Softball Heads to Campbell-Cartier Classic in San Diego, Calif. – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/13/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 13, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State softball team (4-2) travels to San Diego, Calif., Thursday for the 11th Annual Campbell-Cartier Classic, hosted by San Diego State in Poway, Calif., Friday Feb.16 – Sunday Feb.18.
ABOUT THE CLASSIC
The Campbell-Cartier Classic is an annual even held to honor former San Diego State players Susanne Campbell and Karin Cartier, who were killed in an auto accident in Rosarito, Mexico in 1991. In rememberance of the former players, the SDSU Spring Classic was renamed in 1994.
IMPRESSIVE FIELD
The Campbell-Cartier is stocked with an impressive list of opponents, including four Top 25 teams. Those ranked are No. 9 Fresno State, No. 11 Michigan, No. 15 Stanford and No. 22 Long Beach State. Other participants are Cal-State Northridge, Iowa State, Northwestern, Sacramento State, New Mexico and Utah State.
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
The Buckeyes face off with Cal State Northridge at 1:30(EST.) to open the classic along with an Iowa State-Utah State matchup that will take place at the same time.The Buckeyes then face Long Beach State at 9 p.m. OSU will go up against host-San Diego State at 4 p.m Saturday. The Buckeyes then play Utah State at 3:30 p.m. Seeded bracket play will begin Sunday.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
Cal.-State Northridge (2-2)
Northridge is coming off an appearance at the 2000 NCAA Regionals, the sixth straight post-season showing by the Matadors under seventh-year head coach Janet Sherman. Northridge opened the 2001 season at the Spartan Early Bird Classic at San Jose State, splitting four games. In their season-opener, the Matadors fell to No. 1 U.C.L.A, 13-0. Entering the fourth inning, Northridge trailed just 1-0, before teh Bruins pulled away with an 11-run offensive barrage. Sarah Farnsworth pitched four-plus inning, giving up 12 runs on 13 hits. The Matadors rebounded with a 1-0 win over San Jose State behind the pitching of Tanya Ledesma, who went 6.1 innings and gave up just two hits.Freshman Christen Bedwell’s second-inning home run was the lone run of the game. Northridge again fell to U.C.L.A, this time, 7-0. The Matadors again bounced back, defeating host San Jose State, 1-0, in extra innings to gain a split on the weekend.
Long Beach State (4-4)
The 49ers opened the season by hosting the Long Beach State Invitational, where they split, 3-3. Long Beach State then split a doubleheader with Loyola Marymount, 3-0, 1-0. The 49ers are coming off a 39-23 season that ended at the NCAA Regionals. Returning for head coach Pete Manarino, who has 634 career victories at Long Beach State, are all-Big West selections Jessica Smith and Natalie Walker. Smith’s 13 home run are a school single-season record. She also holds the career record. Freshman pitcher Lindsay Knoff is 3-0, with a save in five appearances. She has tossed two shutouts and registered 15 strikeouts.
San Diego State (4-1)
Coming off a 35-27 campaign last season, San Diego State and sixth-year head coach Kathy Van Wyk opened the 2001 season at the Long Beach Invitiational, where they went 4-1, defeating Illinois-Chicago (2-1), UC Riverside (3-2).The Aztecs also defeated Host ong Beach State twice. Pitcher Sandra Durazo posted two victories and earned Mountain West Conference pitcher of the week.
Utah State (2-3)
Utah State opened at the Fiesta Bowl Tournamemt, where it posted a record of 2-3. The Aggies defeated Missouri (6-1) and Georgia (3-1). Utah State fell to Arizona State (10-0), Wisconsin (5-0) and Texas Tech (6-4).
A TRIP TO THE HOME STATE
The Campbell-Cartier Classic will be a homecoming of sorts for six Buckeyes, all of whom will see significant playing time this weekend. Outfielder Anna Smith (Jr., Walnut, Calif./Diamond Bar) and Jenn Link (2b, So.,Yorba Linda, Calif./Sonora) return to the West coast as savvy veterans. Freshmen pitchers Kristi DeVries (Corona, Calif./Corona) and Wendy Allen (Moreno Valley, Calif./Moreno Valley) will both see time in the circle. Allen will also play in the outfield. Breanna Pozzi (Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grand) is expected to start at shortsop and catcher Annie Dedic will see time behind the plate.
OSU WINS AUBURN INVITE
OSU, seeded No. 3 at the Jameson Inn-Auburn Invitational after splitting doubleheaders Friday and Saturday, defeated previously unbeaten No. 1 seed and host Auburn, 4-0, last Sunday in extra innings to claim the invitational championship along with conference foe Purdue. After a 3-2 win over Syracuse Sunday morning – OSU’s second win over the Orangewomen in as many days – in the opening round of the single-elimination final day of the invitational, the Buckeyes faced off with Auburn a day after falling to the Tigers, 3-2. The nine-inning thriller lasted over three hours, pushing back the scheduled championship game that was to follow. Both the Buckeyes and Purdue had scheduled return flights, meaning there was not sufficient time for the Big Ten teams to square off for the invitational title. Instead, OSU and the Boilermakers were recognized as co-champions. “After round-robin play, I challenged the team because we had lost two one-run games,” OSU head coach Linda Kalafatis said. “I like to see us step up in this kind of situation. We took a one-run victory and won a war in extra innings against a good Auburn team on their field at their tournament.”
DeVRIES NAMED MOST VALUABLE PITCHER
Kristi DeVries (Fr., Corona, Calif./Corona) was recognized as the Most Valuable Pitcher of the Auburn Invitational after winning her first three games of her collegiate career in an overpowering fashion. DeVries averaged a strikeout per inning for the tournament, registering 23 Ks in 23 innings. Her ERA was .30 as she scattered just 12 hits over three appearences, allowing just one earned run.
ALL-INVITE BUCKEYES
Including DeVries’ honor, four Buckeyes were named to the all-invitational team. Catcher Stacy Roth (Jr., Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon), Kristine Himes (So., 3b, Bolivar, Ohio/Tuscarawas) and pitcher Katie Chain (So., North Canton, Ohio/Hoover) also were named to the all-invitational team. OSU had more selections than any other school at the tournament. Auburn had three selections.
STATS TELL CHAIN’S STORY
Sophomore pitcher Katie Chain’s 1-2 record is not reflective of the dominance she displayed in the circle at the Auburn Invite. Chain’s stats are more telling of how difficult Chain was for opposing hitters and why she was selected to the all-invitational team. After three starts, Chain has an earned run average of 0.41. In 18 innings, she allowed just eight hits, one earned run and had 20 strikeouts.
OSU TRIO HARD TO HIT,
Through six games, OSU pitchers have allowed less than half a run a game. Collectively, DeVries, Chain and Wendy Allen have a miniscule earned run average of 0.33 over 42 innings, with Chain and DeVries each giving up one earned run. Opponents have tallied just 22 hits off the trio thus far and have struck out 48 times.
HIMES GOES DEEP
Kristine Himes homered in the second win over Syracuse, parking an offering from Heather Brown over the left field wall. Himes first long ball of the season gives her 11 for her career, two behind Renae Weigel, who set the career-record of 13 last season. Himes 10 home runs her freshman season are an OSU single-season record
HIMES NAMED ALL-INVITE
While Himes’ weekend was highlighted by her deep shot against Syracuse, her consistant offensive production thoughout the invitational garnered her a spot on the All-Invitational team. Besides her first home run of the season, Himes also had a batting average of .417, second on the team, had three doubles and two RBI and team-best slugging percetage (.800) and on-base percentage (.526.
DeVRIES ALSO OFFENSIVE
A strong case could be made for DeVries to be named to the All-invitational soley on her offensive production. The invitational’s Most Valuable Pitcher led the Buckeyes with .417 batting average (5-12). DeVries also notched two RBI and a double.
ALLEN EARNS FIRST SAVE,
After an ACL injury caused Wendy Allen to miss her high school and summer sesons as well as the OSU fall season, the highly touted freshman was cleared to play in Auburn and had a fine collegiate debut. Offensively, Allen picked up two hits in five plate appearances (.313), including a double.Allen came in to relieve Katie Chain in the final day-first round win over Syracuse, striking out five and allowing just two hits to preserve the 2-1 Buckeye lead and earn her first save.
HOTTINGER IN THE CLUTCH
Outfielder Rogeanna Hottinger led the Buckeyes with three RBI in Auburn. She had four hits in 13 trips to the plate (.308). Against Auburn Sunday, Hottinger singled in the top of the ninth to score Jennifer Elwell from third base to give OSU the first score of the game and eventual game-winning run.
SMITH SWIPES TWO MORE
Junior outfielder Anna Smith stole two bases in two attempts at the Auburn Invitational to put her in the familiar position of the squad’s leading base stealer. Smith swiped 37 bases to lead the team last season. Collectively, OSU stole five bases on six attempts.
SOLID FOUNDATION
Now in her fifth season at Ohio State, head coach Linda Kalafatis has her most solid foundation since taking over the OSU program. All but three starter from last season return and some top prospects have been added to the roster. “For the first time since I’ve been here, it’s basically the same nucleus of players from the year before,” Kalafatis said. “We’re adding to a great nucleus of starters, rather than depending on so many people to come in and make a difference. “I think that, in our fifth year, the stability we have created is really starting to have a settling effect on the program. These are all players that have come in under our tenure. The players share in our expectations of the program.”
ALL-BIG TEN TRIO RETURNS
OSU returns three All-Big Ten selections from last season. Junior catcher Stacy Roth, a first team All-Great Lakes Region and second-team All-Big Ten selection is back behind the plate. Center fielder Anna Smith, a junior, is coming off consecutive All-Big Ten seasons. She was a third-team selection as a freshman and a second-team selection last season. At second base, Jennifer Link earned second-team conference honors as a freshman. Roth’s 36 RBI were the second most for a season in OSU history. Her 14 RBI in conference play were second most in the Big Ten. She was voted team MVP and offensive player of the year. Smith led OSU with 37 stolen bases and ranked seventh in conference play with seven steals. She also cracked the Big TenTop 10 with a batting average of .339 (10th) and 19 hits (fifth) in conference play. Link had a batting average of .294 to go along with her fielding percentage of .959 and was named defensive player of the Year.
POZZI GETS THE NOD
Freshman Breana Pozzi (Petaluma, Calif./Casa Grande) had a strong fall season, which gave her the inside track to take over the shortstop position – the lone open spot in the infield. Pozzi joined Sarah West, Christine Himes and Jennifer Link in the infield.
ELLIS RETURNS A BUCKEYE
Amy Ellis (So., Sagamore Hills, Ohio/Ball State Univ.), a transfer student that started in 24 games and subbed in another 16 as a shortstop for Ball State, returned to the Buckeye state after a year in Muncie, Ind. She went 3-4 against Michigan State and 2-4 against Ohio last season. She also hit a game-winning double against Illinois for the Cardinals.
McABIER ON THE CORNERS
Beth McAbier (Fr., Carrollton, Ohio/Carrollton) could see time at both third and first base this season. She will most likely see time at the hot corner behind Himes. McAbier was a four-year letterwinner is softball, basketball and volleyball. She started all four years in softball and volleyball and was a three-year starter in basketball. She also earned All-Ohio honors in basketball and softball.
GOING, GOING, GONE
Ohio State aimed for the fences last season, blasting 28 home runs, a single-season record. Freshman Kristine Himes led the Buckeyes with 10 dingers. Stacy Roth and Sarah West followed with six each.
OUTFIELD IN TACT
Outfield coach Drema Neal returned four veterans to her unit. Starters Holly English, Rogeanna Hottinger and Anna Smith return, as does part-time starter Chrissy Fowler. Catcher Stacy Roth and newcomer Wendy Allen also could see time in the outfield. Neal said offensive production will determine the lineup, meaning there could be be several variations on the lineup.
ON DECK
OSU will next compete at the Florida International/Golden Panther Invitational in Miami, Fla. March 2-4. Other schools participating in the event are Flordia International, Florida Atlantic, Connecticut, Arkansas and Wichita State.
