Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Loyola Marymnt
No. 10 Softball Gets WAC Split Against Loyola Marymount
3/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 23, 2002
LOS ANGELES - No. 10 Fresno State gained a split with Loyola Marymount on the road in Western Athletic Conference play after winning the night cap, 8-3.
The Bulldogs scored eight runs on 10 hits while LMU had three runs on six hits.
Freshman right-hander Jamie Southern, who suffered the loss in game one, picked up a win in relief of junior right-hander Leslie Poole. Southern tossed 3.2 innings while giving up one hit and striking out four to gain her 19th victory on the season.
In addition, Southern set a new rookie pitching record for most strikeouts in a season with 226. The old record was 222 by Kristen Hunter in 1999.
LMU attacked first with a two-out solo home run by Danielle Kaminaka in the first inning.
Fresno State then answered with five runs in the fourth.
With one out and sophomore right fielder Pam Perez on second, freshman shortstop Leticia Pacheco single to left center as Perez went to third. Senior third baseman Lindsay Fossatti roped a single to right center and advanced to second on the throw as Pacheco went to third and Perez scored. After senior left fielder Lashme Gomez reached first on a fielder's choice which got Pacheco out at home, sophomore desginated player Lori Hoffman walked. With runners on first and second, Southern had a two RBI single to center field. With runners on first and second again, junior catcher Pam West singled to center field to load the bases. Senior first baseman Vanessa Czarnecki reached first safely on an error by the LMU third baseman as both Southern and Hoffman scored.
The Lions tallied two runs in the bottom of the frame as Trisha Gomes had a two RBI single to center field.
In the fifth, the Bulldogs tacked on three insurance runs.
Senior center fielder Tiffany Whipple beat out an infield bunt. After Pacheco fouled out, Fossatti singled to center field. After Gomez reached on a fielder's choice, which forced out Fossatti at second, runners were at the corners. A double steal by Gomez and Whipple allowed Whipple to score as Gomez stood at second. Hoffman singled to left field as Gomez advanced to third. Southern then singled to right field to knock in Gomez as Hoffman went to second. West then followed with a hit to left field and Hoffman went to third before scoring on an error by the LMU left fielder.
Fossatti (2-3, run, RBI), Southern (2-4, run, three RBI) and West (2-3) spearheaded the Bulldogs' offense.
Fresno State (28-9, 3-1 WAC) will battle No. 1 UCLA (30-3) in Westwood on Monday, March 25, 1:00 p.m.
