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3:53pm | The 2012 Long Beach City College softball season will get underway this weekend, as the Vikings face San Bernardino Valley College in their season-opener on Friday (Jan 27) at the Glendale College tournament.

Long Beach is scheduled for three pool-play games with the possibility of playing up to six games total on the opening weekend.

LBCC and San Bernardino Valley square off at 3pm on Friday. The Vikings won’t get much time to rest, as they take on Ventura College at 5 pm. LBCC returns to action on Saturday morning to play Imperial Valley College at 11 am with hopes of playing championship round games Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

Melissa Angel returns for her fifth season as head coach of the Vikings in 2012 and ninth season overall at LBCC. Angel has led the Vikings to playoff berths in three of her four season (2008, 2009, 2011), including a spot at the 2008 State Championships. Entering the 2012 season, Angel has a career overall record of 108-65-2 at LBCC.

Last year (2011), Long Beach compiled a 24-17-1 overall record and finished tied for third-place in the always tough South Coast Conference at 12-9 on its way to a Southern California Regional Playoffs appearance.

This year’s Viking squad will be light on experience, as just four players return from the 2011 playoff team. But Angel likes the makeup of her 2012 bunch.

“The sophomores will really have to step up and lead the team,” said Angel.

Returning sophomores for LBCC are outfielder Danielle Hannan, catcher Melisa Sponholz, infielder Cassie Garcia, and utility player Samantha Goerlitz.

Hannan is the lone starter returning, as she started all 42 for Long Beach last season. Batting leadoff and playing centerfield, Hannan had a .348 batting average. She was second on last year’s squad with 48 hits and 41 runs while leading the Vikings with nine stolen bases.

Sponholz started 21 of 30 games last year and hit .273 (12 for 44) while Garcia started 25 of 30 games and compiled a .247 average (21 for 85). Goerlitz batted .500 last season after totaling seven hits in 14 at bats over 18 games.

“We are young, but I think we will be much improved in some areas than we were last year,” Angel said. “I really like our pitching staff this year. I think we have a really solid group.”

Freshman pitchers Christine Kennedy (El Segundo HS), Nancy Montanez (Gahr HS), and Frances Campoy (Santa Fe HS) will need to make an impact in the circle for the Vikings to be successful this season.

Following this weekend’s action, the Vikings open up the 2012 home schedule with a non-conference game against L.A. Mission College at 3 pm on Tuesday (Jan 31).

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