Fresno State Athletics
Softball Inks Two From Long Beach City College
7/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
July 8, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State softball pushed its 2003 class to seven strong as Bulldog head coach Margie Wright announced the signing of infielders Monnaye Bernal (Artesia, Calif.) and Monique Palacios (Lakewood, Calif.) out of Long Beach City College.
Bernal, a 5-8 left-handed first baseman, is coming off a tremendous junior college career. The two- time first team All-State and South Coast Conference Most Valuable Player batted .392 (58-148) with 23 runs, seven doubles, 31 walks, 38 RBI and 65 total bases for a .439 slugging percentage. Garnering NFCA/Louisville Slugger First Team All-America honors, she committed just two errors in 377 total chances at first base for a .995 fielding percentage as a sophomore.
In her freshman season Bernal was a NFCA Louisville Slugger Second Team All-American who hit .381 (51-134) overall with a team-best 50 RBI and 12 doubles while scoring 24 runs and being walked 26 times. Prior to LBCC, Bernal was a two-time All-CIF selection at Gahr High School in Artesia, Calif. She snagged San Gabriel League MVP honors as a pitcher her senior year and was named MVP as a junior.
Bernal wraps up her two-year career at Long Beach City College as the school's all-time leader in RBI (88), doubles (19) and walks (57). She ranks No. 2 in career hits (109) and fifth in batting (.387).
Palacios, a 5-4 right-handed shortstop, also posted equally as great of numbers on the junior college level. A two-time first team All-South Coast Conference pick, Palacios garnered All-Southern California accolades this past season after batting .355 (60-169) with 39 runs, three doubles, three triples, home run, 15 walks, 16 sacrifice hits, 30 RBI and 72 total bases for a .426 slugging percentage.
Awarded the Golden Glove Award at the 2002 State championship tournament, she tied for the team lead in hits while leading in triples (3) while picking up her second straight All-State honor. As a freshman, Palacios hit .394 (50-127) and led the Vikings with five home runs while being second in RBI (32) and runs scored (38). A wizard with the glove, she boasted a career .959 fielding percentage in 339 total chances at second base and shortstop combined.
Prior to Long Beach City College, Palacios was a four-time All-Moore League selection out of Mayfair High School in Lakewood, Calif. Named first team all-league her junior and senior year, she finished her prep career by being named to the Lakewood Athletics Hall of Fame.
Palacios concluded her junior college career as LBCC's all-time career hit leader (110) while sharing the top spot in home runs (6). She is fourth all-time in career runs (77) and RBI (62).
Both Bernal and Palacios helped the Vikings to an 89-9-1 record while leading LBCC to a State championship title their rookie years (42-3-1) and a State runner-up title this past spring (47-6).
"Monnaye will help us offensively," Wright said. "She has lots of power. She is a very good first baseman and will bring a lot of leadership into the program. Monique is a great defensive middle infielder. There are not too many like her. She will bring experience to a young infield next season. Both will really challenge our returning players, which will make for a positive environment. They both will be major contributors to our team's success. I'm looking forward to coaching both of them."
