The faint echoes of cheering and discarded sunflower seeds are all that remain on the now empty La Rue Field, which hosted its last series of the 2013 season this past weekend against Cal Poly. In the world of UC Davis spring sports, softball has now come to a close. Although the team went through some ups and downs this year, they can be proud of finishing off strong, sweeping the Mustangs in three big wins. Coach Karen Yoder was confident prior to their last games of the year. “We’re excited to have the opportunity to have three more games this season,” coach Yoder said. “Any time you’re in competition, you want to strive to excel.” Exceeding her expectations, the team came out firing against Cal Poly in the double-header on Friday and the one game on Saturday. Clutch hitting, strong defense and solid pitching played heavily into the Aggies besting rival Cal Poly. Winning 5-2 in game one and 6-4 in game two on Friday, coupled with a final... ...

Teams: UC Davis vs. Cal Poly Records: Aggies, 22-27 (8-13); Mustangs, 19-31-1 (8-13) Where: La Rue Field — Davis, CA When: Friday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.; Saturday at 12 p.m. Who to Watch: As the school year comes to a close, so does UC Davis’ high-action spring sports, including softball. Rolling into their final series against Cal Poly, many of the players, both starters and subs, can be proud of a solid season both individually and as a team. A huge midweek win against Stanford on May 1 at La Rue Field gave the team a lot of confidence going into their final away games against Long Beach on May 4 and 5. The spectacular sisterly duo of Cat and Christina Guidry contributed more than their fair share in the big victory against Stanford. Scoring one apiece, the sisters made up two of the five runs the Aggies needed to best Stanford in a well-played seven-inning match-up. Christina reached base with a leadoff single to start the seventh-inning... ...

Teams: UC Davis at Long Beach State Records: Aggies, 21-24 (8-10); 49ers, 32-20 (14-7) Where: 49ers Softball Complex — Long Beach, Calif. When: Saturday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.; Sunday at 1 p.m. Who to Watch: With the second-to-last series and the last away games of the season just around the corner for the UC Davis softball team, several players can come into these final six games feeling very comfortable both at the plate and on the mound. Standout freshman shortstop Christa Castello enters this last road trip against the 49ers leading the Aggies with 38 hits and a solid overall average of .306. Not only has Castello established herself as a key hitter in the meat of the Aggie’s lineup, but she also has utilized her speed to add to the team’s success. A menace on the base paths, opposing catchers just cannot stop her as she continues to use her speed to lead UC Davis with 13 stolen bases. Another player that has helped to manufacture runs... ...

It is said that a team is like a family. Players travel together, practice together and often eat together. Such consistent interaction between the players allow them to forge a bond which is similar to familial ties. However, with freshmen Cat Guidry and Christina Guidry, the bonds they share are more than the standard teammate camaraderie. The Guidrys, as their last name suggests, are sisters. Twins, to be exact. They also happen to both play softball for the UC Davis softball team. The Guidry sisters have been a package deal for quite awhile. They started playing softball and other sports together at a young age. Even when they decided to focus on softball, the twins stuck together. “We started tee ball when we were five or six,” Christina said. “From there we played rec-ball for a few years, then we started travel ball when we were 10 and then played ‘till we were 17.” Christina’s counterpart agreed that playing different sports was not an option, and that softball came naturally... ...

Teams: UC Davis at UC Riverside Records: Aggies, 17-21 (4-7); Highlanders, 16-24 (0-9) Where: Amy S. Harrison Field — Riverside, Calif. When: Saturday, April 20 at 12 and 2 p.m.; Sunday, April 21 at 12 p.m. Who to Watch: Freshman Christa Castello has been a terror on the base paths this season. She is tied for sixth in the Big West for stolen bases, with 11 steals. This, along with her impressive .287 batting average and 11 runs batted in after the UC Santa Barbara series, will definitely cause UC Riverside’s less than stellar pitching staff some problems. With the Highlander pitching staff prone to giving up home runs, the addition of Castello on the bases gives the UC Riverside pitchers something else to think about. Thus, the Highlander pitchers may not be as focused on making the best pitch and could make a costly mistake leading to big hits for the Aggies. UC Davis needs to find consistent run production, and the series against UC Riverside seems like the... ...

Teams: UC Davis vs. Cal State Bakersfield Records: Aggies (11-13); Roadrunners (2-13) Where: Roadrunner Softball Complex — Bakersfield, Calif. When: Saturday at noon and 2 p.m. Who to watch: Leading the Aggie offense during their weekend away in Tempe, Ariz., sophomore Amy Nunez proved to be a vital component to the team’s success, batting .600 in the Aggies’ two days of play. Nunez’s bat began to heat up during crucial situations in the Diamond Devil Invitational, recording five RBIs over the entire weekend, with four on the final day of play. Coach Karen Yoder attributes Nunez’s recent success behind home plate to her diligent work ethic and constant strive for success. There is no doubt that the team will rely on Nunez as a go-to leader once the Aggies’ conference games begin starting on the 29th of this month. “She has been really focused and has been doing a lot of extra things on the side in terms of tape analysis and asking a lot of questions, and really being... ...

Event: NFCA Leadoff Classic Teams: UC Davis vs. Southern Illinois; vs. James Madison; vs. Michigan; vs. USF; vs. Illinois State; vs. Fordham Records: Aggies (5-5); Salukis (4-6); Dukes (4-1); Wolverines (6-2); Bulls (6-3); Redbirds (5-5); Rams (4-1) Where: Eddie C. Moore Complex, Clearwater, FL When: Friday 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Sunday 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. (All times are Pacific Time) Who to watch: Junior Chandler Wagner made her presence known at the Stanford Invitational just this last weekend, batting .500 with numerous clutch runs batted in. Wagner’s hitting prowess was highlighted in the Aggies’ two matchups against the Santa Clara Broncos where she went 1-2 in the first game, followed by 2-2 in the second. In the latter, she posted three RBIs off of a double and a triple in the Aggies’ demolition derby 14-1 victory over the Broncos. The Aggies will rely on Wagner’s deadly bat to lead them to success against tough opponents that they will face in the coming... ...

Going into yet another away tournament for the weekend, the UC Davis softball team traveled down to Palo Alto to compete in the Stanford Invitational against Santa Clara, CSU Bakersfield, in addition to the tournament host and 20th-ranked Stanford. Although the team split the double headers on both days of the weekend, the Aggies recorded losses in a nail-biter against Cal State Bakersfield and against an all-around solid Stanford team. “Any time we drop a game, I have higher expectations. We had some bright moments, and then some moments where we had to focus on [our] intensity,” said coach Karen Yoder. Although the Aggies’ performance may not have fully met expectations, junior Chandler Wagner’s bat proved to be a force which motivated the team throughout the long weekend. Wagner batted an enviable .500 on the weekend going 4-8, highlighted by a double and a triple in the Aggies’ second outing against Santa Clara. Saturday — UC Davis 7, Santa Clara 2; UC Davis 0, CSU Bakersfield 2 To begin the... ...

Event: Stanford Invitational Teams: UC Davis vs. Santa Clara; vs. CSU Bakersfield; vs. Santa Clara; vs. Stanford Records: Aggies (3-2); Broncos (0-2); Roadrunners (0-3); Cardinal (4-2) Where: Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium — Palo Alto, Calif. When: Saturday at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Sunday at 12:15 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Who to watch: With an upcoming weekend of potentially intimidating opponents looming, the Aggies will look to sophomore Amy Nunez’ red hot bat to lead their offense to victory. Last season, Nunez made her mark as a freshman while batting .225 with a .357 slugging percentage, in addition to leading the team with four dingers. To add to her offensive accolades, Nunez led the team with a .507 success rate in advancing runners. Last weekend in Fresno, Nunez led her team to a 3-2 record batting .400 on the weekend with six hits. Nunez was so dependable in fact that coach Karen Yoder relied on her bat to be a force at the top of the lineup each... ...

Event: Fresno State Kick-off Teams: UC Davis vs. Southern Miss.; vs. Fresno State; vs. UTEP; vs. Southern Miss.; vs. Sacramento State Records: Aggies (0-0); Golden Eagles (0-0); Bulldogs (0-0); Miners (0-0); Hornets (0-0) Where: Bulldog Stadium — Fresno, CA When: Friday at 9 a.m.; Saturday at 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.; Sunday at 11:15 p.m.and 1:30 p.m. Who to watch: When Shakespeare wrote the words, “Though she be but little, she is fierce,” little did he know that the phrase would apply to sophomore pitcher Justine Vela. Last year, the 5’5” freshman sensation grabbed numerous honors, highlighted by the title of Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year, and Big West Pitcher of the Year. After her freshman season, Vela became the queen of the pitcher’s circle with 272 strikeouts on the year, placing her third in all-time strikeout totals in UC Davis history. By the end of the season, Vela boasted a 20-17 record complete with nine shutouts, and even a no-hitter against Idaho State. Vela will not only... ...

The exciting 2012 UC Davis softball campaign, which was highlighted by an upset over No. 8 Stanford as well as a lengthy battle for the conference championship, came to an end this weekend. Although they were unable to achieve their dream of claiming a piece of the Big West regular season championship, the Aggies made it a season and weekend to remember with two strong victories against Cal State Fullerton. Similar to the entire season, the final series of the year was an entire team effort as every starter recorded a hit or an RBI over the weekend. On the mound, freshman Justine Vela, who started all three games, ended her extraordinary first season with two complete-game victories. With her strong weekend performances, Vela finished first in the Big West with the lowest conference ERA (0.95) and most strikeouts (272). The Aggies finished with a final record of 24-28 and 14-7 in Big West Conference play. UC Davis came in just two games behind eventual Big West Champion Long Beach... ...

Teams: UC Davis vs. Cal State Fullerton Records: Aggies, 22-27 (12-6); Titans 19-29 (7-11) Where: Anderson Family Field — Fullerton, Calif. When: Friday at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.; Saturday at noon Who to watch: Kelly Harman, a former Big West Conference Freshman Field Player of the Year and All-Big West Honorable Mention, will possibly be playing her final games as an Aggie this weekend. The senior from Trabuco Canyon, Calif. has displayed her offensive prowess all season long, leading the team with 18 runs scored and a .399 on-base percentage. With a team-high of 23 walks, Harman maintains a composure at the plate and stands among the best in the league. Her patience and leadership will be critical this weekend for the Aggies if they hope to extend their chances of winning the league title. Did you know? After sweeping Cal State Fullerton in resounding fashion last weekend, Big West Conference leader Long Beach State holds a 14-4 conference record and leads UC Davis by two games with three... ...

In the biggest series of the season, the Aggies, who came in to the three-game battle just one game behind first place teams Long Beach State and Pacific, seized two crucial victories against the Tigers to temporarily grab first place in the Big West Conference. The weekend series win in Stockton was marked by strong offensive performances, especially from UC Davis senior leaders Kelly Harman and Rachel Miller. Additionally, freshman Justine Vela pitched well against the powerful bats of now 33-18 (12-6) Pacific as she rose to the challenge of pitching all but three innings over the weekend due to an injury to fellow starter junior Jessica Thweatt. In her 17 innings pitched against the Tigers, Vela gave up only three earned runs and added 25 strikeouts to her league-leading total. With the series win the Aggies are now 22-27 on the season and 12-6 in Big West play with just one regular season series remaining. Friday — UC Davis 6, Pacific 4 Understanding the magnitude of the series, senior... ...

Teams: UC Davis vs. Pacific Records: Aggies, 20-26 (10-5); Tigers 32-16 (11-4) Where: Bill Simoni Field — Stockton, Calif. When: Friday at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.; Saturday at 10 a.m. Who to watch: Rachel Miller is making the most of her final season at UC Davis. The senior catcher from Costa Mesa, Calif. continues to lead the Aggie offense with 30 hits on the year along with her team-high 21 runs batted in. In relation to her Big West Conference counterparts, Miller’s offensive numbers demonstrate why she is one of the top catchers in the league. Miller’s four doubles in league play are the second most in conference, while her two sacrifice flies tie her for the regular season lead. To have a shot at this year’s conference championship, UC Davis will need Miller to continue to make big contributions to its offense. Did you know? UC Davis trails Big West leaders Long Beach State and University of Pacific by only one game. The 49ers, with an 11-4 conference... ...