CCAA Champion and No. 2 Seed Toros Selected to Host NCAA Softball Far West Regional
CSUDH opens play Thursday afternoon
May 9, 2005

Carson, CA -- Cal State Dominguez Hills was selected as host of the 2005 NCAA II Far West Softball Regional, it was announced this morning by the NCAA Regional Tournament Committee. The Toros, who make their third-consecutive appearance in the NCAA Regional Tournament, enter the postseason as the No. 2 seed behind perennial power Humboldt State, having established a school-best 45-10 overall record and with the CCAA Championship in tow, the school’s first since 1983.

The double-elimination tournament, which pits the top six teams from the California Collegiate Athletic Association Conference (CCAA) the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) and the Pacific West Conference (PacWest), begins this Thursday, with No. 4-seeded San Francisco State and No. 5-seeded Hawaii-Hilo set for a 9 a.m. start. That contest will be followed by No. 3-seeded Montana State-Billings taking on No. 6-seeded Chico State, bThe Toros, currently ranked No. 10 by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) have been the Far West’s No. 2 seed since clinching the CCAA Championship against Sonoma State on April 16, one day after sweeping then No. 12-ranked San Francisco State in a possible postseason preview.eginning at approximately 11:30 a.m.

The 1-2 pitching combination of senior Valerie Long (Stockton, CA/St. Mary’s HS) and junior Jackie Miller (Bremerton, WA/Central Kitsap HS/CS Stanislaus), along with offensive leaders in juniors Cindy Perry (Victorville, CA/Silverado HS) and Kate Groden (San Pedro, CA/San Pedro HS/SE Missouri Univ.) pace the CCAA Champion Toros, who have won 18 of their last 21 contests.

Long and Miller have combined for 38 of the Toros' 45 victories, and boast respective ERAs of 1.12 and 1.22 while tossing a combined 40 complete games and 10 shutouts, leading the CSUDH staff that has limiting opposing hitters to a .206 batting average. Perry leads the Toros in batting average, hits and stolen bases among starters, while Groden paces CSUDH in runs scored and RBIs.

NCAA West Region Tournament Schedule:

Thursday, May 12
Game #1 No. 4 SFSU vs. No. 5 UHH 9 a.m.
Game #2 No. 3 MSUB vs. No. 6 Chico State 11:30 a.m.
Game #3 No. 1 Humboldt State vs. Winner #1 2 p.m.
Game #4 No. 2 CSUDH vs. Winner #2 4:30 p.m.

Friday, May 13
Game #5 Loser Game #1 vs. Loser Game #4 9 a.m.
Game #6 Loser Game #2 vs. Loser Game #3 11:30 a.m.
Game #7 Winner Game #3 vs. Winner Game #4 2 p.m.
Game #8 Winner Game #5 vs. Winner Game #6 4:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 14
Game #9 Loser Game #7 vs. Winner Game #8 11:00 a.m.
Game #10 Winner Game #7 vs. Winner Game #9 1:30 p.m.

Sunday, May 15
Game #11 Game #10 opponents (if necessary) 12 noon

Ticket prices for the regional are: $5.00 - adults; $3.00 - students with current ID; $3.00 - seniors; $3.00 - children 12 & under.