May 8, 2003

The Record: Overall 34-19 Big West 9-8

This Week's Schedule

Friday, May 9th * Saturday, May 10th
UC Santa Barbara 34-19 (9-8, 4th)
at #6 Cal State Fullerton 36-13 (17-1, 1st)
5:00 p.m. Doubleheader Friday * 1:00 p.m. Single Game Saturday
at CSF's Titan Softball Complex
Radio: Friday's doubleheader can be heard live on KCSB 91.9 FM, or at www.KCSB.org

Make-Up Game (if necessary)
Sunday, May 11th
UC Santa Barbara 34-19 (9-8, 4th)
vs. Long Beach State 26-17 (14-3, 2nd)
11:00 a.m. at Campus Diamond

The Next To Go
Yes, it is time for yet another installment of the Gaucho record book. At this point the number of records either broken or tied is too many to list, but entering this final week of the regular season, there are a number of UCSB bench marks that could be toppled. The record most likely to fall this weekend is hits in a season. Currently first in the Big West with 396 hits on the season, this year's squad only needs three more to break the 398 mark set by the 1987 team. In the circle, the Gauchos' staff only needs to strikeout seven more batters to surpass the record of 291 set in 1982. As far as wins go, the 34 accumulated this year ties for the most in school history, and Carly Harmon's 17 on the rubber leaves her with just one more tie Sandy Ortgies record set in 1987. And with the exception of Chantal Pershing's 17 sacrifice bunts that are threatening the single season record of 21, the rest of the top marks are being eyeballed by Jami Trinidad. The current mark for hits in a season, 59, Trinidad has 56; doubles in a season, 14, Trinidad has 13; career RBI, 130, Trinidad has 124; total bases in a season, 89, Trindad is tied. And lastly, the senior catcher needs just two walks to tie her own mark of 36 set last year.

Gunnin' At The Top Spot
Without a doubt, the Gauchos three-game series at No. 6 Cal State Fullerton is their biggest of the season. With the hopes of an at-large bid into the NCAA Tourney looming in the air, it is crucial for UCSB to make a good showing in Fullerton against one of the top teams in the nation. Currently leading the Big West with a 17-1 conference record, the Titans need just one more win to capture their fourth straight Big West title. Led by US National Team invitees, Jenny Topping, Jodie Cox, and Gina Oaks, CSF holds 4-76 all-time record against the Gauchos and has not lost to them since 1998. Topping, Cox and Oaks, in that order, lead the Titans at the plate with Topping sporting a conference leading .434 batting average, the 18th best in Division I. Topping also leads the Big West with .682 slugging %, .563 on-base %, and 37 walks. And she is second in the conference with 88 total bases, one behind UCSB's Jami Trinidad. In addition to their offensive output, Cox and Oaks anchor Fullerton's pitching staff with 1.20 and 1.67 ERAs, respectively. Cox's 1.20 mark is just behind the Gauchos' Loren Thornburg's 1.19 conference leading ERA that is 39th best in DI. The Titans 1.46 team ERA is ranked 24th in the nation, edging UCSB's 1.47 which is 26th best. Cox leads the team with eight shutouts and 185 K's, while Oaks paces the team with 18 wins. And back on the offensive end, Oaks' 38 runs scored hold down the top spot in the Big West.

Holding It Down
With UCSB going up against an opponent that has won 27 consecutive conference games at home, it is a good thing that the Gauchos' pitching is capable of the task. Although Santa Barbara's has posted a 10-9 record in the last month, UCSB's dynamic duo of senior Loren Thornburg and freshman Carly Harmon have pitched well enough to win in almost of each of the losses. Of nine, the Gauchos fell short by one run in five games, and by two runs or less in seven. In Thornburg's last eight starts (4-4) she has posted a 0.90 ERA with 36 strikeouts, and has only given up 42 hits in 54.2 innings. While Harmon in her last seven appearances (3-3) has not allowed more than two earned runs in any outing, in fact in her 29 games this season, Harmon has only allowed more than two earned runs five times.

A Senior's Statement
Senior outfielder Ashley Groefsema has been extremely effective for the Gauchos at the plate since the Gauchos's trip to Utah. Over the past two weeks she has hit .500, second on the team, going 7-for-14 with four runs scored, also second on the team. Adding in her lone walk she is also second on the team with a .533 on-base percentage. She is also one of the Gauchos best defensive outfielders, posting a .975 fielding percentage.

Big West Statistical Leaders (as of 5/5/03)
Jami Trinidad: .384 batting average - 3rd, .610 slugging percentage - 3rd, .492 on-base percentage - 3rd, 56 hits - 2nd(t), 43 RBI - 1st, 13 doubles - 4th, 6 home runs - 3rd(t), 89 total bases - 1st, 34 base-on-balls - 2nd, 4 sacrifice flies - 2nd

Chantal Pershing: .327 batting average - 6th, .392 on-base percentage - 9th, 36 runs - 2nd, 52 hits - 5th, 5 hit-by-pitches - 4th(t), 17 sacrifice bunts - 2nd, 30 stolen bases - 2nd

E.J. Lauchland: .320 batting average - 7th, 49 hits - 9th, 26 RBI - 9th

Leslie Simien: 32 runs - 3rd(t), 48 hits - 10th, 32 stolen bases - 1st

Ashley Groefsema: 7 stolen bases - 7th

Diane Gerry: 5 stolen bases - 11th(t)

Loren Thornburg: 1.19 ERA - 1st, .176 opponents average - 3rd, 176.0 innings - 1st, 165 strikeouts - 2nd, 43 strikeouts looking - 4th, 14 wins - 5th, 24 starts - 4th(t), 10 shutouts - 1st, 9 wild pitches - 7th(t), 13 hit batters - 3rd(t)

Carly Harmon: 1.56 ERA - 4th, .231 opponents average - 9th, 175.1 innings - 2nd, 106 strikeouts - 6th, 17 wins - 1st(t), 29 appearances - 7th(t), 27 starts - 1st, 4 shutouts - 8th(t)

Overall Team: .274 average - 2nd, 191 runs - 2nd, 396 hits - 1st, 91 stolen bases - 1st, 1.47 ERA - 2nd(t), 285 strikeouts - 2nd

By The Numbers
11 Multiple RBI games by Jami Trinidad, the most on the team. She has nine two-RBI games, one four-RBI game, and one six-RBI game. Last week she set a new UCSB single season record for RBI in a season.

23:7 The number of runners left on base by UCSB compared to its opponents in its last three losses. They lost two of those games by one run and the other by two.

4 Sacrifice bunts by Chantal Pershing in game two against LBSU, doubling UCSB's previous single-game record. It is also how many more sac's she needs to tie the single-season record.

53 As in the total amount of games the Gauchos have played this season, the number of games started by Chantal Pershing at third base in 2003, and the number of times Pershing has occupied the second spot in the starting lineup this year.

3 Consecutive bunt singles by Leslie Simien in the Gauchos' last game againt LBSU. In fact, she nearly had four-in-a-row, but her first attempt was fielding cleanly, she did however reach base when the throw was rushed resulting in an error.

5 Wins by UCSB over teams that are either currently ranked in the Top-25 nationally or have recieved Top-25 votes on the year. The Gauchos have beaten Oregon, Michigan State, Kansas, Pacific and SDSU.

.409 Team-high conference batting average of Jami Trinidad. Second on the team in Big West games is Chantal Pershing with a .364 average.

.864 The astonishing slugging percentage of Trindad in Big West play. She has five homeruns and five doubles in conference games. The next closest is sophomore Katie Oliver at .545.