FRIDAY, FEB 6, 2009
Cal State San Bernardino
12:30 PM
San Francisco State
5:00 PM
SATURDAY FEB 7, 2009
Grand Canyon University
12:15 PM
UC San Diego
2:30 PM
SUNDAY, FEB 8, 2009
Chico State
1:45 PM
Notre Dame de Namur
4:00 PM

GAME NOTES


FIRST PITCH:
After losing a long stretch 16-inning game on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, the Otters are ready to hit the road to compete in the Mizuno Best of the West Invitational. This is a non-conference six-game series.

NEXT WEEK:
The Otters continue on the road to the Cal State San Bernardino Tournament. First game of the five-game series begins on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2009. All games are denoted as being non-conference. CSUMB opens the tournament on Saturday against Regis University at 9:00 a.m. The team will also battle Adams State, Colorado School of Mines and Notre Dame de Namur.


2008 MIZUNO INVITATIONAL RECAP:
The Otters started off the 2008 season with a win against Chico State, on Friday Feb, 1, in Turlock. Following the 3-1 victory against the Wildcats, the women's softball team defeated cross-bay rival San Francisco State, 9-0. To break the two-game winning streak, the Otters were toppled by Seattle University, 10-3. To close out the Best of the West Invitational, CSUMB was victorious against Cal State San Bernardino, 2-1.

NOTRE DAME DE NAMUR:
The Cal State Monterey Bay softball team began the 2009 season with a 16-inning 2-2 tie in the second game of a doubleheader against Notre Dame de Namur University on Sunday, Feb. 1, at the Otters Softball Complex. NDNU's early runs cost the Otters the first game, 4-1. In the nightcap, the Otters jumped on the board in the first inning on a double by #Shelair Rowell#. CSUMB raised their lead to 2-0 in the fifth on Rowell's single through the left side. With two outs, the Argonauts tied the score in the ninth inning on an Otter error. Starting pitcher #Jessica Boyle# pitched the entire 16 innings, setting a new CSUMB record with 20 strikeouts. Boyle saw her no-hitter come to an end in the tenth inning. The Argos opened game one by scoring two runs off three hits in the first inning.  Rowell hit a sacrifice fly to center field to drive in junior #Jennifer Montez#.  NDNU scored two more runs in the second inning to take a 4-1 lead.

COMMENTS BY COACH KENNEY:
On NDNU Game - “We played unaggressive softball. And despite an outstanding pitching performance by #Jessica Boyle#, we left the field without a victory.  We have a lot to improve on.”

CCAA PRESEASON STORY:
Monday, Jan. 27, 2009- Defending national and conference regular-season champion Humboldt State has been selected as the preseason favorite to capture the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) crown in 2009 following a vote of conference coaches, it was announced on Monday.

California Collegiate Athletic Association
2009 Softball Preseason Coaches Poll

Rank        Team (First place votes)            Points
1.               Humboldt State (7)                        63
2.               Cal State Stanislaus (2)               55
3.               Cal State Dominguez Hills          39
4.               Cal State San Bernardino            36
5.               UC San Diego                                34
6.               Cal State Monterey Bay                 33
7.               San Francisco State                      27
8.               Chico State                                      24
9.               Sonoma State                                 17



LOCAL STANDOUT PICKS CSUMB :
The Cal State Monterey Bay head softball coach Andrea Kenney has announced the signing of local standout Kylie Linnane, from Notre Dame High School in Salinas, Calif. Linnane, a pitcher, was a member of the winning pitcher in the 2008 Division III CCS championship game with 14 strikeouts.  She pitched in a total of three CCSS playoff games, consisting of 18 innings and giving up no runs while striking out 26 batters. In her senior year, Linnane racked up 145 strikeouts in 98 innings, pitching a total of 21 games.  Her final earned run average was. 0.79. For her efforts, she was named to the Tri-County League First Team, All-County First Team, All-Valley First Team, and All-State Medium Schools First Team.  Linnane was a two-time selection for The Californian Athlete of the Week her sophomore year and also led her team to victory in the 2006 Division III CCS championship game. “What we are looking for are athletes that will take us to the next level, a Conference and a National championship, Kylie is exactly that,” Kenney said. “There is no question in my mind that she will develop into the premier pitcher in the conference. She is a highly sought after recruit, who not only excels on the field but in the classroom as well, the fact that she chose CSUMB says a lot about the University and the softball program.” Linnane plans to major in Nutrition, Health and Fitness at CSUMB.