Cougars Ready For Final Tournament

The BYU softball team will travel to Sacramento, Calif., to participate in its final tournament of the season at the Sacramento State Capital Classic, Thursday through Saturday. Pool play begins Thursday with the Cougars playing No. 12 Iowa at 5 p.m. and Texas Tech at 9 p.m. On Friday, they play San Jose State at 9 a.m. and Mississippi at 11 a.m. A double elimination tournament will begin Saturday.

At San Diego Tournament

The Cougars won four games at the tournament while losing one. They beat Northern Iowa 7-1, Portland State 7-2, Tulsa 9-0 and San Diego 13-3, but lost to Boston College 2-0.

BYU Probable Starters

•C -Angie Christiansen - R/R, Sr. (.239, 11 hits, 7 runs, 5 RBI)

•1B - Mindy Hanson - R/R, Sr. (.321, 17 hits, 5 runs, 2 HR, 13 RBI)

•2B - Kari Pringle - R/R, Jr. (.279, 12 hits, 3 runs, 1 RBI)

•SS - Becca Erickson - R/R, Sr. (.186, 11 hits, 8 runs, 2 HR, 10 RBI)

•3B - Elizabeth Pierce-Boydston - R/R, Jr. (.320, 24 hits, 14 runs, 15 RBI)

•CF -Lindsey Hodgen-Kelly - R/R, Sr. (.196, 11 hits, 10 runs, 3 RBI)

•RF - Oli Keohohou- R/R, Fr. (.446, 29 hits, 30 runs, 12 HR, 31 RBI)

•LF - Liz Smith- L/R, Jr. (.312, 20 hits, 12 runs, 1 RBI)

•DH - Brooke Cadiente - R/L, So. (.284, 21 hits, 12 runs, 3 HR, 18 RBI)

•P - Meghann Pricer - R/R, Sr. (4-3, 2.12 ERA, 46 SO)

Team Leaders

After 24 games, Oli Keohohou leads the team in batting average (.446), hits (29), home runs (12), RBI (31), runs scored (30), walks (18) and slugging percentage (1.123). Elizabeth Pierce-Boydston leads the team in at-bats (75) and doubles (7). Liz Smith leads the team in stolen bases (4) while three players are tied with three triples each.

Scouting Iowa

The Hawkeyes come into the tournament with a 12-4 record, winning three of their last four games. They beat the Cougars twice this year at the Louisville Slugger Classic, 8-1 and 4-3 in eight innings. Three of their four losses have come to nationally ranked opponents. Alicia Gerlach is batting .347 with 17 hits, including six doubles, three home runs and 16 RBI. Pitcher Kristi Hanks is 9-2 with an 0.82 ERA and 57 strikeouts.

Scouting Texas Tech

The Red Raiders are 15-9 on the season and had won seven in a row prior to losing to No. 5 Stanford last weekend. Sandy Butler leads the team, batting .350 with 21 hits and two RBI. Amanda Renfro is 14-7 with an 0.74 ERA and 191 strikeouts in 133.1 innings of work.

Scouting San Jose State

The Spartans come into the tournament with a 13-14 record and were 5-3 last weekend. Veronica Ramos leads the team with a .338 batting average with 22 hits, including two doubles and eight RBI while being named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week last week. Pitcher Sabrina Quintero is 5-6 on the year with an 1.71 ERA, including 83 strikeouts in 81.2 innings pitched.

Scouting Mississippi

The Rebels are 11-11 on the season and were 1-2 against Tennessee last weekend. Jennifer Poore is batting .312 with 15 hits, including one home run and 12 RBI. Pitcher Jennifer Hughes is 6-2 with a 1.52 ERA, including 57 strikeouts and four shutouts.

Preseason Mountain West Conference Coaches' Poll

BYU was picked by the coaches in the Mountain West Conference to finish fifth in the conference in the preseason poll released Jan. 25. In-state rival University of Utah, where BYU head coach Mary Kay Amicone played and was an assistant coach for seven years, was picked to finish first.

Mountain West Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll

1. Utah (5) 25

2. New Mexico (1) 20

3. San Diego State 15

4. Colorado State 11

5. BYU 10

6. UNLV 9

Player/Coach Interviews

Practices are held daily at 4:30 p.m. in the Smith Fieldhouse Annex. Player or Coach Amicone interviews may be arranged in advance through Shane Bevell, BYU Athletic Media Relations, at (801) 378-8999. Additional information may be obtained through e-mailing Shane at amr-3@byu.edu or by fax at (801) 378-3520.