Friday, February 23
Cathedral City, CA
1 p.m.
vs
Rutgers
Photo by: Kyle Calzia
Mustangs Return to Mary Nutter College Classic Feb. 23-25
2/21/2024 1:38:00 PM | Softball
SAN LUIS OBISPO – Off to the program's best nine-game start in 24 years, the Cal Poly softball team returns to the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic (Cathedral City, Calif.) with five games from Feb. 23-25 at Big League Dreams Park – including a Sunday, Feb. 25 matchup with No. 21 California. Competing in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic for the eighth time since 2013, Cal Poly (7-2) opens the 2024 edition on Friday, Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. with just the program's second all-time matchup against Rutgers (6-4). Action follows on Saturday, Feb. 24 against Illinois (1-4) at 9 a.m. and BYU (8-2) at 5 p.m. Cal Poly concludes tournament play on Sunday, Feb. 25 with an 11:30 a.m. doubleheader versus California (10-1) and Fresno State (6-4).
FOLLOW CAL POLY THIS WEEK: Streaming video will be available for all five of Cal Poly's Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic games via FloSoftball (pay site) HERE … live stats will also be available for Saturday's and Sunday's pair of games via GoPoly.com HERE.
CAL POLY VERSUS MARY NUTTER COLLEGIATE CLASSIC OPPONENTS: Cal Poly prevailed in its only previous matchup with Rutgers on March 8, 2013, edging the Scarlet Knights at the Mustang Classic, 3-2 … Illinois leads the all-time series with Cal Poly, 5-2, dating to the first meeting in 2008. Cal Poly prevailed in the last meeting on Feb. 27, 2020 at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, 12-2 (five innings) … Cal Poly trails in the all-time series to BYU, 8-4, with the Cougars winning the last meeting – also at the Judi Garman Classic on Feb. 27, 2020 – 9-1 (five innings) … California leads the Division I series against Cal Poly, 18-6, with the Golden Bears prevailing a year to the day from last year's Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic matchup, 8-3 … Cal Poly has won back-to-back meetings with Fresno State, last topping the Bulldogs at the 2023 Judi Garman, 5-1. The Bulldogs, however, lead the all-time series, 46-16.
CLEMENTS REMAINS CAL POLY'S CATALYST: Dropping to second in Cal Poly's batting order after spending her first 90 games in the leadoff position has only emboldened center fielder Jessica Clements at the plate as the junior ranks fourth among Big West hitters with a .531 (17-for-32) batting average. Having already hit safely in eight of nine games and with seven multi-hit outings thus far, Clements – the Feb. 12 Big West Player of the Week honoree – leads the conference with four doubles while ranking second with 17 hits and 32 total bases and third with nine runs. Through 99 career games, Clements remains the top batter in program history with a .406 (140-for-345) career mark.
JUDY LEADS IN THE CIRCLE: Limited to just five appearances and 10.0 innings last spring, junior righthander Kate Judy (3-1) already leads Big West pitchers in starts (five) while ranking second with a 1.83 ERA and fifth with 16 strikeouts. Judy (above), the Feb. 12 Big West Pitcher of the Week honoree, has failed to concede an earned run in her three victories. An eight-strikeout performance against Middle Tennessee (Feb. 10) marked the third highest total of her career.
CAL POLY SELECTED SEVENTH IN BIG WEST POLL: Despite returning starters at all 10 positions and welcoming back all three All-Big West selections from 2023, Cal Poly was selected seventh in the conference preseason coaches' poll. The Mustangs received 31 total points in the poll – 15 behind sixth place Hawai'i. Cal State Fullerton – second in the Big West standings a season ago – was selected to capture the 2024 title with 77 points and six first-place votes. Defending champion Long Beach State was second in the poll, right behind the Titans on 75 points and with the remaining four first-place votes.
LOOKING AHEAD (MARCH 1-3): Playing its first 23 games away from home, Cal Poly completes Big West preparations at California Baptist's Lancer Joust. The Mustangs open play with a Friday, March 1 pair of matchups against Idaho State (10 a.m.) and the host Lancers (3 p.m.). Cal Poly then faces St. Johns (10 a.m.) and Idaho State (3 p.m.) on Saturday, March 2 before concluding action versus California Baptist on Sunday, March (12:30 p.m.). Collectively, Cal Poly has played just seven total games against the trio in 50 varsity seasons.
ETC.: The Cal Poly program is in its 50th varsity season in 2024 and 20th year under head coach Jenny Condon … Cal Poly's 5-0 start to the year was its best since beginning the 2005 season 5-0.
FOLLOW CAL POLY THIS WEEK: Streaming video will be available for all five of Cal Poly's Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic games via FloSoftball (pay site) HERE … live stats will also be available for Saturday's and Sunday's pair of games via GoPoly.com HERE.
CAL POLY VERSUS MARY NUTTER COLLEGIATE CLASSIC OPPONENTS: Cal Poly prevailed in its only previous matchup with Rutgers on March 8, 2013, edging the Scarlet Knights at the Mustang Classic, 3-2 … Illinois leads the all-time series with Cal Poly, 5-2, dating to the first meeting in 2008. Cal Poly prevailed in the last meeting on Feb. 27, 2020 at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, 12-2 (five innings) … Cal Poly trails in the all-time series to BYU, 8-4, with the Cougars winning the last meeting – also at the Judi Garman Classic on Feb. 27, 2020 – 9-1 (five innings) … California leads the Division I series against Cal Poly, 18-6, with the Golden Bears prevailing a year to the day from last year's Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic matchup, 8-3 … Cal Poly has won back-to-back meetings with Fresno State, last topping the Bulldogs at the 2023 Judi Garman, 5-1. The Bulldogs, however, lead the all-time series, 46-16.
CLEMENTS REMAINS CAL POLY'S CATALYST: Dropping to second in Cal Poly's batting order after spending her first 90 games in the leadoff position has only emboldened center fielder Jessica Clements at the plate as the junior ranks fourth among Big West hitters with a .531 (17-for-32) batting average. Having already hit safely in eight of nine games and with seven multi-hit outings thus far, Clements – the Feb. 12 Big West Player of the Week honoree – leads the conference with four doubles while ranking second with 17 hits and 32 total bases and third with nine runs. Through 99 career games, Clements remains the top batter in program history with a .406 (140-for-345) career mark.
JUDY LEADS IN THE CIRCLE: Limited to just five appearances and 10.0 innings last spring, junior righthander Kate Judy (3-1) already leads Big West pitchers in starts (five) while ranking second with a 1.83 ERA and fifth with 16 strikeouts. Judy (above), the Feb. 12 Big West Pitcher of the Week honoree, has failed to concede an earned run in her three victories. An eight-strikeout performance against Middle Tennessee (Feb. 10) marked the third highest total of her career.
CAL POLY SELECTED SEVENTH IN BIG WEST POLL: Despite returning starters at all 10 positions and welcoming back all three All-Big West selections from 2023, Cal Poly was selected seventh in the conference preseason coaches' poll. The Mustangs received 31 total points in the poll – 15 behind sixth place Hawai'i. Cal State Fullerton – second in the Big West standings a season ago – was selected to capture the 2024 title with 77 points and six first-place votes. Defending champion Long Beach State was second in the poll, right behind the Titans on 75 points and with the remaining four first-place votes.
LOOKING AHEAD (MARCH 1-3): Playing its first 23 games away from home, Cal Poly completes Big West preparations at California Baptist's Lancer Joust. The Mustangs open play with a Friday, March 1 pair of matchups against Idaho State (10 a.m.) and the host Lancers (3 p.m.). Cal Poly then faces St. Johns (10 a.m.) and Idaho State (3 p.m.) on Saturday, March 2 before concluding action versus California Baptist on Sunday, March (12:30 p.m.). Collectively, Cal Poly has played just seven total games against the trio in 50 varsity seasons.
ETC.: The Cal Poly program is in its 50th varsity season in 2024 and 20th year under head coach Jenny Condon … Cal Poly's 5-0 start to the year was its best since beginning the 2005 season 5-0.
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Softball
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