Skip To Main Content

University of the Pacific

Retired Softball Numbers

Retired Numbers
In recognizing two of the all-time greatest players in Pacific program history, head coach Brian Kolze retired the numbers of #2 Gina Carbonatto (2004-07) and #9 Cindy Ball (1999-02) on March 3, 2012. The pair has meant a tremendous amount to the growth and endurance of Pacific’s softball program both on and off the field and earned the right to be the first two players in program history to have their numbers formally retired by the university.

Gina Carbonatto

Three-Time NFCA All-American

Cindy Ball

Two-Time NFCA All-American

Gina Carbonatto played an instrumental role in Pacific’s softball program both as one of the best players in the history of the Big West Conference but also as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2011 team which became the first team in program history to win a conference championship.  As a player, Gina was arguably the greatest field player to put on the Orange and Black throughout her four seasons.  She capped off her historic career with her third NFCA All-American award in 2007, making her the only Tiger in Pacific history to earn such an honor three times throughout a career.  

One of the top center fielders in the nation for each of her four seasons, Gina owns the program’s all-time hit record with 280 career hits, a number that ranks her No. 2 all-time in conference history. She is both the Tigers’ and the Big West’s career leader in runs scored as she crossed home plate 178 times throughout her four seasons. 

Additionally, Gina ranks as the Tigers’ all-time leader in career batting average as she became the first Pacific player to finish her career above .400 finishing at .401, shattering the previous record of .333. In the field, Carbonatto committed just one error in centerfield during her four seasons patrolling Bill Simoni Field.  She twice set the Tigers’ all-time single-season hit record, first as a freshman with 71 hits and again as a senior with 78.  Her .449 batting average as a freshman ranks as the best single-season batting average in program history and she owned three of the top-four spots on the single-season batting average list upon finishing her career.  As a senior, Gina racked up 58 runs scored, tying the Big West single season record. In addition, Carbonatto showed some pop at the plate as she produced a career-best four home runs and 45 RBI.  She was twice named the Big West’s player of the year as she earned the freshmen player of the year award in 2004 and the overall award as a junior in 2006.  She was a four-time First Team All-Big West honoree while also earning Academic All-Big West honors in each of the three seasons in which she was eligible to do so.

Cindy Ball finished her career as the greatest two-way player in Pacific program history as one of the most dominant pitchers and hitters in Pacific and Big West history.  As a player, Cindy was a two-time NFCA All-American in 2001 and 2002, and concluded her career as the program’s career leader in innings pitched (883.1), wins (91), saves (10), strikeouts (761), shutouts (46), and RBI (111).  She since has dropped to fourth in career RBI while remaining No. 1 in each of the other five categories.

The Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year in 2001 and 2002, Ball posted a 33-9 record as a junior and a 28-11 mark as a senior and holds program single season records in wins (33 in 2001), saves (six in 2002), strikeouts (291 in 2002), and shutouts (18 in 2001). Her dominance both in the circle and at the plate led the Tigers to a 50 win season in 2001, the most wins in a single season for any Tiger squad in Pacific’s 35 year history.  She was named to the 2002 Verizon Academic All-America First Team.  As a sophomore (2001), Ball recorded a 21-12 mark in the circle with a 1.29 ERA in 234.0 innings of work. She led the Big West Conference with 192 strikeouts and was named to the All-Big West First Team as a pitcher. Cindy pitched her first career no-hitter in an 8-0 defeat of Colorado State on Mar. 3, 2000. 

After her playing career, Cindy joined the Tigers coaching staff where she spent four seasons in the dugout for Pacific from 2002-06.  After Pacific, Cindy took over the reigns at Modesto Junior College and at Consumnes River College where she took over a defunct program and remade it into one of the premiere junior college programs in California.