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Azusa Pacific University Athletics

The Online Home of the Azusa Pacific Cougars

1998 Softball Roster

28 Natalie Kirkbride

  • Height 5-6
  • Position Catcher
  • Class Senior
  • Hometown West Covina, CA
  • High School Bishop Amat High

Biography

1998:A 1997 NAIA All-American second-team pick and a 2-time All-GSAC selection, including the GSAC Player of the Year in 1997, senior Natalie Kirkbride returns behind the plate where she boasts experience and a solid arm . . . Will bat fourth or fifth in the line-up . . . Is a key to the pitching staff’s performance . . . A good contact hitter who is a steady RBI performer.

LEHMAN’S LYRIC: "We have tremendous expectations for Natalie. She has proven she is the best in the conference. Her performance is a key to our success on the field. Her strengths are her solid bat and her ability to get to know the pitchers. She is working on taking charge and calling the pitches she wants. She doesn’t strike out and is one of our most consistent hitters as proven by her .500-plus average in conference last year."

1997: Third on the club with a .390 (83-for-213) average while starting all 63 games behind the plate, establishing 2 new Cougar records in the process for hits (83), at-bats (213) and games (63) in a season . . . Also drove home a school-record 58 RBIs . . . Led the GSAC with 15 doubles . . . Struck out just 7 times all season . . . Put together a 19-game hitting streak, batting .446 (29-for-65) . . . Compiled 24 multiple-hit games . . . Amassed 13 hits in just 22 at-bats during the regional play-offs . . . Collected 14 RBIs during an 8-game streak in mid-March in which she went all 8 games driving in at least 1 run.

1996: Started all 59 games played . . . Had a team-best .991 fielding percentage, while throwing out 18 base runners . . . Tied Dawn Castaneda for the team-lead with 44 RBIs . . . Hit .299 (59-for-197) with a team-high 14 doubles and 2 triples . . . Put together a 6-game hitting streak during the playoffs, going 8-for-21 (.381) with 7 RBIs . . . Has a good eye at the plate, drawing 12 walks and only striking out 4 times in 197 at-bats . . . Went 6-for-8 with 4 RBIs and 2 doubles in a doubleheader sweep vs. CS San Bernardino.

FRESNO STATE: Played her 1995 freshman season at NCAA Division I power Fresno State . . . Left the team midway through the season . . . Appeared in 10 games, starting 2 . . . Batted .300 (3-for-10) with a pair of RBIs and 3 walks.

BISHOP AMAT HIGH: Prepped at Bishop Amat High in La Puente, Calif. . . . Was a 4-year starter behind the plate and earned All-CIF first team honors as a 1993 junior and 1994 senior . . . Was also a 2-time All-Del Rey League selection and was named 1994 league MVP . . . Named San Gabriel Valley Tribune All-Valley as a junior and senior . . . As a 1994 senior, batted .388 and threw out 29-of-36 would-be base stealers . . . named All-Angeles League as a 1992 sophomore.

PERSONAL: Born Nov. 2, 1975, in West Covina, Calif., to Mike and Donna Kirkbride . . . Majoring in liberal studies with an English concentration and plans to teach and coach softball . . . Toured Japan with a Southern California softball exhibition team in the summer of 1993 . . . Led the California Thunder 16-under team to the national championship . . . Names parents as greatest influence in her life.

Statistics

Season:
1998

Season Statistics

Season Statistics

No statistics available for this season.

Career Statistics

There are no statistics available for this player.

Historical Player Information

  • 15

    1996Sophomore

    C
    5'6"
    15
  • 28

    1997Junior

    C
    5'6"
    28
  • 28

    1998Senior

    Catcher
    5'6"
    28