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The Shockers head west for their second Classic of the season. (These are not really tournaments, of course, just teams getting together in (hopefully) nice weather to play five games or so.) This one is in Las Vegas, hosted by UNLV, and runs Thursday (just a few games in the evening) through Sunday. There are nineteen teams there, most playing five games, a few playing six.
On Friday, the Shocks meet San Jose State at 330pm (all times CT) and Hawai'i at 8pm. Saturday has the Shockers playing Cal State Northridge at 11am and Oregon State immediately following. The Sunday game is against Boise State with an 11am start time.
The Spartans of San Jose State are picked third in the nine-team Mountain West Conference. Boise State and Colorado State (and three other teams in the tournament) are in the same conference. SJSU started their season at the Kajikawa Classic (Arizona State) where they were 1-5, one of the losses being to Oregon State. The Kajikawa is one of the stronger early tournaments. Jessie Hufstetler and Jessica Madrid are seniors who look to lead the offense. The top returning pitcher is Katelyn Linford.
Hawai'i is a member of the Big West Conference where they are picked third of eight teams. The Rainbow Wahine hosted a true tournament last weekend where they finished 4-1. A loss on Monday moved their record to 4-2. Pitcher Brittany Hitchcock and first baseman Heather Morales were second-team all-conference picks last year. Their coach, Bob Coolen, reached the 900-win milestone this past weekend.
Cal State Northridge, the defending champion in the Big West, is picked fourth. The Matadors return the Player of the Year in catcher Katie Hooper (.392 and 16 home runs). Daphne Pofek is the lone returning pitcher. CSN was 3-2 at the Kajikawa Classic last weekend.
Oregon State finished 4-1 at the Kajikawa, run-ruling #18 Kentucky along the way and also defeating CSUN and SJSU. The Beavers, picked eighth, are one of the nine Pac-12 teams who were not in a preseason poll. Meehra Nelson is already their mainstay in the circle and was Freshman of the Week in the Pac-12 this past week. Infielder McKenna Arriota is the principal offensive threat. She was a member of the gold medal-winning US Junior National Team this past summer.
Boise State was picked last in the Mountain West. They were 0-5 at the Kajikawa including a loss to Bradley. Outfielder Kayla Clausen is the returning leader of the Bronco offense, while transfer Jenna Bassler got the most innings this past weekend.
On Friday, the Shocks meet San Jose State at 330pm (all times CT) and Hawai'i at 8pm. Saturday has the Shockers playing Cal State Northridge at 11am and Oregon State immediately following. The Sunday game is against Boise State with an 11am start time.
The Spartans of San Jose State are picked third in the nine-team Mountain West Conference. Boise State and Colorado State (and three other teams in the tournament) are in the same conference. SJSU started their season at the Kajikawa Classic (Arizona State) where they were 1-5, one of the losses being to Oregon State. The Kajikawa is one of the stronger early tournaments. Jessie Hufstetler and Jessica Madrid are seniors who look to lead the offense. The top returning pitcher is Katelyn Linford.
Hawai'i is a member of the Big West Conference where they are picked third of eight teams. The Rainbow Wahine hosted a true tournament last weekend where they finished 4-1. A loss on Monday moved their record to 4-2. Pitcher Brittany Hitchcock and first baseman Heather Morales were second-team all-conference picks last year. Their coach, Bob Coolen, reached the 900-win milestone this past weekend.
Cal State Northridge, the defending champion in the Big West, is picked fourth. The Matadors return the Player of the Year in catcher Katie Hooper (.392 and 16 home runs). Daphne Pofek is the lone returning pitcher. CSN was 3-2 at the Kajikawa Classic last weekend.
Oregon State finished 4-1 at the Kajikawa, run-ruling #18 Kentucky along the way and also defeating CSUN and SJSU. The Beavers, picked eighth, are one of the nine Pac-12 teams who were not in a preseason poll. Meehra Nelson is already their mainstay in the circle and was Freshman of the Week in the Pac-12 this past week. Infielder McKenna Arriota is the principal offensive threat. She was a member of the gold medal-winning US Junior National Team this past summer.
Boise State was picked last in the Mountain West. They were 0-5 at the Kajikawa including a loss to Bradley. Outfielder Kayla Clausen is the returning leader of the Bronco offense, while transfer Jenna Bassler got the most innings this past weekend.
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