SF State’s softball team went 4-2 at the 2008 Tournament of Champions this weekend in Turlock, Calif., finishing runner-up in the Silver Bracket Championship to improve to 21-15 on the season.

The purple and gold won their semifinal game against Dixie State 5-3 to set up the championship game against San Diego, then nationally ranked 10th.

Leading 2-1 the Gators couldn’t close out the game after two errors allowed UC San Diego to score two unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh to steal the victory and the title away, 3-2.

Coach Christina Byrne, however, saw this as a learning experience for her young team rather than a disappointing defeat.

“It had a postseason atmosphere with a ranked team that we may very well see in the playoffs. I couldn’t be happier with the way they played,” said Byrne. “Of course we’d like to win, but I think this weekend helped them realize how good they really are.”

Jordanna Freemer and Kendra Wood were named to the 2008 All-Tournament of Champions team and the Gators were able to overcome their road woes (1-7 away from home so far this season) to post a solid 4-2 record.

Freemer led the team with a .450 batting average in the six games, going nine for 20 with two doubles and one home run. She finished with three RBIs, seven runs, and a .700 slugging percentage for the tourney.

For the season, Freemer is batting .388 with six homeruns, five doubles and 16 RBIs.

“She just brings a presence to the lineup. She does a great job of sitting back and waiting for the pitch she wants to hit instead of going after what the pitcher throws,” Byrne said.

Wood played her usual two-way role, both starting pitcher and clean-up hitter, with excellent results. She finished with a 1-1 record and a 0.40 ERA on the mound in the three games she pitched.

“On the mound, she has been lights out,” Byrne said.

Wood kicked off the tournament with a five-hit complete game shutout in the 5-0 win against Western Oregon on March 28. She came in relief in the Gators’ 5-4 loss to Central Washington pitching four and one third scoreless innings while only allowing two hits.

She finished the tournament pitching six and one third innings giving up four hits and three runs (only one earned) in the 3-2 loss to the UC San Diego.

At the plate Wood ignited the Gators’ offense, posting a .333 batting average with three home runs and seven RBIs in the six games. She is batting .330 for the season with seven home runs, six doubles, and 23 RBIs.

“It’s not just what she does on the mound for us, but what she does with the bat as well,” Byrne said. “I can’t say enough about her and how many compliments we got as the weekend progressed.”

The team must use their good showing in the tournament to help improve their road record as they face two teams above them in the standings, Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State Monterey Bay, away from home in the final weeks of the season.

With a slew of conference games coming up, the softball team also must focus on improving their conference record, 7-9, if they want to make the playoffs.

This weekend they host the lowly Sonoma State Seawolves (1-13 California Collegiate Athletic Association record) with hopes of sliding up a few spots in the standings.

According to Byrne, the release of the Division II West Regional Standings before the tournament ranked SF State sixth with the top eight going to the postseason.

Byrne said the team’s good showing at the tournament “really turned some heads” and she expects to see a jump in the new standings.

SF State will host Sonoma State for a four-game series this weekend, starting with a doubleheader Friday at 1 p.m. at the SF State softball field.