Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State Softball Promotes Organ Donor Awareness Day
3/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 4, 2004
FRESNO, Calif. -
Lori Romeiro-Gardner Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
The Fresno State softball program, alumni, current and former coaches as well as the athletics department is honoring the memory of former All-America pitcher, Lori Romeiro-Gardner on Sat., March 6, with the First Annual Organ Donor Awareness Day.
Romeiro-Gardner lost her six-year battle with liver cancer on November 28, 2003. She was diagnosed with liver cancer in 1997 and underwent the first of two liver transplants in February 1998. While dealing with this family health problem, out of it was born the Step to the Plate Foundation in support of families of transplant patients.
The Gardners were active volunteers with the California Transplant Donor Network and they, along with the San Francisco Giants, for who Mark played, hosted Organ Donor Awareness Day at SBC Park (formerly Pacific Bell Park) each of the past four seasons.
Organ donor cards and information brochures will be available on Saturday when the Bulldogs host Pacific in a 1:00 p.m. non-conference doubleheader at Bulldog Diamond.
Romeiro-Gardner was a four-year standout pitcher at Fresno State (1983-85, '87), who earned Second Team All-America accolades as a senior. In 1987 she went 25-6 with one save, 14 shutouts and 127 strikeouts in 252.0 innings for a 0.61 ERA. In her career, she appeared in 105 games with 95 starts, 81 complete games, 43 shutouts and 536 strikeouts for a 0.55 ERA in 708.1 innings.
She still holds the school record for consecutive no-hit innings (21, 1984), consecutive scoreless innings (60, 1987) while sharing the school mark for consecutive no-hitters (2) with two other Bulldogs. One of seven pitchers to post back-to-back 20-win seasons, Romeiro-Garnder ranks in 15 all-time career marks at Fresno State.
In addition, Lemoore High School will be dedicating its new softball field in honor of Romeiro-Gardner on Thur., March 11. A graduate of LHS in 1982, Romeiro-Gardner's dedication ceremony will begin promptly at 3:00 p.m., prior to the start of a softball game at 4:00 p.m.
Mark Gardner, who pitched for the San Francisco Giants and currently a bullpen coach for the organization, will be present as well as both sides of the family. All friends and acquaintances of the Romeiro-Gardners are invited to attend the ceremony.
For more information on this event, contact Thom Sembritzki via phone at (559) 924-6600, ext. 213, or by e-mail at tsembritzki@luhsd.k12.ca.us.
