ON DECK…
UC Davis (11-3) at San Diego Classic
Fri.-Sun., March 1-3, 2019
SDSU Softball Stadium & USD Softball Complex
San Diego, Calif.
TOURNAMENT CENTRAL: https://goaztecs.com/sports/2019/2/25/san-diego-classic.aspx
PARTICIPATING TEAMS: Boise State, BYU, Florida Gulf Coast, Illinois-Chicago, Long Beach State, San Diego, San Diego State, San Jose State, UC Davis, Weber State

FOLLOW ALONG…
March 1 vs. Boise State, 11:30 a.m. (at USD)
March 1 vs. Weber State, 2 p.m. (at USD)
March 2 vs. BYU, 2 p.m. (at USD)
March 2 at San Diego, 7 p.m.
March 3 at San Diego State, 2 p.m.

PLAY BALL: Off to the program's best start in its Division I history, the UC Davis softball team (11-3 overall) heads to Southern California hoping to dodge raindrops, continuing tournament play as one of 10 teams competing at the San Diego Classic co-hosted by San Diego and San Diego State beginning Friday (March 1) and running through the weekend.

The Aggies, who play four of their five contests at the USD Softball Complex, open play on Friday against Boise State and Weber State, continue with games against BYU and the host Toreros on Saturday (March 2), and close out the weekend against the Aztecs on Sunday (March 3).

IN THE POLLS: Neither UC Davis, nor its opponents, are ranked nationally this week.

UPDATE YOUR CALENDARS: After Mother Nature spoiled the first Causeway clash between UC Davis and Sacramento State, the Aggies and Hornets will make up the contest on April 30 at 3 p.m. at Shea Stadium in Sacramento. In addition, the Aggies' game against Pacific that was postponed due to weather back on Feb. 19, will now be played at La Rue Field  on April 23 at 4 p.m.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, AGGIES!: UC Davis softball will be making its fourth all-time appearance on the ESPN family of networks as the Big West Conference announced that the Aggies' May 5 contest at Long Beach State has been selected to appear on ESPN3. First pitch from the LBSU Softball Complex is scheduled for 2 p.m. It will be the first time that the Aggies will face someone other than Cal State Fullerton in its four appearances after UC Davis battled the Titans in doubleheaders in 2014, 2016, and 2018.

BROOKE IS BIG WEST'S BEST FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK: For the second straight week and the fifth time in her young career, sophomore communication major Brooke Yanez has been named the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Week after helping UC Davis to a 5-1 week at its own Aggie Invitational. One of only three UC Davis pitchers to earn Big West pitcher of the week honors since joining the league in 2008, Yanez's five career awards ties Alex Holmes for the most in the history of the program after Holmes did the same in her four-year career from 2008-11. Read the complete release here: https://ucdavisaggies.com/news/2019/2/25/softball-brooke-is-big-wests-best-for-second-straight-week.aspx.

SCOUTING THE BRONCOS: Boise State enters the week with a 10-2 overall record, having won its last nine straight — including a 4-0 record at the Grand Canyon Purple Classic last weekend… Senior outfielder Kora Wade leads all regulars with a .390 average, scoring 12 times, collecting six extra-base hits, and driving in a pair… Reigning Mountain West Conference Pitcher of the Year Kelsey Broadus leads the pitching staff, posting a 5-0 record with a 1.37 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 35.2 innings… Series Notes: Friday marks only the second meeting between the two programs after Boise State posted a 2-0 win on March 12, 2011, at the Santa Clara Bronco Classic in Hayward, Calif.

SCOUTING THE WILDCATS: Weber State enters the weekend with a 3-7 overall record, having lost its last four straight since its 7-2 win over UC Davis to open the Las Vegas tournament… Junior outfielder Landi Hawker leads the offense, batting .500 with six runs scored and three RBI, while sophomore infielder Chloe Camarero has driven in a team-high eight… Senior right-hander Tatiana Su'esu'e leads the pitching staff, posting a 2-2 record with a 5.24 ERA and a .257 average against in 34.1 innings… Series Notes: Friday marks the second meeting this season between the Aggies and Wildcats after Weber State posted a 7-2 win at the Boyd Gaming Rebel Classic in Las Vegas… UC Davis won the first-ever meeting between the two programs on Feb. 21, 2016, by the score of 9-8 at the Demarini Desert Classic in Las Vegas.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS: BYU enters the tournament with a 6-7 overall record after posting a 2-3 mark at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic… Junior outfielder Rylee Jensen leads the offense, batting .429 with 10 runs scored, four home runs, and 12 RBI — all team highs… Three different pitchers have seen significant innings for the Cougars led by Autumn Moffat, who is 3-3 with a 2.73 ERA, striking out 29 and holding opponents to a .221 average… Series Notes: Saturday also marks the second meeting this season between BYU and UC Davis, with the series tied at two wins apiece after the Aggies posted a 4-2 win in Las Vegas earlier this year.

SCOUTING THE TOREROS: San Diego enters the tournament with a 5-9 overall record, but the Toreros have won their last three straight after sweeping a weekend set from Southern Utah at home… Junior shortstop Sara Silveyra leads all regulars with a .412 average, scoring nine runs and driving in seven, while senior outfielder Taylor Spence is hitting .405 having scored 13 runs… Madison Earnshaw (2-5, 6.36 ERA) and Delaney Heller (3-4, 7.48 ERA) have thrown the majority of innings, with Earnshaw striking out a team-high 36 batters… Series Notes: UC Davis leads the all-time series with San Diego, 4-3, but the two teams haven't met since the 2017 San Diego Classic, with the Toreros posting a 7-6 win… USD has won the last three meetings, with the Aggies last posting a win at the 2011 San Diego Classic by the score of 2-1.

SCOUTING THE AZTECS: San Diego State enters the week with an 8-7 overall record after finishing 2-2 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic and dropping a midweek contest at Loyola Marymount… Junior outfielder Kiera Wright leads all regulars with a .333 average, scoring 12 times and driving in three, while sophomore infielder Kelsey Munoz is batting .326 with a pair of home runs and driving in 10… Junior right-hander Marissa Moreno paces the pitching staff, posting a 5-3 record with a 3.81 ERA in 53.1 innings, striking out 48 while holding opponents to a .270 average… Series Notes: San Diego State leads the all-time series with UC Davis by a 6-2 count, but the Aggies have won the last two meetings — both coming last season by the scores of 3-2 in nine innings at the Kajikawa Classic and 2-0 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.

AGGIE SHORT HOPS…
• UC Davis is off to an 11-3 start in 2019 — the most wins through 14 games in the program's Division I history and the best 14-game start since the 2003 squad also opened with the same record
• Having won eight of nine at La Rue Field thus far this season, the Aggies are just five wins away from last year's Division I record total (13) with 18 scheduled home contests remaining
• The Aggies slugged four more home runs during last weekend's tournament, giving them 12 on the season through 14 games — just five short of all of last season when they slugged 17 home runs in 51 contests, and nearly halfway to the Division I single season record of 28 in 2008
• Speaking of home runs, when Isabella Leon and Meghan Bradbury went back-to-back against UTEP on Feb. 21, it marked the first time that a pair of Aggie sluggers did so since Kelly Zboralske and Ashley Lotoszynski went back-to-back in the fifth inning at Long Beach state on March 28, 2015
• With her 29 strikeouts during last weekend's tournament — including a career-high tying 15 against UTEP on Feb. 21 — sophomore left-hander Brooke Yanez moved into a tie for fourth on the program's Division I career list in the category, matching Jessica Thweatt's total from 2010-13 (Jessica Hancock is third with 397 from 2008-09)
• At 7-1 overall this season, Yanez ranks tied for ninth in the nation in victories while also ranking among the top 25 in the nation in overall strikeouts (14th - 60) and strikeouts per seven innings (23rd - 9.8)
• In other record watch news, senior Meghan Bradbury's eight career home runs has her tied for eighth on the Division I career list, just six back of Amy Nunez (2011-15), whose 14 round-trippers are also 10th on the all-time list
• When Sara Cadona closed out the Aggies' 2-1 win over UTEP on Feb. 21, it marked the sixth save of her career, moving her into third on the Division I career list behind only Alex Holmes (eight from 2008-11) and Leah Munden (seven from 2013-16)
• Freshman Megan Bower's seven-inning home run against Idaho State gave her four for the season, matching teammate Isabella Leon's total from all of last year. A fifth this season would be the most since Alexis Carney and Ashley Lotoszynski led the team with five in 2017
• The Aggies pitching staff has been stingy to start the season, entering the week leading the Big West in ERA (2.33) and opposing batting average (.221), while allowing the fewest hits (73) and fewest runs (35)

RECYCLED NOTES…
A QUICK LOOK AT THE AGGIES: After losing only one senior and four letter winners overall off of last season's squad, the cupboard is far from bare for Head Coach Erin Thorpe's fifth campaign on the Davis campus as the Aggies return 16 letter winners, six position starters overall, and a quartet of pitchers, for the 2019 campaign after finishing 27-24 overall and 9-12 in Big West play — the latter good for a tie for fourth in the league standings. Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year and NFCA All-Pacific Region selection Brooke Yanez (15-11, 1.75 ERA) is joined by All-Big West honorees in sophomore outfielder Alyse Rojas (first team), junior utility Isabella Leon (honorable mention), and junior right-hander Katie Kibby (honorable mention). Rojas hit .372 with 22 runs scored and 21 RBI to pace the Aggies at the plate, while Leon batted .317 with a team-high four home runs and 21 RBI. Kibby formed a powerful 1-2 punch alongside Yanez, finishing 11-10 with a 2.19 ERA and a team-high six shutouts in 23 starts while holding opposing hitters to a .230 average.

IT'S NOT A MATTER OF IF, BUT "WIN": The 27 victories overall in 2018 marked the program's highest win total since making the jump to the Division I level in 2008 and the program's first winning season as a Division I program. The nine Big West victories were also the most since the Aggies finished with the same number in 2014, while the fourth-place tie was the program's highest league finish since ending the 2012 season in third place.

RAISING THE BAR: The Big West Conference head coaches raised the bar just a big higher for the UC Davis softball team, which was picked to finish third in the race for this year's league crown according to a vote released on Jan. 31. Receiving 34 points overall and one first-place vote, it is the highest that an Aggie squad has been voted in the conference's preseason poll since they were picked second (including receiving three first-place votes) prior to the 2011 campaign after claiming a share of the Big West title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2010. Read the complete release here: https://ucdavisaggies.com/news/2019/1/31/softball-aggies-picked-third-in-race-for-big-west-crown.aspx?path=softball

2019 BIG WEST CONFERENCE SOFTBALL PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Cal State Fullerton (6) - 62 points
2. Long Beach State (1) - 55
3. UC DAVIS (1) - 34
4. Hawai'i - 33
5. CSUN - 32
6. UC Riverside - 30
7. Cal Poly - 26
8. UC Santa Barbara - 16

NOTE: Numbers in parentheses denote first-place votes.
 

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ABOUT UC DAVIS
Providing a small-town community feel while providing a world-class academic experience, UC Davis is home to more than 37,000 students and centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley. The No. 5-ranked public university in the nation according to the Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education, and among the top 10 public universities nationwide according to U.S. News and World Report, UC Davis offers nearly 100 graduate programs and more than 100 academic majors across four colleges and six professional schools, ranking among the world and nation's best in numerous disciplines, including veterinary science, agriculture, and plant and animal programs.

AGGIE EVO
Launched in 2017-18, the Aggie EVO System is UC Davis Athletics' investment in the primary mission of preparing student-athletes for a successful "launch" after graduation. Thanks to a collaboration of alumni, university resources, corporate partners, coaches and Student-Athlete Outcomes staff, all Aggies are guided over four years to acquire the skills, knowledge, opportunities and tools to better know and navigate the "World of Work" after graduating from UC Davis. Follow the Aggie EVO system on Twitter and Instagram at @AggieEVO.