California Golden Bears
Overall Rank: #28
Conference Rank: #7 Pac-12
The Golden Bears are coming off of their 28th NCAA Tournament appearance in Coach Diane Ninemire's 29 years as head coach. Unfortunately for Cal, the season ended in the Tuscaloosa Regional after a loss to Alabama in the regional final, ending a season that saw the squad finish sixth in the Pac-12 conference standings. The Bears bring back an extremely experienced squad, having lost only two seniors from the 2016 team.
2016: 33-24-1, 11-11-1
2016 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Diane Ninemire
Key Departed Players:
Taylor Koenig, IF, .179 BA, 4 HR, 12 RBI
Jasmin Mejia, OF, .176 BA, 9 RBI
Nisa Ontiveros, P, 18-8, 167 IP, 189 K
Key Returning Players:
Kylie Reed, IF, .403 BA, 4 3B, 75 H, 20 RBI
Jazmyn Jackson, UTL, .380 BA, 82 H, 9 2B, 2 HR, 28 RBI
Lindsay Rood, IF, .372 BA, 50 R, 28 RBI, 8 2B, 22 SB
Kobie Pettis, IF, .314 BA, 55 H, 11 2B, 35 RBI
Annie Aldrete, C, 39 H, 7 HR, 31 RBI
Taurie Pogue, IF, 41 H, 4 2B, 6 HR, 26 RBI
Projection:
The Golden Bears bring back so much of their lineup, their top eight hitters and seven who started 51 or more games, that they might be able to survive as they get their pitching in order. Katie Sutherland-Finch is the leading returnee in the circle after having started 14 games, but she only pitched 80.1 innings and finished with an ERA of over four. Cal does bring in freshman Bradie Fillmore, who was last year's Idaho Gatorade Player of the Year, as well as being named an All-American by PGF, MaxPreps and the USA Today. CSUN transfer Zoe Conley was named the Big West's Freshman Pitcher of the Year in 2015, an All-West Region First Team member, as well as a member of the 2015 USA Junior National Team. They should be reinforcements in the circle.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Softball Tournament
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