California Bears

The Beavers must get by Cal to earn a trip to World Series

If we’re to believe Oregon State pitcher Brianne McGowan, today’s NCAA softball super regional matchup against California is “just like another game.”

And Woodstock was just another rock ‘n’ roll concert.

McGowan may choose to downplay the significance of today’s game, but the stakes could not be much higher.

The winner of the best-of- three series at the OSU Softball Complex advances to the Women’s College World Series on June 1-6 in Oklahoma City. It’s a venue the Beavers never have reached.

No. 7 OSU (41-13) has been at the precipice of the College World Series before. The Beavers have reached the round of 16 four times but were turned away.

Could this be the year OSU breaks through?

“We think it’s our year,” said sophomore left fielder Cambria Miranda, whose 16 homers tied the school’s single-season record. “We’re all pumped up. We have Cal ahead of us, and we know what they’ve got.”

What No. 6 Cal (47-12) has is Pac-10 pitcher of the year Kristina Thorson (35-8, 0.79 earned-run average, 438 strikeouts), and plenty of tradition. The Golden Bears have made seven straight World Series appearances, winning the national title in 2002.

Although Cal is ranked higher than OSU, the Beavers were designated as a host school because they were seeded No. 7 in their portion of the NCAA tournament bracket, which included Cal, and the Bears were given a No. 10 seed.

Cal leads the season series 2-1, with each team prevailing at home. OSU players were not dwelling on Cal’s past World Series accomplishments, which include five title game appearances.

“Truthfully, I haven’t even thought about it,” senior catcher Lisa Allen said. “It’s a whole new year; you’ve got all new people, and it’s a whole different team that you’re dealing with. I think it’s good to focus on the here and now, not the past.”

OSU made good use of the home field advantage last week, winning all three of its games in the Corvallis Regional. In two of the games — against Nevada and No. 19 Baylor — the Beavers had to come from behind.

“You never know how much home field helps you,” coach Kirk Walker said. “We’re certainly looking forward to being at home again and being in front of our crowd.”

McGowan (27-6, 1.36 ERA, 223 strikeouts) pitched every inning in the regional. While that scenario could play out again, fellow junior Ta’Tyana McElroy (14-7, 3.21 ERA) might get a look against the Bears.

In three appearances this season against Cal, McElroy has allowed two runs and six hits in 11 1/3 innings, and recorded OSU’s lone victory.

Look for McGowan to get the start today.

“I think we have better hitters. You’re always biased toward your team,” McGowan said. “I know the hard work that everyone has put in. The senior class, this is their last chance. So it really means a lot to them.”

All seven Pac-10 teams that were selected to play in the NCAA tournament have reached the round of 16. Conference teams have won 17 of the 24 College World Series.

The OSU-Cal series figures to be close. Cal won two 2-0 games at home, and the Beavers came through 4-2 in Corvallis. While McGowan says she doesn’t feel much pressure, there’s no denying the fact that it is there.

“It’s just a matter of how you learn to deal with pressure,” Walker said. ‘You don’t eliminate pressure, you just learn how to manage it. Our athletes have been focusing on the right things, which is one game at a time, one play at a time, one pitch at a time.”

This is the second year for the super regional format, and OSU is making its first appearance. The Beavers lost in the regional finals the past three years.

If OSU can duplicate its performance from last weekend, when timely hitting and solid pitching were too much for Baylor and Nevada, a spot in the eight team, double-elimination World Series is within reach.

“I think the (regional) tournament gave us a big boost,” said Allen, whose two-run homer knotted Saturday’s game against Baylor at 3-3. “I think that’s how this weekend is going to be. We went in, we played our three games, and we won all three. This weekend all we need to do is win two.”

Cal’s quarterback race during spring football never started.

That’s because the guy considered No. 1 by the coaching staff, Nate Longshore, isn’t ready to run.

Moments after the Golden Bears finished their final scrimmage of the spring on Saturday, Longshore acknowledged that he was a stationary target. That was despite him throwing a 70-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver DeSean Jackson.

“I’m sure everyone could see it,” said Longshore, who has been recovering from a broken leg and ankle injuries since the 2005 season opener. “I’m pedestrian at best (in terms of speed).”

Before spring ball began, Cal coach Jeff Tedford said he wanted to narrow his search for a quarterback to two main candidates going into summer camp. That wasn’t possible because Longshore was still gimpy from rehab and Tedford needs a mobile quarterback to run his new offense that will include spread tactics.

Even so, Tedford said on Saturday that Longshore’s inability to move didn’t hurt him, either. Longshore will begin summer camp in the same spot, as No. 1 on the depth chart. “Nate needs to get his feet quicker,” Tedford said. “That will make a big difference for him. I have confidence in him that he will do that.”

If Longshore’s rehabilitation did anything, it probably just kept the door open for both Joe Ayoob and Steve Levy. Tedford said those two quarterbacks, who will be seniors next season, rate almost in a dead-heat with Longshore.

Ayoob probably made the biggest move of the three. Seemingly buried on the depth chart after a disappointing 2005 season, he impressed Tedford with his ability to run the spread offense.

“This offense is awesome,” Ayoob said. “It fits me well. Sitting in the shotgun gives me the feeling of being in control. I know everything that is going on.

“I’m also playing better because the expectations aren’t so much on me, and playing last year has made the speed of the game slow down.”

Ayoob became excited when he heard Northwestern offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar was hired to combine the spread with Tedford’s offense. “It lit a fire under me,” said Ayoob, who missed Saturday’s scrimmage (except for holding duties on place kicks) due to a high ankle sprain. “It was like I was starting with a clean slate and it’s something I am comfortable running.”

Levy, who guided the Bears to season-ending wins over Stanford and BYU, also remains in the mix. “I threw the ball pretty well during the spring and really well at the end. I’m confident.”

Red-shirt freshman Kyle Reed still needs some seasoning before he makes a run at becoming a starter, according to Tedford.

While finding a quarterback was the primary theme of spring ball, building the offensive line was a close second. Cal offensive line coach Jim Michalczik said he didn’t figure out a starting lineup during camp.

“But that doesn’t worry me,” Michalczik said. “You rarely find five guys who play together through a whole season.”

Michalczik said offensive guard Erik Robertson, tackle Scott Smith and center Alex Mack have risen to the top. But two spots remain wide open with several candidates in the mix.

Players who made big moves in the spring, according to Tedford, were fullback Will Ta’ufo’ou, linebacker Justin Moye, safety Bernard Hicks and Mack.

“We got a lot done this spring,” Tedford said. “I think our spring was an overall success. We had a lot of young players get their feet wet and everything went smooth.”

COLUMBUS, OHIO - Brennan Boesch, who will be a junior outfielder this spring for the California baseball program, has been named a first-team preseason All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association of America (NCBWA), it was announced Tuesday.

Boesch, who earned first-team All-Pac-10 honors in 2005, has also been selected to be on the watch list for the 2006 Brooks Wallace Award as the nation’s top collegiate player. Last season, he batted a team-leading .355 (fifth in Pac-10) with 21 doubles (fifth in Pac-10), two triples, seven home runs and 33 RBI for the Golden Bears. He also finished with a .567 slugging percentage (10th in Pac-10) with 77 hits and 123 total bases. Boesch’s 21 doubles were third on the Cal all-time single-season doubles list, and he hit .367 (22-for-60) with runners in scoring position.

Boesch, a 6-5, 215-pound left-handed center fielder, is the only position player from the Pac-10 to be named a NCBWA Preseason All-American. He joins Oregon State’s right-hander Dallas Buck and USC’s right-hander Ian Kennedy as Pac-10 representatives on the NCBWA preseason first-team.

BOWL AT A GLANCE: California vs. Brigham Young, Las Vegas Bowl, Las Vegas, Nev., Dec. 22 — Ironically, the athletic director for BYU is Tom Holmoe, the former coach for the Bears whom Jeff Tedford replaced.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: RB Marshawn Lynch — A year ago J.J. Arrington rushed for over 2,000 yards. The sophomore did well as a replacement, finishing fourth in the league with 117 yards per game.
WR DeSean Jackson — The true freshman should have a breakout season next year when the Cal passing game has a chance to get back on track, but he has done some good things as a rookie, too. He has 32 receptions for 471 yards and five touchdowns this season.

LB Mickey Pimental — The JC transfer has been a great addition. He topped off the regular season with 3.5 tackles for losses, including 2.5 sacks against Stanford. He has 8.5 tackles for losses, two interceptions and forced a fumble this year.

C Marvin Philip — For the second straight season the senior was selected as one of six finalists for the Dave Rimington Trophy, given annually to the nation’s top center

PRO POTENTIAL: FS Harrington Smith — The sure tackler and speed corner made huge strides during his career. After finishing the regular season with 59 tackles, and six pass breakups, he could become a top four round draft choice.

SS Donnie McCleskey — As one of the team’s most reliable tacklers throughout his career, the 5-10, 195-pound strong safety has a chance to become a late round selection.

ROSTER REPORT: Quarterback Nate Longshore, the starter at the beginning of the season, is taking a few snaps for the first time since breaking a leg in the first game. Defensive end Tosh Lupoi will not be playing in the Las Vegas Bowl after suffering a broken foot against USC on Nov. 12. Offensive lineman Mike Tepper is unavailable for bowl action. Taking part in bowl practices were previously injured receiver Noah Smith, fullback Chris Manderino and offensive tackle Scott Smith.

BEST ATTRIBUTE: California coach Jeff Tedford usually has the first-round type of quarterback under center. That has not been the case, but the Bears haven’t needed him because of two of tailbacks as good as any in the Pac-10. Marshawn Lynch is 11th nationally at 117 yards per game, while Justin Forsett averages 87 yards. California’s linebackers are a force, with Donnie McCleskey, Desmond Bishop and Mickey Pimental making big plays all season.

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT: The Bears cannot turn the ball over and expect to win. California suffered from turnovers all season, ranking 98th nationally in turnover margin with a minus .73. Cal threw 17 interceptions, and picked off only 13. The Bears also recovered only 10 of their 22 fumbles, while recovering only six made by their opponents.
GAME OF THE YEAR: California never could recover from a 47-40 loss to UCLA on Oct. 18. The Bears not only blew a comfortable second-half lead, they also lost their momentum and dropped three of their next four games. It was the lone game of the season the Cal defense had no answers down the stretch.

MATCHUP TO WATCH: California CB Daymeion Hughes vs. BYU quarterback John Beck — The Bears’ passing efficiency defense is ranked 21st nationally. It will be up to corners like Hughes to stay close enough to the five-receiver sets BYU likes to use because Beck is seventh nationally in total offense, averaging 307 yards per game.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “Really, if you can keep a (spread) team to three touchdowns, you’re doing pretty well.” — California defensive coordinator Bob Gregory said when talking about BYU’s offense.

The Bears are taking their practice time seriously, with a great deal of attention and focus on BYU’s spread offense.

California was torn apart a year ago in the Holiday Bowl, losing 45-31 when Texas Tech’s spread attack dismantled the Bears defense, passing for 520 yards, 30 first downs and completing 39-of-60 passes.
“We will learn from that experience,” California coach Jeff Tedford said.

The Bears had better as they prepare to take on BYU in the Dec. 22 Las Vegas Bowl.

Unlike a year ago, California has seen forms of the spread offense much more. There is a familiarity with it after playing New Mexico State, Illinois and Oregon. All three run a form of a spread attack.

California defeated New Mexico State and Illinois and lost 27-20 to the Ducks.

“We’re proven at it,” California defensive coordinator Bob Gregory told the San Francisco Chronicle. “There are things we can do better, hopefully we will.”

One of the biggest obstacles Cal is finding with BYU’s form of the offense is how Cougar quarterback John Beck takes snaps five yards back in a shotgun and then drops back another three steps.

An eight-step head start makes it tougher for any defense to put pressure on the quarterback.