Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Washington<BR>(Kia Klassic)
No. 10 Softball Unable to Squeak Past No. 13 Washington
3/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 14, 2002
FULLERTON, Calif. - No. 10 Fresno State rallied back from a 2-0 deficit and nearly came back from a three-run deficit but the 13th-ranked Washington Huskies held on for a 5-4 win as the Bulldogs fell to 1-1 at the Kia Klassic.
Fresno State, which has its seven-game win streak snapped, tied its season high in hits with 13 but the Bulldogs could not stave off a three-run sixth inning by the Huskies.
Junior right-hander Leslie Poole (6-2) had her personal six-game win streak snapped as she has now gone 0-1 with a no-decision in her last two starts. Poole gave up five runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out five.
The Bulldogs scored four runs on 13 hits off All-American Tia Bolinger, who gave up four runs and struck out five.
Washington struck first with two runs in the first and Fresno State tied the game in the top of the third after tallying a run in the second and third inning. The game remained tied 2-2 until the bottom of the sixth when the Huskies answered with three runs on three hits.
Poole gave up a leadoff single, was then given a controversial hit by pitch call, and then gave up back-to-back singles in the bottom of the frame.
In the second, sophomore designated player Lori Hoffman led off with a single to right field. Sophomore left fielder Pam Perez reached on a fielder's choice as Hoffman was forced out at second. Junior catcher Pam West beat out an infield single as Perez went to second. After freshman shortstop Leticia Pacheco grounded out to the third baseman, senior utility player Lashme Gomez came in to pinch hit for Mitzi Ing. Gomez responded with a RBI single to the left side of the field.
In the third with two outs, Fresno State strung together four consecutive hits. Senior third baseman Lindsay Fossatti beat out an infield hit. Hoffman singled to right field, Perez singled to left field and West single to left field to knock in Fossatti.
In the top of the seventh, the Bulldogs cut Washington's lead by a run after scoring two. Senior center fielder Tiffany Whipple beat out an infield single to the pitcher before senior second baseman Vanessa Czarnecki struck out swinging and freshman first baseman Jamie Southern grounded out. On two outs, Fossatti was hit by pitch as runners were on first and second. Hoffman delivered a RBI single to left center to score Whipple. Perez then singled to right field to score Fossatti. The threat ended when West reached on a fielder's choice and Perez was tagged out at second base.
Whipple (3-4, run), Hoffman (3-4, RBI), Perez (2-4, run, RBI), West (2-4, RBI) led the hitting parade for the Buldogs.
Fresno State concludes pool play Friday morning with a 9:00 a.m. match up against Utah. Bracket play then starts at 5:00 p.m. that evening.
