Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
St. John's (Hedrick's Chevrolet Classic)
Softball Drops Extra Inning Decision to St. John's
3/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 7, 2003
FRESNO, CA - Pressing itself throughout the game, the Fresno State softball team was its own worst enemy this evening.
The Bulldogs (5-9) were held to two hits and squandered several scoring opportunities while committing an error in the bottom of the eighth with two outs to allow St. John's a 1-0 victory.
Freshman right-hander Laura Ferreira (1-1) pitched a gem of a game as she scattered three hits, walked one and struck out a season-high nine Red Storm batters.
St. John's pitcher Courntey Fitzgerald (7-6) benefitted from a two-hit performance as she walked one and struck out none.
In the bottom of the eighth and runners on second and third, leadoff batter and centerfielder Jo Sherlock reached safely when Bulldog second baseman Leticia Pacheco's footing slipped and an attempt to regroup resulted in a bobbled pick up and a late throw to first base.
The Red Storm's third baseman Megan Oliver raced home and scored to give St. John's a victory over Fresno State in the first meeting between the two schools.
With each pitcher setting the batters down in order except for one walk through the first four innings of play, St. John's got its first hit on a one out single by second baseman Alesha Argeras.
Fresno State picked up its first hit with one out in the fifth on a single up the middle by freshman designated player Elizabeth Pierce. With freshman Daisy Gaynor coming in to pinch run for Pierce, senior catcher Pam West sacrificed Gaynor to second before junior first baseman Jamie Southern reached first after being hit by pitch. Two outs and runners on first and second, Fitzgerald got junior centerfielder Mitzi Ing to line out to Oliver.
Fresno State also had runners in scoring position in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings while St. John's did not get a runner to second until the eighth inning.
The Bulldogs, who are wrestling with bad breaks and a self-imposed pressured mindset, continue tournament action tomorrow in their own Hedrick's Hallowell Chevrolet Classic.
The 'Dogs have two games slated for tomorrow afternoon with a 1:00 p.m. match up against BYU and a 3:00 p.m. contest against No. 13 DePaul.
