Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Wisconsin<BR>(NCAA Regionals)
Softball Drops Region Opener to Wisconsin
5/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 17, 2001
LOS ANGELES - No. 2 seed Fresno State (38-18) dropped its NCAA regional opener to first time NCAA Tournament participant and No. 5 seed Wisconsin (33-25) in Los Angeles by the score of 3-1 in nine innings.
In the top of the sixth, Wisconsin got on the scoreboard first with a two-out RBI single by third baseman Meghann Reiss. Fresno State answered with the equalizer on a sacrifice fly to center field by Bulldog third baseman Lindsay Fossatti.
Going into extra innings, Wisconsin scored two runs in the ninth courtesy of a RBI double by Badger second baseman Jade Gosse and a sacrifice fly to left field by catcher Nicki Starry.
Fresno State threatened in the bottom of the eighth. Becky Witt led off with an infield single and Vanessa Czarnecki reached safely after Gosse dropped the ball when covering first. However, Wisconsin pitcher Andrea Kirchberg got the next three Bulldogs out to end the threat.
Kirchberg, who improved to 22-11 on the season, struck out 10 and walked one in nine innings of work. Leslie Poole, who fell to 20-7 on the year, struck out five and walked four.
Losing the opener, Fresno State is now in the elimination bracket. The Bulldogs must come back this afternoon and play at 4:30 pm against the game one loser (UCLA vs. Coastal Carolina).
Should Fresno State win this afternoon, the Bulldogs will play again Friday morning at 10:00 am against the loser of game three (CS Northridge vs. San Diego State).
