramsay extends a huge thank you to the maintenance crews of Big League Dreams in Cathedral City and to the maintenance crews of the cities of Palm Springs and Palm Desert for making sure that the fields were perfect. “Also thank you to 1st SGT. O’Toole and a special thank you to SGT. Malendoski for her great coordinating of the marine detail that collected the toys.”
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬SANTA CAME…
And, then there was Santa. From the team of NW Combat/CJ Financial/Elite, a veteran player in the Toys for Tots Tournaments, Jessie Wozniak and Candy Campbell of CJ FINANCIAL became so overwhelmed that they went out and bought more than $7,000 in toys from the local Walmart to donate to the Marines for this year’s tournament. Jessie and Candy come all the way from Detroit, Michigan each year to play. This year, his donation of toys helped to set the record of “Most Toys Donated” in Toys’ history. The toys are given to kids who are at risk, and who might not otherwise have a Santa in their lives at Christmas. Thanks, Jessie and Candy.
“This was the 10th year in a row that we have had more than 100 teams play at the Toys for Tots Tournament in Palm Springs ,” said Ramsay, the Tournament Director. “We were very pleased that the games went off without a hitch, and we are thankful for such strong support from the teams and players.”
Tournament winners were:
Open Division - 1st – Sunnyvale/Fine Design; 2nd – Famouns/Hartzell/Easton
Mixed Division – 1st – Class Acts Auto Body; 2nd – FTB
C Division – 1st – Kongs; 2nd – No Ego
E Division – 1st – Paper Trail; 2nd – Kuz We Can

The nPLAY Foundation, a nationwide organization dedicated to helping reverse the rate of childhood obesity in the United States has announced that USA Softball superstar Jennie Finch has committed to help raise funds for the organization by teaming up with MyCelebritees—a one-of-a-kind company that partners with celebrities to support charities through the sales of unique apparel.
Finch has an ongoing partnership with nPLAY, and sees MyCelebritees as the ideal way to supplement the donations she already makes to the group. Finch designed a T-shirt based on her personal motto—“Dream and Believe”—that is now available to the public via www.mycelebritees.com. Twenty-five percent of all sales of the shirt will be donated to nPLAY to help support the organization’s mission.
“We are thrilled to know that Jennie has chosen our organization as the beneficiary for her partnership with MyCelebritees,” said Michael Maccia, Founder of nPLAY. “Jennie has been wonderful about her support of our group for some time, and this is yet another effort on her behalf to help make a difference in the lives of America’s youth. It is truly amazing to know that she is committed to helping inspire, motivate and give back to our organization.”
“This cause is a very important one, and I am honored to help the nPLAY foundation achieve its goals,” said Finch. “I strongly encourage everyone to support this wonderful group by visiting mycelebritees.com and picking up a ‘Dream and Believe’ shirt for themselves or a loved one.”

The 2009 Arizona Softball Hall of Fame Class were honored at the Hall of Fame Banquet which was attended by 240 honorees and guests. The 2009 class included Annie Jackson Sierras, Rojelia Holguin, Betty Hamman, Gary Clifford and Tom Bowen in the players category and Mike Candrea and Lloyd Jenney in the contributor category. The 2000 and 2001 Arizona Storm Women’s Open Major Team was also inducted for winning back to back ASA National Championships. Nominations for the 2010 Softball Hall of Fame are now being accepted. To nominate a female player or contributor contact JoAnna Burton at 623-979-6823. To nominate a male player or contributor contact either Paul Rubin at 602-229-8433 or John White at 520-836-6096.