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July 9, 2008

Los Angeles, CA - Head Coach Gary Ferrin has reloaded for the 2009 season by bringing in nine new players, he announced Wednesday. The nine will join a Lion team that will be looking to return to the top of the Pacific Coast Softball Conference standings after winning the title in three out of the last six seasons.

With his 2009 recruiting class, Ferrin could field an entirely new team as he has all nine positions covered. "I feel this may be the strongest and deepest team LMU has ever fielded. We will have quality depth everywhere," Ferrin said. "I expect our incoming freshmen to contribute right away and compete for starting spots."

A catcher, Stephanie Hughes is a local product out of Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, the same school that produced current Lion Darcy Pagnini. A four-year varsity player for the Mustangs, Hughes was named First Team All-Bay League three times and was an All-Area selection in 2008, when she led the Bay League in home runs, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage. In 2007, Hughes played summer ball in Italy, earning an invite to try out with the Italian National Team. She is well-decorated in travel ball, joining up with LMU teammates Christine Foley and Priscilla Satete to play in the 2006 ASA California State Final and National Championships, the 2006 and 2002 Triple Crown World Series, and the 2004 USSSA Nationals, for which she earned a place on the All-Tournament team. Hughes has also excelled in the classroom, where she is a four-time Scholar Athlete and a member of both the principal's honor roll and the California Scholastic Federation.

Shortstop Sam Fischer comes to LMU from Simi Valley High School, where she was the Ventura County Player of the Year and First Team All-State. She led the county in home runs with 11 while hitting .471 with 32 runs batted in and 30 runs scored. Fischer helped SVHS start the 2008 season with 30 straight victories before they suffered their only loss in the CIF-Southern Section Division I championship game. In addition to being named First Team All-CIF, she was also the Ventura County Star Player of the Year, a member of the Los Angeles Times Southland All-Star team, and featured in the San Fernando Valley Classic All-Star Game, where she won the Home Run Derby.

Kelly Sarginson will add some versatility to the Lions, as she has played first and third bases in travel ball and shortstop on her high school team. Hailing from Northgate High School in Walnut Creek, Sarginson hit .571 her senior season and was named Medium School All-State. A four-time All-Diablo Foothill Athletic League selection, she capped her career by being inducted into the Northgate HS Athletic Hall of Fame. A member of the Nor Cal Shockers, Sarginson played in the 2007 ASA Gold Nationals and hit .432 for her travel ball team.

One of three multi-purpose infielder/outfielders, Brittany Pereda led Lutheran High School in Orange in hitting with a .400 average. She was named the Trinity League Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, as well as First Team All-League. Additionally, she was her high school Female Athlete of the Year and the CIF Scholar Athlete of the Year. Pereda played club softball for O.C. Batbusters Gold.

Arriving from Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, Corie Goodman will add some depth on the mound for the Lions. The pitcher recently helped her club team, S.D. County Breakers, go 6-0 in Gold Qualifying to advance to the Gold Nationals.

Kyle Ahlo is another versatile infielder, having earned Second Team All-State and First Team All-Interscholastic League of Hawai'i honors at Iolani High School in Honolulu, HI. The shortstop/second baseman will be joined on the Lions by her high school teammate, Kaz Masutani. An infielder/outfielder, Masutani was a three-time First Team All-ILH selection and a two-time member of the All-Hawai'i team, including a First Team member as a senior in 2007. She spent a year at Oregon State but did not play, giving her four years of eligibility at LMU.

The final infielder/outfielder, Erika Marmolejo, hails from Merced, where she was included on the All-CIF Central Section team and an All-Area selection. She led her league in hitting, slugging, runs batted in, home runs, and on-base percentage and was voted Merced High School Athlete of the Year. She played her travel ball with O.C. Athletics Gold.

A third baseman/outfielder, Katrina Bodewig adds speed to the class having led Brea Olinda High School in stolen bases. She was a four-year starter for BOHS, earning team Defensive Player of the Year honors her freshman year. As a senior, she was selected to play in the Orange County All-Star Game while being awarded Century League Scholar Athlete and the United States Army Reserve National Scholar Athlete Award recognition. Bodewig also played her club ball for O.C. Athletics Gold.

LMU went 38-18 in 2008 for its 10th consecutive winning season and eighth year of 35-or-more wins under Ferrin. The Lions finished second in the PCSC with a 13-7 record and lose just two players to graduation.

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