Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Long Beach State<BR>(NCAA Regionals)
Southern Pitches, Hits Softball to Victory
5/15/2003 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 15, 2003
FRESNO, Calif. - A familiar formula worked once again for Fresno State on Thursday afternoon in a 3-0 victory over Long Beach State in the first round of the 2003 NCAA Regional Championship at Bulldog Diamond in Fresno, Calif.
Sophomore Jamie Southern (Clovis, Calif.) tossed yet another gem on the mound and freshman Christina Clark (Santa Ana, Calif.) belted her 15th home run of the year as the Bulldogs did just enough to dispatch of the 49ers.
Southern, working quickly and efficiently, threw her 15th shutout of the year for the Bulldog (34-20) and accounted for a portion of the offense with a two-run homer. Improving to 23-10 on the year in the circle, Southern limited the 49ers (29-18) to five hits while striking out eight.
After retiring the first three LBSU hitters of the game, Southern immediately helped her own cause in the home half of the first inning. After Clark led off with single, Southern drilled a two-run shot over the left field fence to give Fresno State a 2-0 lead.
Much like Southern, Long Beach State (29-18) hurler Meredith Cervenka was doing her best to keep the 49ers in the contest. Cervenka held the Bulldogs at bay, allowing just three hits over six innings. She was victimized, however, by two pitches to Southern and Clark that gave Fresno State its cushion.
Long Beach State's best chance to push a run across came in the top of the fifth. Jamie Farnworth led off with a basehit and advanced to second on a sacrifice. Southern then retired the next hitter on a pop out before escaping further damage by inducing a double play to get out of the inning.
Clark led off the bottom of the sixth with her 15th home run of the year, tying the Fresno State single-season record.
The 49ers threatened in the top of the seventh, putting runners on first and third with one out but Southern bounced back to record the final two outs.
Fresno State now faces the winner of No. 1 seed UCLA and No. 8 seed Colgate on Friday at 12:30 p.m.
