Sports News Southwest

Colorado Springs, Colorado - Three former San Diego State softball players have been named to the Mountain West Conference 10th Anniversary Softball Team, the league announced Wednesday afternoon. Sarah Hershman (San Diego, Calif./Mt. Carmel HS), Christina Ross (Santa Clarita, Calif./Valencia HS) and Celena Velasquez (Tucson, Ariz./University HS) were each picked for the team, giving the Aztecs three on the 11-player squad, which tied Brigham Young for most in the league.

 

The team was selected by a combined panel of media, institutional and conference personnel and online fan poll. In order to be eligible for consideration, candidates must have been an all-Mountain West selection at least once in their careers.

 

Hershman, who lettered four years at SDSU from 1999-2002, was a three-time selection (2000-02) on the all-MWC team as a second baseman and a two-time NFCA all-West Region second-team pick (2001-02). Hershman was named to the MWC all-tournament team in 2001 and was honored as the conference’s player of the week on Feb. 26, 2002.

 

Hershman is ranked among all-time school leaders in games played (second, 235), games started (second, 229), at-bats (third, 685), hits (third, 212), RBI (third, 97), total bases (third, 281), fielding chances (third, 1,061), runs (fourth, 102), stolen bases (fourth, 50), assists (fourth, 370), extra-base hits (fourth, 43), singles (fourth, 169), doubles (tied-fourth, 26), triples (tied-fourth, 8), putouts (seventh, 654), home runs (tied-seventh, 9), batting average (eighth, .309), OPS percentage (ninth, .768), stolen base percentage (ninth, .820), hardest to strike out (ninth, 1K/12.92 at-bats) and slugging percentage (10th, .410).

 

A three-year pitcher from 2006-08, Ross was a two-time MWC Pitcher of the Year (2006 and 2008) and three-time all-MWC selection (2006-08), while picking up NFCA all-West Region honors twice (2006 and 2008). Ross, who became the second All-American in school history when she was selected to the Easton-Bell Sports second team in 2008, set a league record with 12 career MWC Pitcher of the Week awards, including a conference record eight during the 2008 campaign. Ross also earned MWC all-tournament team honors during the final MWC postseason tournament in 2006.

 

Ross, who played for Kansas in 2005, holds three school records, including solo shutouts (since 1999) (23), total shutouts (28, tied with Sandra Durazo) and strikeouts (612). She is also ranked among the career leaders in wins (second, 70), win percentage (second, .660), games started (second, 96), complete games (second, 72), innings pitched (second, 691.2), saves (third, 6), strikeouts per seven innings (fourth, 6.19), strikeout-to-walk ratio (fourth, 3.97), appearances (tied-fourth, 129), lowest opponents batting average (fifth, .218), ERA (seventh, 1.50), fewest walks per seven innings (ninth, 1.56), and WHIP (BB +H/IP) (ninth, 1.04). Last year, Ross set Aztec single-season records in wins (30, tied with Durazo from 2001), appearances (52), total shutouts (14) and strikeouts (275).

 

The only four-year all-conference selection in Aztec history, Velasquez (2003-06) also earned the MWC Pitcher of the Year award on two occasions (2003-04), while garnering academic all-MWC accolades from 2004-06. A two-time NFCA all-West Region second-team honoree (2003-04), Velasquez was named the MWC Pitcher of the Week 11 times, while being picked to the MWC all-tournament team in 2003.

 

Velasquez still holds three records at SDSU, including saves (12), fewest walks per seven innings (0.98) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (6.45). She is also among the program leaders in appearances (second, 138), solo shutouts (since 1999) (second, 20), wins (third, 55), win percentage (third, .647), strikeouts (third, 529), strikeouts per seven innings (third, 6.33), lowest opponents average (third, .211), total shutouts (third, 25), WHIP (BB + H/IP) (third, 0.92), games started (sixth, 82), innings pitched (sixth, 584.2), complete games (eighth, 46) and fewest hits allowed per seven innings (eighth, 5.46). Five of Velasquez’ season records still stand, including win percentage (.762 in 2004), solo shutouts (since 1999) (10 in 2005), saves (6 in 2005 - tied with Bre DeSanta (2002), strikeout-to-walk ratio (10.05 in 2005) and lowest opponents average (.174 in 2005).