BERKELEY - The California softball team concludes its string of three straight weeks of in-state tournaments this week with the Judi Garman Classic from Feb. 27-March 1 at Anderson Family Field in Fullerton, Calif. Cal will meet Cal State Fullerton first on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 5 p.m. 

Fans can watch the games via FloSoftball, and the Cal State Fullerton game can be viewed for free on BigWest.TV. 
 
The Golden Bears will face three 2019 NCAA Tournament teams this weekend including the host Titans. Cal will also tangle with No. 4 LSU and BYU, a squad receiving top-25 votes. Cal will close out the weekend against Grand Canyon University on Sunday.    

Through the first three weeks, Makena Smith paces the Bears in hitting with a .460 batting average that ranks fifth in the Pac-12. Her 23 hits top the conference ranks, as well. The 2019 Pac-12 All-Freshman Team selection swung a hot bat at the Mary Nutter Classic last weekend, posting an average of .667 that tied for a tournament best. 

Smith, who is enjoying a 10-game hitting streak, collected three hits twice over the weekend, giving her a three-hit performance for the third time in 2020 and for the sixth time in her career. In the tournament finale, Smith slugged a home run against New Mexico.   

Smith's hitting streak currently ranks second on the team after Mikayla Coelho's 11-game current streak. Coelho slugged a game-tying three-run home run against No. 18 Missouri last weekend in the bottom of the sixth inning. Her season batting average of .422 ranks second on the team after Smith.  

Through 15 games, Cal has already matched its 2019 season totals with 12 double plays. The Bears turned two a season-high three times in Cal's 8-1 win over Auburn to open the Mary Nutter Classic.   
 
Losing three of its four pitchers from last season to graduation, junior transfer (Texas) Chloe Romero and sophomore Alexandra Perez have been carrying load for the Bears this season. In the Pac-12 ranks, Perez is first in games started (11) and tied for first in appearances (13), while Romero tops the Pac-12 in relief appearances (8). Perez ranks fourth in innings pitched (50.2) and Romero stands seventh in that category (47.0). Romero went six complete in Cal's 5-1 win over New Mexico, allowing just one run on a home run against the Lobos.    

Cal's 2020 roster boasts 10 true freshmen, and the rookies have been thrust into playing pivotal roles all season. Candace Yingling's slugging percentage of .579 is third on the team after Smith and Coelho. She delivered the decisive blow in Cal's 8-1 win over Auburn with a grand slam. Her .368 batting average ranks third on the squad. Aleia Agbayani, D'Asha Saiki, Kennedy Thomas, Kacey Zobac have each started at least 10 of the 15 games played this season. Zobac's .353 batting average ranks fifth on the team

The Bears will close out nonconference tournament next week at the James Madison Dukes Invitational from March 6-8 in Harrisonburg, Va. Cal will be joined in the tournament by host James Madison, Siena College and UConn. 

Cal All-Time Against The Tournament Field
• Cal will face four opponents once each at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic - Cal State Fullerton, No. 4 LSU, BYU and Grand Canyon University. The Titans, Tigers and Cougars were all NCAA Tournament teams a year ago, and the Cougars are receiving top-25 votes. The game against the fourth-ranked Tigers will be Cal's second ranked opponent this season (No. 18 Missouri).   
•Cal has an all-time even record at 21-21 against Cal State Fullerton. The Bears topped the Titans, 2-1, in last year's meeting.
•Cal is enjoying all-time winning records against the rest of its opponents this weekend. The Bears are 8-2 all-time against LSU. Cal beat the Tigers, 5-3 in their 2019 meeting. The Bears are 10-3 all-time against BYU. Cal last played the Cougars in 2015, beating them 12-4 in five innings in that encounter. The Bears have never lost to GCU, enjoying a clean 3-0 all-time record with the last meeting an 11-1 five-inning decision in 2014.  

Smith Crushes At Mary Nutter
Makena Smith led the way offensively for the Bears at last weekend's Mary Nutter Classic. Including the game before the trip at Saint Mary's, Smith batted .600 for the week, going 9-for-15 with two doubles and a home run. She collected three hits against Missouri and Nebraska, giving her three hits in a game three times in 2020 and six times for her career. 
Through the first three weeks, Makena Smith paces the Bears in hitting with a .460 batting average that ranks fifth in the Pac-12. Her 23 hits top the conference ranks, as well. Smith, who is enjoying a 10-game hitting streak, slugged a home run against New Mexico. 
In addition to her strong work at the plate, Smith started at third base three times over the weekend, the first time she's played at the hot corner this season. She also played at first at Saint Mary's and was behind the dish at catcher against New Mexico, showing her versatility to play all over the infield. 

Hot Starts And Strong Finishes 
Cal is 6-0 when scoring in the first inning this season. Last week, the Bears enjoyed three-run first innings at Saint Mary's and in the first game at the Mary Nutter Classic against Auburn. Cal also got on the board with one run in the Nutter Classic finale against New Mexico. 
In addition to getting off to hot starts, the Bears have been clamping down when having the opportunity to gain the win. Cal is 9-1 this season when leading after four innings. The Bears have scored 20 runs in the first inning and fifth inning this season, while they've held opposing offenses to only seven runs in the first inning and the seventh innings in 2020. 

Saiki Guides Bears Over Gaels 
Prior to going 2-2 at the Mary Nutter Classic last weekend, Cal opened the week with a come-from-behind victory at Saint Mary's. After Saint Mary's clawed back to take a late lead over the Bears, Cal responded with two runs in the top of the seventh and defeated the Gaels, 5-4, 
A two-out single by the Gaels in the bottom of the sixth had the home fans cheering as SMC came back from an early 3-0 Cal lead to take a 4-3 lead. But the Bears answered in the top of the seventh. A bases-loaded single by D'Asha Saiki sent home Kennedy Thomas and Kacey Zobac to give Cal its lead back at 5-4. It completed a three-hit day for Cal's true freshman.

Romero Mows Down Lobos, She And Perez Logging Innings 
With two pitchers carrying the load for the Bears through the season's first three weeks, Alexandra Perez and Chloe Romero have logged nearly every inning of work this season. In the Pac-12 rankings, Perez is first in games started (11) and tied for first in appearances (13), while Romero tops the conference in relief appearances (8). Perez ranks fourth in innings pitched (50.2) and Romero stands seventh in that category (47.0). Romero went six complete in Cal's 5-1 win over New Mexico, allowing just one run on a home run against the Lobos. The Bears made a pitching change at the start of the fourth inning against New Mexico, when the Lobos loaded the bases with nobody out, Romero came back in and got the Bears out of the inning with no damage done. 
Perez is currently 5-4 (3.45 ERA) while Romero is 4-2 (3.43) with one save.