Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Princeton (NFCA Leadoff Classic)
No. 16 Fresno State Drops 1-0 Decision to Princeton
2/28/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 28, 2004
COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Princeton Tigers threw a curve into No. 16 Fresno State's game plan when it defeated the Bulldogs, 1-0, on a three-hitter tossed by Tiger pitcher Erin Snyder.
With her curve ball in command coupled by two critical fielding errors, the Bulldogs bid to post a perfect 3-0 record in pool play came to a halt in their first loss at the Ninth Annual NFCA Leadoff Classic.
The Bulldogs, who were victims of 11 strikeouts, collected three hits and committed two errors while Princeton posted seven hits and had one error.
Senior left-handed pitcher Lori Hoffman took the loss in her first start of the year and fell to 2-1 on the season after scattering seven hits while allowing no walks and striking out three. Allowing one walk, Snyder improved to 2-0 in Princeton's third game of the year.
Princeton picked up its run in the top of the sixth with two outs. Bingham started the inning off by reaching base on a fielding error by Bulldog third baseman Daisy Gaynor. Hoffman got the next two Tigers to line out before first baseman Kristin Del Calvo singled through the right side. Designated player Lindsay Motal followed with a routine pop up to right field but senior outfielder Mitzi Ing could not hold onto the ball as Bingham scored the eventual winning run.
Fresno State lost out on a bid to post runs on the board in the fifth and seventh inning when two potential home run balls were negated.
In the fifth with two outs and two runners on, junior left fielder Porsha Finley drove a pitch to the left field break-a-away fence but Tiger left fielder Wendy Bingham maintained control and corralled the ball back in to deny the Bulldogs a potential 3-0 lead.
In the seventh, freshman catcher Nichole Willis led bottom of the inning off with a shot that hugged the left field line. What apparently looked like a shot to tie the game at 1-1 was denied when the home plate umpire made the call after the third plate umpire deferred.
Fresno State (7-3) concluded pool play with a 2-1 mark and finished third despite posting the same records as Princeton and South Carolina. South Carolina won the pool after defeating Arizona State and advanced to the Gold Medal bracket. Princeton finished second and is playing in the Silver Bracket.
The Bulldogs begin bracket play this evening at 6:30 p.m. (EST) when they meet No. 15 Texas in the Silver Bracket.
