Tubert takes home Southeastern Conference honors
GLENDALE — The following are updates on local athletes at the collegiate level.
Emily Tubert (Burroughs High, 2010) freshman, University of Arkansas women’s golf: Tubert guided the 12th-ranked University of Arkansas women’s golf team to a fourth-place finish at the 2011 Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championship at the Auburn University Club on April 17. The Razorbacks (892) were 28 points behind the first-place Auburn squad (864).
The Burroughs High graduate finished fourth individually, as well, five strokes off the lead after recording five pars and 18 birdies. She shot 214, putting up scores of 69, 72, 74 in the individual rounds. Tubert’s consistent year-round play earned her SEC co-Freshman of the Year honors and got her selected to the All-SEC first team and All-SEC freshman team.
The former All-Area Girls’ Golfer of the Year won three tournaments as a freshman. The highlight of her season came at the Las Vegas Showdown when she recorded a school record 11-under par 205.
Garrett Salzman (St. Francis High, 2008) junior, Macalester College baseball: The St. Francis graduate has helped Macalester win nine games straight and 14 of its last 16 games, including a two-game sweep of Bethel on Thursday. Salzman went five for seven in the doubleheader, collecting three hits in the first game, a 6-1 win, and blasting a grand slam in the fourth inning of the nightcap, leading the Scots to an 8-3 win.
Macalester kept rolling on Saturday, sweeping another doubleheader against St. Mary’s. The Scots won the first game, 5-3, and the second, 7-3. Macalester improved to 21-9 on the season (13-1 in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference). Salzman is hitting .391 (34 for 87), while bashing eight doubles, two homers, driving in 17 runs and maintaining a .552 slugging percentage.
Kassy Uchida (Burbank High, 2010) freshman, Utah State softball: The 2010 All-Area first-team selection has only gotten better as the season wears on, boosting her batting average from .307 to .341 (47 for 138) in the month of April. She’s bashed two home runs, five doubles and driven in 10 runs, while slugging .420 on the season.
The Aggies (14-38, 7-11 in the Western Athletic Conference) are riding a four-game winning streak after completing a three-game sweep against the University of Nevada on Saturday with a 8-1 win, in which Uchida didn’t make an appearance.
Utah State has five games left in the regular season, as they look to get above .500 in conference. The Aggies hosts Louisiana Tech for a three-game set on Friday, followed by a doubleheader against Utah Valley on May 9.
Joe De Pinto (St. Francis High, 2007) senior, USC baseball: De Pinto has been performing at the top of his game, while his team continues to struggle this season. USC dropped to 18-23 (8-8 in the Pac-10) on Friday with a 4-3 home loss to the University of Arizona. The defeat extended the Trojans’ losing streak to three games. The former Knight did his part in the contest, contributing three hits, but it wasn’t enough.
De Pinto and Co. faced the Wildcats Saturday night and once more today at noon. The St. Francis graduate has been finding ways to get on base all season, posting a .406 on-base percentage with 22 walks, tied for a team high, coming into Saturday night’s game. His eight stolen bases on 11 attempts are also a best for the Trojans. De Pinto is hitting .294 (40 for 136), recording seven doubles, two triples and 18 runs batted in.
Greg Dotson (Burbank High, 2010) freshman, UC Santa Barbara track and field: Dotson has taken his talents to UC Santa Barbara after dominating the track for Burbank in high school. The freshman took second in the 800-meter run with a time of 1 minute 52.13 seconds at the UCSD Triton Invitational on April 23.
Last year’s All-Area Boys’ Track and Field Athlete of the Year was less than two seconds away from first place, as fellow Gaucho Ryan Martin finished in 1:50.82.