2005 California Community Colleges
Commission on Athletics
Regional Softball Playoffs

SOUTH PREVIEWS

A brief look at the region's top four teams ...

PALOMAR (SAN MARCOS) - SATURDAY, MAY 7

12 noon, #1 Palomar (35-4) vs. #16 Chaffey (20-12)
2 pm, #8 Bakersfield (30-9) vs. #9 Pasadena (24-11-1)

Power in numbers? They don’t get much stronger than the Palomar Comets.

Try these stats on for size: a state-leading 60 home runs … a team batting average of .426 … 20 consecutive conference titles ...

Southern California teams know these numbers all too well.

And oh by the way, the Comets are riding a 22-game winning streak where they have outscored opponents to the tune of 262 to 26.

Palomar has scored 10 or more runs in 25 of its 35 victories.

You get the picture.

The only team from California to bring the Comets down to Earth was Cerritos (a 3-1 decision on March 12). Palomar lost three games in February against schools from Arizona; the Comets actually started the season with a 2-3 record.

From all indications, and according to many of the state’s top coaches, Palomar is “thee” team to beat.

“This is probably the best team I’ve had,” said Comet Coach Mark Eldridge, just a pair of wins shy of reaching 1,000 in his illustrious 28 years.

Hardly a small statement, coming from a coach who has guided the school to three state titles (1989, 1999, 2000).

Eldridge describes his team as a unit with a “nice” blend of power and speed.

SoCal Player of the Year Jamee Avii, a freshman third baseman, leads the club with a gaudy .664 batting average and 61 RBI. With nine homers on the year, Eldridge jokes that Avii is the classic fastpitch “number two hitter,” then admits, “she doesn’t get the bunt sign much.”

“Five of our players could have been voted MVP of our region,” Eldridge said. “That says a lot about Jamee. She’s a special player and just a great athlete. She’s always composed and displays a great attitude in every situation.”

Avii and leadoff batter sophomore OF/DP Amber Alexander (.483, 6 HR, 3 grand slams, 16 SB) are only the beginning for opposing pitchers’ nightmares.

The potent lineup continues with: sophomore 1B Megan Smith (.491, 13 HR, 51 RBI), freshman UT Kim Kaye (.485, state-best 14 HR, 50 RBI), sophomore SS Krystle Sanchez (.409, 9 HR, 52 RBI), and sophomore CF Leslie Reed (.461).

On the mound, sophomore RHP Amanda Martinez (28-2, 1.02 ERA) was a unanimous choice for the All-State Team.

Even with all the weapons at his disposal, Eldridge remains cautious about his peers this weekend.

“We’ve beaten Chaffey twice this season, but they certainly have our attention,” he said.

“We haven’t seen Bakersfield or Pasadena so far, but we know they have excellent coaches and they are both seeded in the Top 10.”

MT. SAN ANTONIO (WALNUT) - SATURDAY, MAY 7

4 pm#2 Mt. San Antonio (39-3) vs. #15 Imperial Valley (15-8-1)
6 pm, #7 Cuesta (30-10) vs. #10 Long Beach (25-15)

Mt. San Antonio Coach Kelly Ford hopes the number “two” will bring more good luck.

In her second season (2003), Ford guided the Mounties a state title.

Two years later, Mt. SAC draws a home seed in the No. 2 slot.

Ford also has her second SoCal Pitcher of the Year in freshman Heather Slettvett.

Slettvett went 18-1 during the regular season with a 1.01 ERA. The rotation also includes freshman Tawni Baker (9-1) and sophomore Megan Dubois (8-1).

The staff has only allowed 55 runs in 258 innings of work.

As for the offense (.414 batting average, 279 runs, 22 HR, 152 steals) there is plenty of firepower to give teams fits.

Slettvett also leads the team with a .508 batting average, to go with 5 home runs and 32 RBI.

Sophomore DP/C Jessica Ortega was voted South Coast Conference Player of the Year after posting numbers that included a .429 batting average, 8 homers, a .771 slugging percentage, and a .511 on-base percentage.

Sophomore IF Chrissy Wilkerson also hit .429 with 6 homers and 38 RBI.

“My goal, as a coach, was for us to average one run per inning on offense,” Ford said. “We average 1.08. That’s pretty good, especially against to teams we’ve faced.”

The Mounties, said Ford, compiled the highest power-ranking in SoCal, based on criteria that included strength of schedule.

“We played 12 games against conference champions and won 11 of those games. Our one loss came against Palomar,” she said.

Mt. SAC (14-1, SCC champs) started the season 17-0. Other than the Palomar loss (8-4), the only setbacks came against rival Long Beach (2-1) and Cerritos (1-0).

Ford will play host to a late afternoon-evening regional in Walnut.

“We have another tough region,” she said. “Cuesta is a conference champion; Long Beach comes out of our strong conference; and Imperial Valley had to battle with Palomar in their tough conference. This is going to be a mini-state tournament. The winner will be prepared for state.”

CERRITOS (NORWALK) - SATURDAY, MAY 7

12 noon, #3 Cerritos (28-8) vs. #14 Fullerton (25-15)
2 pm, #6 Ventura (24-16-2) vs. #11 Antelope Valley (27-9-1)

The Cerritos regional is an intriguing bracket in many ways.

Conference champions Ventura (Western State, North) and Antelope Valley (Foothill) are playing on the road, facing each other in the first round.

Second-place finishers Cerritos (South Coast) and Fullerton (Orange Empire) will meet for the third time this season, in a game featuring long-time friends Falcon Coach Kodee Murray and Hornet Coach Lisa Bassi.

Cerritos is also the only 2005 host without a 30-win season.

But the Falcons are one of the hottest teams around, winning 16 of 17 games to close the regular season.

“We’re playing together,” Murray said. “We don’t have a lot of superstars with big numbers. We have consistent players hitting .300, and everyone on the team contributes in her own way.”

After a tough 1-0 loss to Mt. SAC on March 17, Murray said it was time for a team “gut check.”

“We made some decisions on how this team wanted to close the season,” Murray said. “We were going to face some tough teams, including teams from the Orange Empire Conference, and we wanted to make a statement. Our kids responded. We made comebacks in a few games, and were able to land the No. 3 seed.”

Key players for Cerritos include: sophomore SS Nicole Deel (.389, 7 HR, 19 RBI), sophomore OF Christina Chavez (.357, 5 HR, 33 RBI), freshman P Alex Castillo (20-5, 1.83 ERA), and Melissa Robledo (.300, 3 HR, 21 RBI).

Cerritos beat Fullerton twice and Ventura once this season, and has yet to face Antelope Valley.

“Fullerton isn’t your typical 14-seed,” Murray said.

“All of these teams are equal. We just hope to keep our momentum going.”

CYPRESS, CA - SATURDAY, MAY 7

12 noon, #4 Cypress (30-12) vs. #13 L.A. Valley (27-12-1)
2 pm, #5 Canyons (28-12) vs. #12 Saddleback (24-11)

Based on recent history, you’d be hard-pressed to picture Cypress as being an underdog in the state playoffs.

But Charger Coach Brad Pickler is just fine being overlooked, despite his team’s 12 losses.

“It’s been a goofy year,” said Pickler, who was one win shy of his fifth state title last season.

“We got off to a slow start at 10-6, but we’re starting to figure it out. We have a good group of players.”

That group includes two-time Orange Empire Conference Player of the Year SS Nicole Moojen.

Moojen hit .440 overall this season with 6 homers and 33 stolen bases.

The Chargers won another OEC title (17-1), behind Pitcher of the Year Marissa Gonzalez (20-10 overall, 2.38 ERA, 111 Ks). She also hit .390 on the season.

Other Charger standouts include Bri Mahr (.382) and Amanda Fernandez (.375).

Cypress went 2-1 against OEC rival Saddleback this year, and split two meetings with Canyons.

“We’re perfectly healthy now,” Pickler said. “The team seems focused and ready to play. I just hope we all come alive at the same time. This is the time of year where a couple players take it to the next level and perform in the clutch.”

---

*Regional winners will continue on Sunday, May 8 with elimination games at 10 am and 12 pm; championship games at 2 pm (and 4 pm if needed). Mt. SAC regional-final times are 12 pm, 2 pm, and 4 pm (6 pm if needed).

- Complied by State Softball Publicist Eric Mendoza for the CCCFCA.