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Cougar Softball Upsets SDSU
at San Diego Fall Classic |
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Sure, it was just a scrimmage. But the re-vamped Cal State San Marcos softball team showed quite a bit of potential over the weekend, tallying a 4-2 victory over San Diego State. Not surprisingly, Melissa Lerno was the star of the game for the Cougars, from both a pitching and hitting perspective. The junior from El Centro started the game on the mound, holding the Aztecs' lineup in check. Then at the plate in the third inning, Lerno lined a clutch base hit, keying a four-run rally that put the Cougars on top. After SDSU pulled to within 4-2, Freshman Chanel Rose closed out the game, picking up the save. Rose is one of many talented freshmen joining the team this season, which is expanding its roster from 14 active players last season to 23 (plus 2 redshirts) this time around. "It's a much larger team than last year," commented Assistant Coach Jamie Burton. "There's a lot of depth and talent." Indeed, every position on the diamond is up for competition, as returning players and incoming freshman will compete for playing time. This can only be a positive development for the Cougars, who towards the end of last season were operating with only one or two available players on the bench. "I like the girls' energy, they're a much more aggressive team [than last year]," noted Assistant Coach Tanya Ledesma. While the Cougars will still have to contend with the powerhouse GSAC schools that fill their schedule, the combination of new talent and returning players should produce better results than in 2007, where the squad went 10-31. The first regular season game of the 2008 Cougar softball season is scheduled for February 2nd. |