Issue date: 2/27/08 Section: Sports

Already having four games under its belt, the Sacramento State Hornet softball team is ready for tournament play.

Having played in doubleheaders against the University of Nevada-Reno and San Jose State at Shea Stadium on the Sac State campus, the Hornets will now travel to play in consecutive tournaments.

Coach Kathy Strahan will lead the team to tournaments all over California, including playing host to Sac State's own Capital Classic Tournament.

First stop for the Hornets will be in San Luis Obispo for the Mustang Classic.

Last season the team posted a 2-2 record in the same tournament.

The Hornets went 3-1 in the Mustang Classic.

Prior to beginning Pacific Coast Softball Conference play, the Hornets will be well prepared, having played in 20 games against tournament teams.

"It gives us lots of game experience," Strahan said. "Tournaments put our team against a myriad of opponents so when we go to conference play we are ready for anything."

"Myriad" is the perfect word to describe the Hornets' tournament competition.

The Hornets will take on teams from a variety of conferences including the Pac-10, Big-10 and the Western Athletic Conference.

Highly-touted University of Oklahoma and Ohio State will provide tough competition for the Hornets in the Capital Classic.

Traveling great distances to find good competition isn't necessary for Sac State as it is for other teams.

Ohio State will play in five tournaments this season, with stops in Florida, California and Las Vegas.

Strahan said that hosting a tournament allows for great competition without leaving Sacramento County.

"We get terrific competition, some of the best all year, and we don't have to travel," Strahan said.

A round-robin format tournament, the Capital Classic enters its 16th year of existence.

The Sacramento Softball Complex will host all the games and Sac State will travel only a few miles while Princeton University will travel about 2,470 miles to play in the tournament.

"Hosting the tournament saves us money and gives us a chance to make some money for the department in some years," Strahan said.

The University of California at Berkeley and Colorado State are two other schools taking part in the tournament.

Playing in multiple tournaments allows the Hornets to fine-tune before they take on teams from their own conference.

"We need to do a better job in the pitching department and also play sharper defense," Strahan said. "We need to get tougher mentally."

Injuries are a part of collegiate athletics, but for the Hornets, tournament play creates a higher risk.

Lindsay McEuen, the teams athletic trainer, sees more injuries during tournaments.

"There are many injuries that can happen, usually an ankle sprain or general shoulder soreness, from playing in so many games in a short amount of time," McEuen said.

Preparing mentally to play various games consecutively can ease the physical stress put on the body by those games.

"A lot of stress is put on the body, but most of these girls are used to it, and practice helps prepare the body for the grueling weekend they will experience," McEuen said.

The Hornets will play in the Santa Clara Bronco Stampede along with the Bulldog Classic - two new tournaments added from last season's schedule.

"We don't always go to the same tournaments. It depends upon open dates, costs involved and the level of competition we will face," Strahan said about how the team selects its tournaments.

Sac State is set to play its first game of the Capital Classic on March 14 against Princeton.

Jose Martinez can be reached at jmartinez@statehornet.com

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