Granger Gets Record, but Cal Manages Only Split

California’s Michele Granger, a fifth-year senior from Valencia High, whipped her riseball past a Cal State Long Beach outfielder Friday for the NCAA record for single-season strikeouts.

Granger got her 470th strikeout of the season when she fanned Gia Wilkerson in the fourth inning. Granger finished the day with 472.

Granger, who struck out 40 in a 25-inning game in high school, entered Friday’s games in the NCAA Regional tournament with 458 strikeouts, 11 behind NCAA record-holder Lisa Ishikawa’s 469 for Northwestern in 1984. Granger had eight in Cal’s first game, a 1-0, nine-inning victory over Cal State Sacramento (36-21).

Despite Granger’s milestone, Long Beach (44-18) defeated the Bears (36-19), 5-2. The teams play again today with a College World Series berth on the line. Cal has never won an NCAA softball title.

Granger, 23, has led the country in strikeouts for four consecutive years, with 463 in 1991 for the third-most in history.

She holds NCAA marks in career strikeouts with 1,628 career shutouts with 96. She had a record 26 strikeouts against Oregon in 12 innings this season and 21 in regulation against Creighton in 1991.