April 30, 2008

Gaels at a Glance: Saint Mary's softball finished the weekend with a 4-0 sweep over the San Diego Toreros, placing them in the top spot of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference. Saint Mary's goes into the final weekend of conference play in first place for the first time in the history of the program. The Gaels have posted a 25-22 overall record and 11-5 mark in the PCSC.

Last week Saint Mary's was led by seniors Molly Bergeson on the plate and Megan Galloway in the circle. Bergeson finished the four games with a .571 batting average and on base percentage, while totaling four runs, eight hits, one double, one triple, and two RBI. Galloway made three appearances on the weekend, picking up two wins and a save, while accumulating a stellar 0.93 ERA. The right hander pitched 15 innings, while only allowing 15 hits, two earned runs, and striking out nine.

Saint Mary's will play their final non-conference match-up against No. 10 Fresno State on Wednesday night, as they face the Bulldogs in a 6:00 PM double-header. The Gaels will then finish the regular season with their final conference match-up against Loyola Marymount. The series will begin on Saturday, May 3 at 12:00 PM and finish on the Gaels' Senior Day, Sunday, May 4 at 12:00 PM. The Lions are currently tied for second with Sacramento State in the PCSC, as they are both just one game back from the Gaels.

Scouting the Bulldogs: Fresno State currently ranks 10th in NCAA Div I, as they have accumulated a 45-8 overall record. Three of their eight loses have come to ranked opponents, and they are currently 11-3 in the Western Athletic Conference. As a team the Bulldogs have posted a .307 batting average, .451 slugging percentage, and .372 on base percentage. In addition, Fresno State has totaled 38 homeruns, 13 triples, 71 doubles, and 246 RBI.

Haley Perkins has led the way for the Bulldogs at the plate, tagging a .388 batting average, while recording 40 runs, 62 hits, five doubles, seven triples, and 19 RBI. The big homerun hitter for Fresno State lies in No. 12 Jenna Cervantez, knocking 12 out of the ballpark this season.

In the circle it is Morgan Melloh that tops the list, racking-up a 33-5 record this season. Melloh has appeared in 45 games, started in 34, pitched 33 complete, and has added 16 shutouts this season. The Bulldog pitcher has a 1.13 ERA, pitching 266.1 innings, while allowing 161 hits, 43 earned runs, and striking out 340.

Scouting the Lions: Loyola Marymount is not far behind the Gaels in the PCSC, as they have posted a 10-6 conference record, just one game back from Saint Mary's. On the season LMU is 35-17, posting a team batting average of .310 and team ERA of 1.25.

Leading the Lions in batting average is J.J. Hartung, posting a .396 mark, while tabbing 18 runs, 57hits, 10 doubles, two triples, one homerun, and 17 RBI. Hartung also led LMU in stolen bases this season, reaching safely on 10-of-12 attempts this season. Chelsie Tysdal is another Lion that has been hot from the plate, recording a .378 batting average, .679 slugging percentage, and .439 on base percentage. In addition, Tysdal leads the team in homeruns with 11 this season, while also adding 30 runs, 59 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, and 44 RBI.

In the circle LMU uses the pitching tandem of Tiffany Pagano and Melissa Dykema, posting 21 and 14 wins respectively. Pagano leads the team in ERA, with a 1.25 mark, while also adding 10 shutouts, 29 complete games, and 262 strikeouts. Dykema picked-up the Lions' two victories over Portland State last weekend, and was named the PCSC Pitcher of the Week for her honors. The sophomore has posted a 2.19 ERA, with eight shutouts and 16 complete games, while adding 101 strikeouts.

One Two Punch: Senior slappers Molly Bergeson and Bronwyn Russell have found their niche at the plate this season, tabbing .386 and .333 batting averages respectively. Bergeson currently ranks fourth in the PCSC in batting average, while the two have combined for 59 runs, 106 hits, four doubles, nine triples, and 31 RBI. The pair has been successful on 36 of 43 stolen base attempts, as Bergeson and Russell have each posted 19 and 17 apiece, ranking first and second in the PCSC. With Russell leading off and Bergeson on deck, the Gaels have been very successful at getting on base, each posting .407 and .457 on base percentages respectively. Bergeson has added six of Saint Mary's triples, ranking first in PCSC and 11 in the NCAA Div. I.

Bombs Away: Sophomore Jenna Smith has taken a liking to the long ball this season, recording 11 homeruns. The catcher did not record a homerun in her first year as a Gael, but has ignited this season at the plate. Smith tabbed her first whammy in the bottom of the third against Youngstown State on February 28, and went on to hit another in the bottom of the sixth, helping the Gaels to a 6-1 win. With 11 bombs this season the sophomore has clinched the Saint Mary's single season record, and needs seven more to tie the career record of 18, held by Claudia Williams (2002-2005). With her 11 round trippers (0.26 per game) the sophomore currently ranks first in the PCSC and 27th in the NCAA in homeruns per game. The catcher/designated player also ranks tied first in the PCSC in sacrifice flys per game, tabbing three season.

Two Birds, One Stone: Saint Mary's softball currently ranks 20th in the NCAA Div. I in double plays turned per game. This season the Gaels have turned two 18 times, averaging 0.42 twin killings per game. The 4-6-3 play has been perfected by Eastern Kentucky this season, topping the list with 0.59 per game.

Cronin Garners First PCSC Award (4/22/08): Freshman pitcher Maryanne Cronin was awarded with her first Pacific Coast Softball Conference honor, as she was named the PCSC Co-Pitcher of the Week for April 14.

The La Palma, CA native put together impressive performances in the circle, pitching 20.2 innings while only allowing one run. The freshman made four appearances, including two starts, two complete games, and one shutout, posting a 0.34 ERA, while holding Portland State to 14 hits and one run. In the series against the Vikings the right hander subdued her opponents' bats, holding Portland State to a .189 batting average. Cronin earned both of the Gaels' wins on the week, improving her record to 7-5 on the season.

Galloway Repeats Pitching Honor (5/15/08): Saint Mary's pitcher Megan Galloway was named the Pacific Coast Softball Conference Pitcher of the Week for the second time this season. The right hander posted a 3-0 record over the week, including the Gaels' first win over Oregon State since 1989. Galloway earned the award earlier this season, for the week of March 24, and shares the honor this week with Loyola Marymount's Tiffany Pagano.

Galloway was close to perfect throughout her four appearances last week, starting and throwing a complete game in three of her four showings. The senior threw 21.0 innings, holding her opponents to 11 hits and one run, while striking out 11. Galloway threw two shutouts against PCSC Bay Area rival, Santa Clara, helping the Gaels to a series sweep over the Broncos. On the week Galloway posted an impressive 0.33 ERA, while improving to 10-9 on the season.

Galloway Earns PCSC Pitcher of the Week (3/24/08): Senior pitcher, Megan Galloway, was named the Pacific Coast Softball Conference Pitcher of the Week, as she compiled impressive performances throughout the Gaels' competitions in the Bank of Hawaii Invitational. The award was a first for the senior.

Galloway had a stellar week for the Gaels in the circle, recording a 2-2 record, with both wins coming against No. 17 Hawaii. For the week Galloway posted 1.52 ERA, while appearing in four games with three starts for the Gaels. The senior held her opponents 20 hits and five earned runs in 23 innings pitched, while striking out 12 batters.

In the Gaels' first game against the Wahine, Galloway pitched a complete game, holding Hawaii's batters to four hits and no earned runs. The senior struck out an impressive seven batters in the game, earning her fifth win of the season.

Saint Mary's rode the arm of Galloway in their second game against No. 17 Hawaii, as the senior entered the game in the third inning, pitching the remaining seven innings as the Gaels earned a 4-2 win in extras. The hurler proved to cause problems for the Wahine, holding Hawaii to only two hits and no earned runs in seven innings of action. With a 4-2 lead in hand in the bottom of the ninth, Galloway held off Hawaii, forcing three straight outs to earn her sixth win of the year.

The two wins against No. 17 Hawaii marked Galloway's first wins against a ranked opponent.

Jenna Smith Earns PCSC Player of the Week (3/3/08): Sophomore catcher/designated player, Jenna Smith, earned her first Pacific Coast Softball Conference player of the week, following the Gaels' 3-1 record against Youngstown State and CS Northridge. Smith recorded the first homerun of her career against Youngstown State, on Thursday, March 28, and then proceeded to hit two more homeruns against the Penguins and one against CS Northridge. In four games of action, Smith posted four runs, five hits, and seven RBI, while compiling four home runs on the week. Smith posted an impressive .417 batting average, 1.417 slugging percentage, and .462 on base percentage.

Smith's bat proved clutch for the Gaels in two match-ups over the weekend, as her third homerun against the Penguins was a three-run, walk-off slammer, defeating Youngstown State 6-3 in the second game of the double header. Against CS Northridge the sophomore recorded her second key homerun of the week, as it brought in two runs and tied the game at two apiece in the top of the sixth inning.

Hanaseth's Crew: Jessica Hanaseth enters her fourth season as the head coach for the Saint Mary's softball team. Hanaseth took over the position after being a part of the program as an assistant coach and player for seven seasons. Last season Hannaseth guided the Gaels to a third place Pacific Coast Softball League finish, as Saint Mary's finished the season with a 24-36 overall record and 9-11 record in the PCSC.

Throughout Coach Hanaseth's tenure at Saint Mary's many of her athletes have received recognition by the PCSC. Following her first season as head coach of the Gaels Hanaseth led freshman Bronwynn Russle to PCSC Freshman of the Year, while Russle and Eleni Papailias were selected to the PCSC First Team. In total Hanseth's players have garnered 10 PCSC accolades over the past three years.

Before being named the Saint Mary's softball head coach Hanaseth served as an assistant coach for the Gaels for three years with her duties varying in all aspects of the game. Hanaseth worked with infielders, outfielders and hitters in her three years as an assistant and was in charge of recruiting and community service. With her help, the Gaels participated in the Walk for Breast Cancer in Golden Gate Park and fed the homeless at Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco.

Hanaseth, a 2001 graduate of SMC with a degree in Health Physical Education and Recreation with a teaching emphasis, finished her playing career second in RBI (84), third in doubles (19), and eighth with a .284 career batting average. Her senior year proved to be one of her best as she finished the campaign seventh in the SMC record books with a .979 fielding percentage and hits (56).