(For the complete notes package, click on the PDF link above)
ABOUT NEVADA
No. 17/19 Nevada is 7-2 on the season after a solid showing (4-1) last weekend at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic hosted by UNLV ... Nevada beat Utah, Southern Utah, Portland State and UNLV at the tournament and fell 3-2 to Louisville, which is ranked in both of this week’s polls ... Second baseman Kym Silagyi is now Nevada’s all-time hits leader with 181. She suprassed Brittany Lorenzen (2003-06) with an infield single against Louisville ... Junior pitcher Katie Holverson is the reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week after going 2-1 with a 0.00 earned-run average and striking out 16 in 17 innings ... The Wolf Pack returned 13 letterwinners from last year, including seven starting position players and one pitcher ... Of the returners, seven earned first- or second-team All-WAC honors in 2008 ... Topping the list of returnees is sophomore catcher Noelle Micka, a second-team NFCA All-American in 2008; junior pitcher Katie Holverson, a second-team NFCA All-West Region honoree in 2008; and senior outfielder Brittany Puzey, an honorable mention NFCA All-West Region selection in 2007 ... Nevada went 44-18 overall in 2008 and captured its first WAC regular season crown with a 16-2 record ... The Wolf Pack advanced to the NCAA Regionals, where it fell in the title game at UCLA ... Nevada is led by first-year coach Matt Meuchel, who was an assistant here for four years (2003-06) before spending two years at Oklahoma State ... His staff includes fourth-year assistant Melanie Meuchel and first-year assistant coach Lisa Dodd.
ABOUT THIS TOURNAMENT
Nevada will play five games this weekend at the 32-team Cathedral City (Calif.) Classic, hosted by Oregon State near Palm Springs.
The Wolf Pack will play twice on Friday, opening the tournament against No. 2/2 Florida and then continuing against Ohio State, which is receiving votes in the NFCA poll and ranked No. 25 in the USA Softball poll. On Saturday, Nevada will take on No. 8/4 Oklahoma and Maryland. The Wolf Pack will conclude play on Sunday against UC Santa Barbara.
All of the games will be played at the five-field Big League Dreams complex in Cathedral City near Palm Springs, Calif.
AFTER THAT...SACRAMENTO STATE
Following the tournament, Nevada will come gome for its 2008 Hixson Park-opener on Tuesday against Sacramento State. The doubleheader will be the seventh game in five days for the Pack.
SCOUTING FLORIDA
Florida, the preseason No. 1 team in the country in both major polls, enters this week ranked second in both polls. The Gators are 8-1 on the season with the lone loss coming to Baylor. They are coached by Tim Walton, who is in his fourth year at Florida and his seventh season overall.
The Gators are batting .376 as a team with three of their regulars hitting .500 or better. On the mound, Florida has allowed just one earned run on the season and has a pair of pitchers with four wins each in Stacey Nelson and Stephanie Brombacher.
Friday’s game will mark the first meeting between the teams.
SCOUTING OHIO STATE
Ohio State is 9-1 so far this season and is ranked No. 23 in the USA Softball poll and is receiving votes in the NFCA poll. The Buckeyes lone loss was a time-shortened defeat to New Mexico State the first weekend of the season. Ohio State is coached by Linda Kalafatis, who is in her 13th year at the school and 21st year overall.
Catcher Sam Marder has provided the bulk of the Buckeyes’ offense with a .414 batting average, eight runs, five home runs and 12 RBI. In the circle, Ohio State sports a team earned-run average of 1.20 and Kim Reeder (4-1, 0.73 ERA) is the reigning USA Softball National Player of the Week.
Ohio State leads the all-time series between the teams 3-0 and the Buckeyes won last year at the Capitol City Classic in Sacramento, Calif.
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA
The Sooners enter play this week ranked No. 4/8 and with a 6-2 overall record with the two losses coming to Hawai`i and North Carolina State. Oklahoma will play Stephen F. Austin on Wednesday before traveling to the Cathedral City Classic. The Sooners are coached by Patty Gasso, who is in here 16th year at the school and 20th year overall.
Amber Flores and Lindsey Vandever have been hot at the plate this season. Flores sports a .500 average with 11 runs, three homers and 15 RBI in 20 at-bats while Vandever is hitting .522 with nine RBI so far. In the circle, D.J. Mathis is 3-2 with a 1.79 ERA and Kirsten Allen is 2-0 with a 1.91 ERA.
Nevada lost to Oklahoma 1-0 last year in the Freeway Series in Southern California in the first-ever meeting between the teams.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
The Terps are winless on the year after dropping all five games at the Florida Atlantic Kickoff during the first weekend of the season. Maryland, which did not play this past weekend, is coached by Laura Watten, who is in here fourth year at the school and 12th year overall. The Terps finished 36-23 last season, which included a 7-15 mark in the ACC.
Kerry Hickey leads the team with a .471 average while Nadine Blackie and Devon Williams and both hitting .308 on the young season. In the circle, Hickey sports a team-best 2.55 earned-run average.
Nevada and Maryland have played just one time before and the Terrapins won that game 1-0 in 2007.
SCOUTING UC SANTA BARBARA
After starting the season 4-0, the Gauchos enter this week with a 5-4 overall mark after playing four ranked opponents at last weekend’s Campbell-Cartier Classic hosted by San Diego State. UCSB is coached by Brie Galicinao, who is in her second year after a 30-24 season last year.
The Gauchos have five players hitting .300 or better, led by Christine Ramos at .406. In the circle, five pitchers have been used and Krista Cobb (2-2, 3.00 ERA) has the most appearances (5).
UCSB leads the all-time series 7-5.
SCOUTING SAC STATE
After the weekend tournament, Nevada will return home to play host to Sacramento State in the Wolf Pack’s 2009 home opener.
The Hornets have played just two games entering this week -- a doubleheader sweep over Pacific -- as four games were rained out over the weekend.
Sacramento State is coached by Kathy Strahan, who is in her 26th year overall and 17th year at Sac State.
Sacramento State leads the all-time series 38-26. Nevada has played the Hornets more than any other opponent in history.
