BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – February 12th marks the start of the CSU Bakersfield softball season as the Roadrunners are anxious to get back onto the field. CSUB will start the year at the UC Davis Aggie Kick-Off, Feb. 12-14, with five games over three days.
“The beginning of this season is extremely exciting,” said Crissy Buck-Ziegler, Head Coach of the 'Runners. “We have a large senior class that is chomping at the bit to get back out on the field. We have some great opponents up in Davis this weekend and each one is going to be a great test for us.”
CSU Bakersfield will open the tournament with a pair of games on Feb. 12. The 'Runners will first face off against Montana, a program only in its second year. Next up, CSUB will take on Sacramento State before battling host UC Davis on Saturday. Another pair of games on Valentine's Day will wrap up the tournament as the 'Runners will get rematches against both Montana and UC Davis.
“We have battled with Davis over the past couple of years and those games are always close nail biters,” Buck-Ziegler said when asked about this weekend's competition. “Montana will be better this year with one year of experience under their belt as a program. They are a scrappy team that will keep us on our toes and Sac State always has a great team. They have very good hitters and their pitchers always give our hitters fits. In all, I think it is a great opening weekend for us.”
The Roadrunners will look to a large group of seniors to lead the way through the 2016 season. CSUB is fortunate to return seven of its top eight hitters from 2015 including seniors Sydney Raeber and Adrianna Cardoza, who tied for the lead among returning 'Runner hitters with identical batting averages of .343.
The biggest question mark of the season for Buck-Ziegler and her squad will be the pitching staff. With the graduation of Kelsie Monroe, the 2015 Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, the 'Runners will look to a rotation of veteran pitchers to step up and perform. Raeber, a dual threat, will continue to see time in the circle for CSUB while junior Lyndsay Klimenko and senior Amber Mills will be expected to carry much of the load.
Along with the returning cast of 'Runners, CSUB added three freshmen to the squad and is excited to see what the trio can do in NCAA Division I competition. Alyssa Stockton, a standout prep pitcher, has a chance to make a mark if she can earn time in the circle for CSUB. Nadia Amezcua is a solid infielder who will add depth to the 'Runners while Chris Hipa is a utility player from Hawai'i who is expected to make an immediate impact.
The first game of the season for the 'Runners will begin at 8:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 12. Live stats will be available for all games at the tournament and links to live stats all season can be found on the CSUB softball schedule page. For more information on the Aggie Kick-Off, visit the tournament central page.
~GoRunners.com~
