SOFTBALL SELECTED TO FINISH SECOND IN THE PACIFIC COAST SOFTBALL CONFERENCE 1/11/2008 SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The Sacramento State softball squad was selected to finish second in the 2008 Pacific Coast Softball Conference (PCSC) standings, it was announced in a preseason poll of the league coaches today. The second-place selection marks the sixth consecutive season in which the Hornets were picked to finish no worse than second in the preseason poll. The Hornets, who finished 2007 with a 20-33 overall record and an 11-8 mark in the conference, received one first-place vote and 27 total points in the poll. Last year’s conference champion Loyola Marymount was selected to repeat as champion with 34 total points and four first-place votes. Following Loyola Marymount and Sacramento State were Portland State (23), Saint Mary’s (17), San Diego (14) and Santa Clara (11). Beginning its sixth year of existence, the PCSC will receive an automatic qualifier for NCAA postseason play for the fourth straight season. The team with the best conference record at the end of PCSC play will automatically advance to the 64-team NCAA postseason tournament. Sacramento State has finished the season second in the conference standings each of the last three years, and has never finished with anything lower than a .500 winning percentage in PCSC play. In 2008, Sacramento State will return 13 players, including eight positional starters and two pitchers from last year’s team. That list includes first team all-PCSC selections: senior outfielder Hilary Johnson, senior shortstop Amy Tompkins and junior catcher Jamie Schloredt. Senior infielder Sherry Clark, junior pitcher Kayla Meeks, junior infielder Whitney Loomis and junior outfielder Rachel Miles, who were either second team or honorable mention all-PCSC selections last season, also return to the team. Although Sacramento State had its streak of four straight 30-win seasons snapped last year, the team won nine of its final 12 games to gain momentum for 2008. The Hornets begin the 2008 season on Feb. 12 when the team hosts San Jose State for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. The team plays its first four game of the year at home (including a doubleheader against Nevada on Feb. 19), but does not return to Shea Stadium again until March 19. PCSC Coaches Poll (First-Place Votes in Parenthesis) 1. Loyola Marymount (4) - 34 2. Sacramento State (1) - 27 3. Portland State - 23 4. Saint Mary’s - 17 5. San Diego - 14 6. Santa Clara (1) - 11