Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Michigan
#8 Softball Suffers First Loss on Year
2/23/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 23, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ga. - No. 8 Fresno State (6-1) suffered its first loss on the season after dropping a 6-1 decision to No. 18 Michigan (3-5) in the night cap on day one of the Sixth Annual NFCA Leadoff Classic.
The Bulldogs, who pressed and were impatient at the plate against the Wolverines, scored one run on six hits and committed an error. Michigan tallied six runs on 10 hits and had no errors.
The third inning was all blue for Fresno State as Michigan put together a six-run inning that saw the Wolverines bat around the order once and string together RBI singles amidst the outs.
In the third, Wolverines leadoff batter Meghan Doe got the ball rolling with an infield single to Bulldog shortstop Alicia Dowland. The next UM batter reached on an error by first baseman Vanessa Czarnecki, who had the ball knocked out of her glove by the runner and the runners advanced an extra base. The No. 3 UM batter, Melinda Moulden, roped a RBI single to left field. The No. 4 UM batter grounded out to Bulldog pitcher Leslie Poole as both runners advanced a base. The No. 5 UM batter and pitcher Marissa Young lined a RBI single to left field and went to second on the throw. The No. 6 UM batter grounded out to second base. The No. 7 batter walked before the eighth batter, Chrissy Garza hit a two-out two RBI single to left center which gave Michigan a 6-0 lead and Bulldog starting pitcher Leslie Poole was taken out in favor of freshman southpaw Lori Hoffman.
Hoffman would end the inning and pitched 4.1 innings while giving up five hits, one walk and striking out three. Poole pitched 2.2 innings, gave up five hits, six runs - not earned - walked three and struck out one.
Fresno State did get a run on the board with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Hoffman led the inning off with a strikeout before Dowland got an infield single to the pitcher. Catcher Pam West then stroked a RBI double to right center to score Dowland from third.
In pool play for Fresno State, all the teams are now 1-1 going into the final game in pool play action on Saturday morning (Fresno State, 1-1, Michigan, 1-1, Georgia, 1-1, and Missouri 1-1). Fresno State will meet Georgia at 7:00 am (PST) to conclude pool play. Bracket play begins tomorrow evening at 5:00 pm (EST) and 8:00 pm (EST).
Here are the scores from the first day of action of the NFCA Leadoff Classic:
#3 Oklahoma 1, #16 Oregon State 0
#16 Oregon State 2, #19 South Carolina 0
#19 South Carolina 1, San Diego State 0
#3 Oklahoma 8, San Diego State 2
New Mexico 13, Michigan State 7
#23 Southern Miss 3, Michigan State 0
#10 Washington 5, Southern Miss 0
New Mexico 3, #10 Washington 2
#5 California 1, #13 DePaul 0
#13 DePaul 3, Long Island 0
#15 Nebraska 8, Long Island 3
#5 California 2, Nebraska 1
Kansas 4, #24 Massachusetts 1
#6 Arizona State 5, #24 Massachusetts 1
#4 Alabama 7, #6 Arizona State 6
#4 Alabama 2, Kansas 0
Georgia 8, #18 Michigan 5
Missouri 4, Georgia 1
#8 Fresno State 2, Missouri 0
#18 Michigan 6, #8 Fresno State 1
#9 Stanford 4, Illinois-Chicago 0
Seton Hall 5, Illinois-Chicago 0
#6 LSU 7, Seton Hall 2
#9 Stanford 2, LSU 0
