CSUDH Softball Moves Up One Spot to No. 19 in NFCA Poll
Toros have won 17 of last 20 games as they enter season’s stretch run
April 7, 2005

Starkville, MS – The Cal State Dominguez Hills softball team continues to move up the rankings, now sitting at No. 19 in the nation after winning 17 of its last 20 games, it was announced earlier by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA).

The Toros, who currently boast a 27-7 overall and 12-4 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) record, are led by juniors Cindy Perry (Victorville, CA/Silverado HS) and Kate Groden (San Pedro, CA/San Pedro HS/SE Missouri Univ.), who have combined for 84 hits in 226 at-bats (.372). Perry, a 2004 third-team All-American, leads the conference in stolen bases (29) and runs scored (24) and the team in hitting (.388) and hits (47), while Groden has contributed a team-best 28 RBIs, 13 doubles and .552 slugging percentage. As a team, CSUDH is outhitting its opponents .291 to .197, and has scored 118 more runs (166-48).

In the circle, fourth-year senior Valerie Long (Stockton, CA/St. Mary’s HS) has continued where she left off last season, pacing the hurlers with a 12-3 record, four shutouts and a miniscule 1.17 ERA. In her final year in Cardinal Red & Gold, Long recently established the CSUDH career all-time records in wins and strikeouts in a 10-inning 3-2 win over Concordia (CA) on March 17, and the single-season strikeout record against Seattle University on April 3. She has recorded 124 strikeouts in 101.1 innings pitched, including two outings in which she fanned a career-best 13 batters.

A junior transfer from Cal State Stanislaus, Jackie Miller (Bremerton, WA/Central Kitsap HS/CS Stanislaus) has been the Toros’ game-two “ace,” having amassed a 10-3 record and 0.98 ERA. Miller has 14 complete games in 14 starts, and has limited the opposition to a meager .226 batting average against. The Bremerton, WA, native has fanned 69 batters in 86.0 innings pitched, and has yet to allow a home run.

The Toros face a crucial conference stretch away from Toro Diamond, beginning with doubleheaders this weekend at UC San Diego and Cal State San Bernardino, before returning to Toro Diamond to again battle UCSD on Sunday, April 10.

Fellow CCAA school San Francisco State was the only other conference school to make the poll, coming in at No. 12, while Far West Region foe Humboldt State made the highest appearance on the poll, coming in at No. 3.

The National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Preseason Top 25 is voted on by eight NCAA Division II head coaches representing the eight NCAA regions. The complete poll can be found on www.nfca.org.