By BRIAN HERMAN
Sports Editor
CALIFORNIA – With five straight PSAC titles, you’d think California University softball coach Rick Bertagnolli would take winning for granted.
He doesn’t.
“Our girls did a tremendous job,” grinned Bertagnolli after the Vulcans avenged Friday’s 1-0 loss to Bloomsburg with 6-1 and 8-4 victories Saturday over the East Division champs following a 6-1 loss over Kutztown.
“I wasn’t surprised we won but was elated how we played under all the circumstances,” he added. “It was a perfect ending to what the kids wanted.”
California (44-12), which is expected to host this weekend’s Mid-Atlantic Regional, was loaded with heroes.
• There was senior outfielder Nikki Fiedler, whose grand slam highlighted a five-run sixth inning and erased a 3-2 Bloomsburg lead in the title contest.
• There was freshman Amber Riegel (10-4), who limited Kutztown to one run in five innings.
• There was senior Tracie Watts (6-4), who held hard-hitting Bloomsburg to three hits in the first win over the Huskies.
• There was sophomore Ali Ferrari, who homered and drove in three runs in the semifinal game.
• There was sophomore Melissa Brooks (25-2), who bounced back from Friday’s heartbreaking 1-0 defeat to Bloomsburg by limiting the Huskies to four runs and seven hits in the championship game.
Bertagnolli wasn’t surprised by either Watts’ or Riegel’s showing on the mound.
“Tracie was our MVP in the PSAC last year and Amber has pitched and won in a number of big games,” he said. “They have experience and did what they had to do.”
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