Fresno State Athletics
Softball Travels to San Jose State
4/28/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 28, 2003
FRESNO, Calif. -
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Bulldogs Travel to San Jose State
The Fresno State softball team is on the road this week for a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader at San Jose State. The doubleheader will start at 12:00 p.m. at San Jose State Field on the campus of San Jose State University. Fresno State and San Jose State will be meeting for the second time in WAC play this season. The Bulldogs, who hold a 56-4 series advantage, swept SJSU at home on April 19 (5-0, 5-2) in the first meeting of the year. Last year in San Jose, the two teams split as the 'Dogs won game one (1-0) and dropped the night cap (3-2). Fresno State has captured eight of the last 10 and 20 of the last 22 with the series first beginning in 1986. The Bulldogs are coming off a four-road series at Nevada in which they swept the Wolf Pack (10-0, 6 inn.; 15-5; 11-2, 6 inn.; and 3-0).
The WAC Race Is On
With two weeks left in the WAC race, Hawai'i (13-3) holds a two-game lead over Fresno State (10-4). UH, which has played two more league games than the Bulldogs, closes out its conference schedule at Louisiana Tech on May 2 & 3. Fresno State, which has eight WAC games remaining, is on the road at San Jose State on May 3 before closing out at home with Louisiana Tech on May 8 and Tulsa on May 10. Tulsa and Louisiana Tech are tied for third place at 6-6 and sit five games back of Hawai'i. San Jose State (4-10) is in fifth place and eight games back while Nevada (3-13) sits sixth and 10 games back.
Under the Radar
If the weekly USA Today/NFCA Coaches Top 25 poll and the ESPN.COM/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25 poll is to reflect success during the year, Fresno State should have been turning heads for national attention. Erasing a 5-12 start, the Bulldogs are 22-6 in their last 28 and 24-8 in their last 32 contests, which includes two Top 15 wins over No. 3 Nebraska (7-3) and No. 12 Stanford (1-0). Yet Fresno State continues to slip under the national radar screen while holding a 17-5 mark against regional opponents. In addition, the preseason Top 25 schedule for the Bulldogs is one of the toughest in the nation. The 'Dogs have dropped five one-run decisions against Top 25 opponents, with one via the international tie breaker rule.
In Memoriam
Fresno State softball head coach Margie Wright suffered a terrible loss to her family on April 11 when the team was in Tulsa, Okla. Wright lost her sister, Betty Jane Wright Lewis, whom the estranged husband murdered. The funeral was held in Decatur, Ill., on April 15, at the Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Homes. Her sister was laid to rest, next to their mother, at Pleasant Valley Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Wright has set up two funds for battered women in memory of her sister. Those who wish to express their sympathy may make a donation in her sister's name at the Marjaree Mason Center in Fresno (1600 M Street, Fresno, CA 93721; phone: 559-237-4706) and at DOVE, Inc. in Decatur (788 E. Clay Street, Decatur, IL 62521; phone: 217-362-9233).
Head Coach Margie Wright
As the all-time winningest NCAA Division I softball coach, head coach Margie Wright (Illinois State, 1974) is in her 18th season at the helm of the Fresno State softball program. Wright, who became the first Division I softball coach and 24th Division I head coach overall to record 1,000 Division I victories last year, tallied her 900th school win on April 6 with a 7-0 win over Hawai'i. She owns an 18-year school mark of 910-283-1 (.763). The 1998 NCAA National Coach of the Year boasts a 24-year career record of 1,057-363-3 (.744). With 10 NCAA Women's College World Series trips under her belt, the eight-time conference coach of the year has collected 13 outright or shared conference titles, a Western Athletic Conference tournament championship, 10 regional championship crowns and 17 straight NCAA postseason appearances at Fresno State. Wright is the only coach in the program's history to garner region coach of the year honors (seven times) and is the third head coach overall at Fresno State to garner National Coach of the Year accolades. Owning a 451-85 (.841) all-time mark at Bulldog Diamond, Wright has recorded 13 50-win campaigns and has averaged 52 wins a season while coaching 45 All-Americans, 13 Verizon Academic All-Americans, four NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship winners and one NCAA Top VIII awardee. In the postseason, Wright is 59-30 with a NCAA title, three national runner-up finishes, three third-place showings and three fifth-place finishes at the NCAA Women's College World Series. Having served on the national level as a USA assistant head coach that won gold in the 1996 Olympic Games and at the ISF World Championships as well as a head coach for the USA Junior Women's National Team that won gold in 1995, Wright has made Fresno State one of just three programs in Division I softball to make eight or more trips to the Women's College World Series.
Lunch with Margie
There is one date left to have lunch with head coach Margie Wright. The luncheon, which starts at 11:30 a.m. and occur once a month at the Silver Dollar Hofbrau, will be hosted for the final time in 2003 on May 12.
Softball TV/Radio Package
Fresno State softball will have 29 of its 30 home games broadcast live on television and/or radio as well as on the internet this season. Comcast (ch. 14), The Big Dawg 1430 AM and KFSR 90.7 FM have teamed up to bring live coverage of Bulldog softball.
Awards Dinner
The annual softball awards dinner will be held in May at TorNino's. Time, date and ticket cost will be announced at a later date. Tickets will be available to purchase at the final two home games.
Diamond Club's Annual Bar-b-que
The Diamond Club will host its annual end-of-the-season bar-b-que on Sat., May 10, in front of the North Gym immediately following the Tulsa doubleheader. Tickets will be available for $10 at the final two home games as fans will be treated to bar-b-que tri-tip/chicken, salad, pilaf and garlic bread. In addition, May 10 is the last day to purchase a $5 ticket for a chance to win a Toyota Tacoma pickup. The truck has been donated by Bingham Toyota and the camper shell has been donated by Mike Nobile Distributing. Tickets are available at the Dog Shed at Bulldog Diamond as well as at Bingham Toyota.
Wall of Honor
A permanent Wall of Honor soon will be installed near the entrance of Bulldog Diamond. The Wall of Honor is in memory and recognition of those individuals and/or businesses who have donated their time and/or services to the success of the Fresno State softball program. Several memorials have been set up, in honor of Bulldog softball, on the behalf of Mabel "Max" Bennett and Ginny Busick. For more information, please contact Diamond Club board member Jeanne Contel (559) 299-5854 or coach Wright.
Hoffman Named WAC Player of the Week
Junior right fielder/designated player Lori Hoffman (Benicia, Calif.) was named Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week today. Picking up her first WAC Player of the Week accolade, Hoffman had a tremendous four-game series at Nevada last weekend as she hit her first career grand slam. Hoffman, who is the third Bulldog this season to have a multiple home run game, had a career-high six RBI in the Bulldogs' 11-2 win after going 3-4 with two runs. She was one RBI shy of tying the school's single-game record (7, Gina LoPiccolo vs. New Mexico, March 2, 1991) and of tying the WAC games only, record (7, Cyndee Bennett, Utah vs. New Mexico, 1996). For WAC games only, her multi-home run game tied the league's single-game record. The last WAC batter to have a multi home run game in league play was Hawai'i's Kate Judd (vs. Portland State and Tulsa in 2001). Hitting home runs in back-to-back innings, connected for a walk-off opposite field shot in the fifth before hitting a one-out grand slam in the sixth in the 'Dogs 11-2 win. The last Bulldog to hit a grand slam was Lindsay Fossatti, who hit one at No. 2 Arizona on April 18, 2001 in a non-conference doubleheader. Last weekend, she hit .467 (7-15) with two runs, two hoe runs, walk, 10 RBI and 13 total bases for a .867 slugging percentage. Hoffman has a current seven-game hitting streak and is batting .440 (11-25) with three runs, walk, sacrifice fly, two home runs (grand slam), 12 RBI and 17 total bases for a .680 slug percentage. In her last 18 games, she is hitting .338 (22-65) with six runs, double, walk, sacrifice fly, three home runs (grand slam), 17 RBI and 32 total bases for a .492 slug percentage. Hoffman is second on the team in hits (53), doubles (7) and RBI (36) while third in batting (.317), home runs (3) and total bases (69).
San Jose State (22-33, 4-10 WAC)
After opening April with a 5-0 worksheet, San Jose State dropped its next 12 before rebounding with a WAC road win at Hawai'i last Saturday. Going 1-3 in Honolulu (0-4, 1-6, 0-4, 2-1), the Spartans close out their regular-season at home with Fresno State on Saturday, Tulsa on May 8 and Louisiana Tech on May 10. Leading the offensive charge for SJSU is senior center fielder Becca Baldridge, who is batting .310 (48-155) with 23 runs, six doubles, triple, three home runs, 13 walks, 8-15 stolen bases and 19 RBI. Baldridge had the game-winning hit for San Jose State in its 2-1, 8-inning win over Hawai'i as she hit a solo home run. The victory broke the Spartans 10-game WAC losing streak after opening conference play at 3-0. In the circle, sophomore right-hander Carol Forbes, who recorded the 2-1 win over Hawai'i, is 16-14 with six shutouts and 138 strikeouts in 172.1 innings for a 1.54 ERA. Junior right-hander Kelli McCollister is 4-13 with 108 strikeouts in 117.0 innings for a 2.87 ERA.
Team Notables
Fresno State is 22-6 in its last 28 and 24-8 in its last 32 ... The Bulldogs have 11 one-run losses on year and 12 losses have come by two runs or less this season ... Of the 11 one-run losses, six have come in extra innings ... The pitching staff has been tough in the last 32 games ... Tallying 10 or more hits in three of four games played against Nevada, the Bulldogs hit .395 (49-124) and outscored the Wolf Pack, 39-7, as Fresno State collected eight doubles and four home runs ... Individually, freshman left fielder Nicole Shan (Whittier, Calif.) was hot at the plate as she batted a team-best .583 (7-12) with seven runs, one walk and a RBI ... Senior catcher Pam West (Corona, Calif.) batted .500 (7-14) with three runs, double, home run, four RBI and 11 total bases for a .786 slugging percentage ... West hit her second career home run in Fresno State's 15-5 win ... Junior center fielder Mitzi Ing (Aiea, Hawaii) hit .429 (6-14) with three runs, 1-1 stolen base and three RBI ... Freshman third baseman Angelina Diaz (Madera, Calif.) also hit .429 (6-14) with five runs, two doubles, three sacrifices and three RBI ... Freshman shortstop Christina Clark (Santa Ana, Calif.) batted .400 (6-15) with five runs, four doubles, two walk, three RBI and 10 total bases for a .667 slugging percentage ... She has been ranked in home runs per game in the first two releases of the NCAA stats ... The Bulldogs own a 1.18 ERA with 14 shutouts and 218 strikeouts to 27 walks as opponents are batting .202 against ... In the last 28 games in which the Bulldogs are 22-6, the pitching staff owns a 0.98 ERA with 13 shutouts, one save and 188 strikeouts to 24 walks while allowing 35 runs (27 earned) in 193.1 innings while opponents are hitting .200 against.
Not on My Watch
West has been one of the best kept secrets around the nation at the catching position since first arriving at Fresno State. Leading the nation in runners thrown out as a sophomore, West owns a career .992 fielding percentage in 1,660 career total chances. In the last three years, she has thrown out 52 would-be basestealers for a 60% accuracy (34-86) while, in her career, she has thrown out 64 and owns a 51% accuracy (62-126).
National Rankings
Fresno State softball has been no stranger to the national polls. Owning the longest streak for consecutive weeks (178) ranked in NCAA Division I softball history, the Bulldogs have been nationally ranked in the Top 25 for 178 of 187 weeks since the NCAA's first Top 15 poll in 1983. In addition Fresno State has been in the nation's Top 25 polls for 21 straight years. Appearing in the Top 10 for 151 weeks, the 'Dogs achieved their first No. 1 national ranking on March 14, 1989. They were ranked No. 1 for two straight weeks in 1997 before finishing as the No. 1 team in the final 1998 USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll. In 1999, Fresno State opened the year with a No. 1 preseason ranking after winning the national title in 1998. The softball program's five No. 1 rankings is the most ever by a Bulldog athletic team.
Four 'Dogs Selected to USA Women's National Team Camp
This afternoon, USA Softball announced its list of 45 players that have been invited to the Women's National Team Camp, June 4-8, at the ARCO Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif. These players will compete for positions on two teams that will represent the USA in international competition this summer. The two teams selected, following the team camp, will represent the USA at the U.S. Cup in Honolulu (June 19-22), the Canada Cup in Surrey, B.C., Canada (July 4-13) and the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo (Aug. 5-14). Those selected to the USA Softball Elite Team will compete in the Canada Cup as well as the Japan Cup in Yokohama, Japan (July 18-20). Four Bulldogs have been selected in former standouts Laura Berg (Santa Fe Springs, Calif.) and Nina Lindenberg (Anaheim Hills, Calif.) along with two current standouts in Southern and Clark.
Southern Comfort
At Fresno State, Southern reached the 500-career strikeout plateau against Cal Poly on March 6 when she struck out seven. She became the eighth Bulldog pitcher and the sixth WAC hurler to tally 500-career strikeouts. In addition, Southern became the quickest Bulldog pitcher to post 500 career strikeouts as she accomplished the feat in 64 appearances. In addition, she became just the fourth Bulldog hurler to tally 600 or more career strikeouts. In 561.2 career innings pitched, she is averaging 8.46 strikeouts per seven innings and has given up 41 earned runs for a 0.51 ERA while being 54-20 overall with 35 shutouts and five saves in her Bulldog career. Southern got her 50th career win against La Tech on April 10.
J Cracks Top Three
As the first Bulldog pitcher to throw back-to-back 200 strikeout seasons, Southern has tallied 260 strikeouts (9.2 per 7/IP) in 198.0 innings with 13 ten-strikeout games for a 0.67 ERA as she is 19-10 overall with 12 shutouts. Last week, she moved into the No. 10 spot in WAC history in career wins (54) - she surpassed Utah's Monica Jimenez (53, 1994-97). Southern recorded her 12th shutout win on the year in the Bulldogs' 10-0 (6 inn.) win over Nevada. In league play she improved to 7-2 and has five shutout wins with 83 strikeouts in 66.2 innings for a 0.53 ERA. Southern continues to move up in the school's and WAC's career charts. At Fresno State, she is No. 1 in fewest earned runs allowed with 41 (minimum 500 innings pitched) and strikeouts per seven innings (8.46), No. 2 in ERA (0.51), No. 3 in career strikeouts (678), No. 10 in complete games (67), innings pitched (561.2) and shutouts (35). In the WAC's annals, she currently ranks No. 1 in ERA (0.51) and strikeouts per seven innings (8.46); No. 3 in strikeouts (678), No. 5 in saves (5) and No. 10 all-time in career innings thrown (561.2) and career wins (54).
Nearly Untouchable
Southern has been hard to hit the past 17 games as she sports a 0.44 ERA while going 9-2 with a save. With 11 starts, seven wins have come via shutouts as she has allowed 42 hits, six runs (five earned), 12 walks and has struck out 102 (8.90 strikeouts per 7/IP) in 80.2 innings. In her last 103.2 innings in which she has gone 14-2 with a save and 10 shutouts, Southern has allowed just 61 hits, nine runs (seven earned), 15 walks and has struck out 143 (9.70 strikeouts per 7/IP) for a 0.34 ERA. In her last 167.0 innings of work, Southern has yielded 15 earned runs, 25 walks and has struck out 222 (9.31 strikeouts/7 IP) for a 0.63 ERA. On the year she has season-best streaks of 68.1 innings without an earned run and 28.2 scoreless innings.
Getting the Job Done at the Plate
At the plate, Southern has been solid over the past 18 games as well. Hitting .377 (23-61), she has scored six runs and has been walked four times while picking up four doubles, sacrifice fly, home run, 13 RBI and 30 total bases for a .492 slugging percentage. In her last 32 games, Southern is hitting .356 (36-101) with 14 runs, six doubles, triple, five home runs, 24 RBI, nine walks, hit by pitch, sac fly and 59 total bases for a .584 slugging percentage. She leads the team in walks (13) and is second in batting (.331), doubles (7), home runs (5) and total bases (74) while third in hits (50) and RBI (25). Garnering her first WAC Player of the Week pick this season, Southern is the first Bulldog to collect a multi home-run performance since Nina Lindenberg (4 times in 1997). Hitting four home runs in a span of two days, she hit a three-run shot against No. 3 Nebraska and a two-run home run versus Hawai'i while collecting a pair of solo shots against No. 13 DePaul. In the Bulldogs' nine-game win streak, she batted .360 (9-25) with four runs, double, triple, two home runs, four walks, hit by pitch, eight RBI and 18 total bases for a .720 slugging percentage.
J on the Move
Southern continues to move up in the school's and WAC's career charts. At Fresno State, she is No. 1 in fewest earned runs allowed with 41 (min. 500 innings pitched) and strikeouts per seven innings (8.46), No. 2 in ERA (0.51), No. 3 in career strikeouts (678), No. 10 in complete games (67), innings pitched (561.2) and shutouts (35). In the WAC's annals, she currently ranks No. 1 in ERA (0.51) and strikeouts per seven innings (8.46), No. 3 in strikeouts (678), No. 5 in saves (5) and No. 10 in wins (54).
Clark Sizzling
As the second Bulldog freshman to reach the 100 total base plateau in school history, Clark continues to add to her rookie mark in total bases with 123. (ranks seventh-best at Fresno State). In addition, her current slugging percentage of .737 ranks third-best at Fresno State. With 13 home runs on the season, Clark is two shy of tying a new single-season school record and four from tying a new WAC single-season home run record. Clark currently is tied for tied for seventh in career home runs and tied for ninth in the WAC's single-season list. Clark currently has a seven-game hitting streak and is batting .462 (12-26) with nine runs, seven doubles, triple, home run, three walks, 1-1 stolen bases, eight RBI and 24 total bases for a .923 slugging percentage. In her last 18 games, Clark is batting .406 (26-64) with 19 runs, nine doubles, triple, five home runs, 21 RBI, eight walks, 1-1 stolen base and 52 total bases for a .813 slugging percentage. Clark's bat has been so potent over the last 28 games that she has been held hitless only three times and has reached base in 27 of the her last 28 games. In this 28-game span, Clark is hitting .443 (43-97) with 30 runs, 12 doubles, three triples, nine home runs, nine walks, two hit by pitch, 2-2 stolen bases, 29 RBI and 88 total bases for a .951 slugging percentage. In her last 32 games, Clark has been held hitless in five games but has reached base in 28 of the 32. She is batting .418 (46-110) with 32 runs, 12 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, nine walks, three hit by pitch, sacrifice fly, 2-2 stolen bases, 30 RBI and 93 total bases for a .845 slugging percentage. Ranked No. 13 in the second release of the NCAA statistics in home runs per game (13, 0.29), Clark leads the Bulldogs in 14 offensive categories: batting (.371), at bats (167), runs (45), hits (62), doubles (14), triples (4), home runs (13), RBI (40), total bases (123), slugging percentage (.737), sacrifice flies (2), multiple-hit games (17) and multiple-RBI games (10).
Clark & Southern Pacing the WAC
In the WAC stats released on April 28, Fresno State leads the league in batting (.279), pitching (1.50) and fielding (.967). In the overall individual statistics, Clark leads the WAC in runs (45), RBI (40), doubles (14), home runs (13) and total bases (123). She is second in batting (.371), hits (62) and triples (4). Southern, who is fifth in total bases (74) and sixth in hitting (.331), leads the league in pitching in ERA (0.67), fewest earned runs (19) and strikeouts (260) while second in wins (19). In WAC games only, Clark leads in runs (16), RBI (16) and doubles (8) while second in total bases (38), third in home runs (3) and fourth in hits (19). Southern leads in strikeouts (83) and ERA (0.53) while second in wins (7).
USA Softball Watch List
For the second straight year, Southern is on the USA Softball national watch list for its end of the year award given to the top collegiate softball player. Last year, Southern was one of four finalists.
Poole(ing) Together
Senior right-handed pitcher Leslie Poole (Rootstown, Ohio) has been pushing herself as the No. 2 starter. Last week she went 2-0 with a shutout and a win in relief after giving up just six hits, one run (earned), no walks and striking out five in 9.0 innings of work for a 0.78 ERA. In the Bulldogs 15-5 win, Poole came into the game in the third inning and pitched 2.0 innings and allowed just two hits, one run (earned), walked none and struck out two. After Nevada hit a three-run home run for a 4-1 lead, Poole struck out the first batter she faced to end the Wolf Pack scoring. She then went on to retire the next five of six batters faced before getting relief help for the win. In her one start, she pitched four-hit ball, walked none and struck out three as she recorded her third shutout of the year and improved to 7-5 overall in the 3-0 win over Nevada. Stifling the Wolf Pack batters, Poole made her seventh relief appearance in the 15-5 victory and recorded her second win in relief. In her last 14 appearances, she has gone 8-3 with three shutouts while walking three and striking out 26 while giving up 12 (11 earned) for a 1.39 ERA in 55.2 innings. In her last 68.1 innings, Poole has walked three while striking out 35 and has given up 16 runs (11 earned) for a 1.13 ERA. Lowering her ERA to 1.70 on the year, she is 8-5 overall with three shutouts, a no-decision and 40 strikeouts to seven walks in 78.1 innings of work.
Fresno State to Host NCAA Softball Regional
Announced this morning by the NCAA Division I softball committee, the NCAA released the eight regional sites for the 2003 NCAA Division I Softball Championship and Fresno State has been selected for the 18th time in the 22-year history of the NCAA softball tournament. The eight regional sites are Alabama, Arizona, CS Fullerton, Florida, Fresno State, Michigan, Nebraska and Texas. Each regional site will feature eight teams playing a double-elimination format at the campus sites, Thur.-Sun., May 15-18. The host institution, however, is not guaranteed a bid to the tournament. This is the first time in which softball regional sites have been announced in advance. Site selections were based on geographic location, quality of facilities and quality of the experience for the student-athletes, including attendance history. The at-large teams, top-eight national seeds and first-round pairings will be announced live on Sun., May 11, at 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time (7:00 PDT) on ESPNEWS. The bracket, which will not be re-seeded prior to the NCAA Women's College World Series, will be the first to announce a 64-team field since the championship began in 1982. Expanding from last year's field of 48, 26 Division I conferences will receive an automatic berth along with 38 at-large selections.
All-tournament passes for the 2003 NCAA Softball Regional at Fresno State will go on sale to the Bulldog softball season ticket holders on Wed., April 30. Passes can be purchased at the Bulldog Ticket Office (559-278-3647) or go on-line at www.gobulldogs.com. The Bulldog Ticket Office will be taking orders for the general public beginning Tue., May 6. Single day passes will be available on each day of the regional, only. No refunds will be given if Fresno State does not qualify for the NCAA tournament.
