Brittany Younan run through tunnel
Taylor Jones

Softball to Conclude California Trip at Louisville Slugger Invitational

March 7, 2018

Softball (7-8) at Louisville Slugger Invitational
Date Thursday, March 8 – Saturday, March 10
Location Long Beach, Calif. (Thurs. & Sat.) & Fullerton, Calif. (Fri.)
Live Stats Schedule
Video Facebook (SJSU, SDSU, UCLA)
BigWestTV (LBSU, CSUF)
Twitter @BUGameDay | @TerrierSoftball

LOS ANGELES – Looking to rebound from a tightly-contested doubleheader loss to Loyola Marymount, the Boston University softball will wrap up its west coast trip at the three-day Louisville Slugger Invitational co-hosted by Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton. The tournament will prove to the Terriers' toughest test yet, as they will face the defending Mountain West and Big West champions while also battling 11-time NCAA champion UCLA.

The Terriers (7-8) will first face San Jose State (9 a.m. PT) at LBSU and then the No. 21 49ers (2 p.m. PT) themselves on Thursday (March 8). The competition continues Friday (March 9) at Cal State Fullerton against San Diego State (3:30 p.m. PT) and then the Titans at 6 p.m. PT. Already owner of a win over previous No. 1 Oklahoma, BU will seek its second major upset of the year on Saturday (March 10) against No. 3 UCLA on LBSU's campus with a 2 p.m. PT start time.

TERRIER TIDBITS
  • Besides owning a win over Sooners, the Terriers also beat Colorado State, who was receiving votes in the national poll last weekend prior to the San Diego Classic.
  • BU is 1-3 in true road games this season so far with a 1-0 win at San Diego State this past Sunday ... The losses came against Loyola Marymount (2x) and New Mexico State.
  • As a team, the Terriers rank 15th nationally in triples per game (0.40), 40th in double plays turned (0.47) and 52nd in earned run average (2.26) ... BU is hitting .267 while holding opponents to .278.
  • Juniors Madi Killebrew (.380 avg) and Alex Heinen (.340 avg) are the two Terriers above .300 and rank 39th in doubles at 0.40 per game ... Heinen also owns a team-high nine RBIs, one ahead of senior Jilee Schanda (.255 avg).
  • Lead-off hitter and senior Brittany Younan (.283 avg) leads BU with nine runs scored and three triples ... Both she and senior Emma Wong (.271 avg) have two stolen bases apiece.
  • Both freshman Ali Dubois (2.19 ERA) and Cali Dolfi (2.48 ERA) have identical 3-2 records in the circle ... They both have a shutout (Michigan State & San Diego State) this season, marking the first time since 2010 that BU has had two rookies pitch a shutout.
  • Opponents are only hitting .226 against sophomore Lizzie Annerino (1-3, 1.54 ERA) but have earned 13 walks in 22.2 innings of work.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS

SAN JOSE STATE (@ LBSU – Thursday, 9 a.m. PT)
  • The Spartans are the defending Mountain West champions and are currently 12-7 after posting a 37-19 record last season with a 1-2 record at the UCLA Regional.
  • SJSU owns solid wins over St. John's (7-5), Purdue (11-1), Indiana (2-1) and Santa Clara (9-0) with a tough 7-6 loss to No. 11/12 Tennessee.
  • SJSU is hitting .285 and holding opponents to .269 but has nearly doubled teams in walks (88-44) to post a stronger on-base percentage of .399 against .341.
  • Kaelin Amrein is batting .485 with two homers and 13 RBIs, while Cassidy Clark is hitting .411 with 13 runs scored and seven RBIs,... Madison Aurin (.273 avg.) has provided the power with four homers and team-high 23 RBIs.
  • Caroline Bowman (7-0, 3.27 ERA) and Madison Aurin (3-6, 3.44 ERA) have combined for eight complete games in 16 starts with Desiree Severance (2-1, 1.94 ERA) recording eight strikeouts in 18 innings of work.
  • BU leads the all-time series, 3-2, with the Spartans pulling out a 6-5 win last season in San Diego.
@ #21 LONG BEACH STATE (Thursday, 2 p.m. PT)
  • The 49ers are members of the Big West and are currently 16-5 after going 23-28-1 last season to rank No. 21 nationally in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches national poll.
  • LBSU owns impressive wins over previous No. 21 Minnesota (1-0), Oregon State (3-2), Northwestern (9-0), BYU (5-4), Iowa State (3-1) and Auburn (6-3).
  • The 49ers are hitting .314 and holding opponents to .220 while also posting an impressive .977 fielding percentage.
  • Naomi Hernandez (.423) and Nichole Fry (.400) have combined for 37 runs scored, 29 RBIs, 13 doubles and four homers ... Both Taylor Rowland (.296) and Tierra Falo (.226) have three homers apiece and have combined for 33 RBIs.
  • Cielo Meza (9-1, 1.60 ERA) has been lights out this season with 97 strikeouts in 74.1 innings ... Both Devyn Magnett (5-3, 3.33 ERA) and Jessica Flores (8-5, 3.59 ERA) have totaled five starts apiece.
  • LBSU won the first-ever meeting last season at home against BU, 6-4.
SAN DIEGO STATE (@ CSUF – Friday, 3:30 p.m. PT)
  • The Aztecs are members of the Mountain West Conference and own an 8-12 record after going 31-18 last season ... They have a 2-1 win over then-No. 21 Minnesota then-No. 25 Notre Dame and 3-2 (8 inn.) victory over Bethune-Cookman but will be look to avenge Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Terriers.
  • SDSU is hitting .220 and holding opponents to .253.
  • Katie Byrd leads SDSU hitting .297 with eight runs scored and four doubles, while Molly Sturdivant (.286 avg.) owns a team-high four homers and 15 RBIs.
  • Marissa Moreno (2-5, 2.97 ERA) owns 16 starts and has tallied 35 strikeouts in 63.2 innings ... Alex Formby (5-5, 1.78 ERA) has only made one start but has pitched the second-most innings (59.0) with 45 strikeouts.
  • SDSU leads the all-time series, 4-1, dating back to 2004 ... Last season, SDSU edged the Terriers, 11-10, at the Cal State Fullerton and Long Beach State Louisville Slugger Tournament.
@ CAL STATE FULLERTON (Friday, 6 p.m. PT)
  • The defending Big West champion Titans are currently 9-9 after posting a 35-23 record and reaching the finals of the UCLA regional ... They own key wins over Michigan State (8-7, 7-1) Loyola Marymount (6-3) and Fresno State (11-3).
  • CSUF is hitting .286 while holding opponents to .321 ... Teams though own an 18-4 advantage in homers.
  • Deshea Hill leads the Titans at .365 with nine RBIs, while Brooke Clementson (.360) has a team-high 17 runs scored with the help of 18 hits and 12 walks ... Zoe Richard (.313) has five doubles and is tied with Ari Williams (.347) at 11 RBIs apiece.
  • Taylor Dockins (5-2, 2.75 ERA) has pitched four complete games in seven starts with 18 strikeouts in 43.1 innings ... Both Sophie Forst (2-1, 3.50 ERA)  and Hanna Johnson (1-2, 8.88 ERA) have made four starts apiece.
  • The Terriers are 1-1 all-time against CSUF after they split two games last season.
#3 UCLA (@ LBSU – Saturday, 2 p.m. PT)
  • The Bruins are a perfect 19-0 after going 48-15 last season and reaching the Women's College World Series ... They own nine run-rule victories this year, including wins against LSU, Minnesota, UCF, Santa Clara and UC Riverside. 
  • They are hitting a stellar .398 while holding opponents to .170 with a 149-27 advantage in runs scored and 34-14 lead in doubles ... UCLA also has 16-2 advantage in homers.
  • Aaliyah Jordan is batting an incredible .540 with three homers, seven doubles and 26 RBIs, while Kyle Perez is hitting .475 ... Brian Perez is seventh on the team at .406 and a team-high 22 RBIs.
  • Rachel Garcia (8-0, 0.70 ERA) owns a wild 79 strikeouts in 49.2 innings with hitters batting a miniscule 0.93 against her ... Teams are hitting above .200 against Holly Azevedo (5-0, 1.00 ERA), Selina Ta'amilo (3-0, 2.10 ERA) and Johanna Grauer (3-0, 2.69 ERA).
  • Last season at the same tournament, BU struck first with a run before the Bruins scored four in the third en route to a 6-1 victory.
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