No. 19 Toros Clinch Share of CCAA Softball Title With 8-1 and 3-0 Sweep of No. 12 San Francisco State
Pitching duo of Valerie Long and Jackie Miller lead Toros to first crown since 1983
April 15, 2005

Complete Box Scores
Game 1        Game 2

Carson, CA -- In a conference showdown featuring the top two teams in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, Valerie Long (Stockton, CA/St. Mary’s HS) and Jackie Miller (Bremerton, WA/Central Kitsap HS/CS Stanislaus) led the first-place Toros to respective 8-1 and 3-0 sweeps of No. 12-ranked San Francisco State, giving CSUDH at least a share of the CCAA Championship, its first crown since the 1983 season, which was the second year of the softball program’s existence.

Valerie Long retired 10 of the first 11 batters she faced in going the distance to record her 16th win of the year. Photo by Michael Foo

With the wins, the Toros improve to 35-7, 20-4 CCAA and can clinch the title outright with one win in their last four conference contests. The Gators, meanwhile, fall to 29-14, 15-7 CCAA.

The Toros capitalized on consecutive errors by the SFSU second baseman to start the bottom of the 1st inning in the opener, eventually loading the bases on an ensuing walk. A Linda Reyes (Garden Grove, CA/Pacifica HS/St. John’s) RBI single, a Miller walk and a Long sacrifice fly later gave the Toros a 3-0 lead, setting the plate for Jennifer Funk (Long Beach, CA/St. Joseph HS/San Diego State), whose 2-run double provided a five-run cushion for the Toros.

CSUDH would add to its lead one inning later as the second Reyes RBI single would plate Cindy Perry (Victorville, CA/Silverado HS), giving her two RBI on the day.

That would be plenty for starter Long, who retired 10 of the first 11 Gators she faced. SFSU eventually would scratch across a single run in the 5th inning courtesy of a double steal with runners on 1st and 3rd, but Long would fan Nicole Hartfield to end the rally. CSUDH would respond with two runs its 5th inning at-bat to put the game out of reach as Jen Wilson (Orange, CA/Bellflower HS/CS Fullerton) and Long connected for back-to-back home runs off SFSU starter Holly Pearce, knocking her from the contest.

Long went the distance to record her 16th win of the year (16-3), scattering two hits and one run while fanning eight Gators against only one walk.

Perry and Reyes led the offense with two hits apiece, while Reyes and Funk’s two RBIs each paced the run production as SFSU starter Pearce took the loss (7-5), allowing seven hits and three earned runs.

Game two featured two of the top three pitchers in the league as Miller faced off against 21-game winner and reigning CCAA Pitcher of the Year Sonja Garnett. Miller was more than up to the challenge as the junior faced the minimum 15 batters over the first five innings. Garnett, however, was not as sharp, allowing six hits over the first three frames against a patient Toro offense.

CSUDH would break through in the 5th inning to score all three of its runs, capitalizing on two SFSU throwing errors in the frame. With Natalie Greco (Downey, CA/Warren HS) on third and Perry on second, a Kate Groden fielder’s choice would bring home the game’s first run, and a Crystal Dingman (Sunland, CA/Verdugo HS/College of the Canyons) fielder’s choice, after an eventual rundown, would bring home two more, providing all the runs Miller would need.

Miller was spectacular in out-pitching Garnett, scattering four hits and facing just two batters over the minimum for a 7-inning game to earn her 13th win of the year (13-3).

Perry again paced the Toros with two hits and swiped her league-leading 35th base of the year, while Dingman collected two RBIs on the day.

Garnett allowed seven hits and one earned run in falling to 21-6 on the year, and had potential rallies stopped in both the 3rd and 4th innings when two Gators were caught stealing by oversliding the 2nd base bag.

The Toros host Sonoma State on Saturday, April 16, with first pitch of game one beginning at 11:00 a.m. Game two will follow a brief senior ceremony as five Toros compete in the final home conference contest of their careers on Toro Diamond.