Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Hawaii
No. 13 Bulldogs Defeat Hawai'i, 9-2
4/10/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 9, 2004
HONOLULU - The 13th-ranked Fresno State softball team notched a 9-2 Western Athletic Conference victory over Hawai'i in the night cap at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium.
The Bulldogs used the long ball again to power past Hawai'i as three 'Dogs hit a home run, including a single-season record tying mark by sophomore All-America shortstop Christina Clark.
For the second straight season, Clark has hit 15 home runs while tying the school's single-season home run mark again. This season, however, the 15 long balls came in her 47th game of the season after collecting 15 in 54 games a year ago. Clark also recorded her 30th career home run tonight as she became just the fourth Bulldog and seventh WAC player overall to pick up 30 or more career home runs.
Junior All-America pitcher Jamie Southern collected her 24th win after tossing a five-hitter with nine strikeouts. After tallying 16 strikeouts in two games of work, she is now 10 shy of becoming the 20th NCAA Division I player to amass 1,000 or more career strikeouts.
With four Bulldogs collecting a multiple-hit performance, Fresno State scored nine runs on 11 hits and had two errors while Hawai'i had two runs on five hits.
Fresno State recorded a run in the second, added two in the third and one in the fifth before posting a five-run seventh. Hawai'i scored its two runs in the fifth.
In the second with two outs, senior center fielder Mitzi Ing hit her first collegiate home run with a solo shot to left center.
In the third with one out, Clark belted her second home run of the doubleheader with a two-run shot to left field.
In the fifth with one out, freshman catcher Nichole Willis doubled to left center to score junior first baseman Shasta Lewis, who had reached base on a fielder's choice, for a 4-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the frame Hawai'i cut the lead in half. With one out and the bases loaded, third baseman April Crowell notched a RBI single to right to score second baseman Noelle Izumi, who had started the inning off with a base hit. Left fielder Justina Kahaku, who reached on an error by Southern, came around to score when the throw in from the outfield got past Willis at home plate.
Fresno State nearly batted around in the seventh as the Bulldogs sent nine players to the plate when it posted a five-run frame. Freshman left fielder Rachael Donaldson hit her first collegiate home run when she led the inning off with a shot to left field. After Lewis grounded out, Clark walked before Southern recorded a hit. Willis then singled to left field to score Clark from second while pinch runner Daisy Gaynor, who came in for Southern, advanced to third. Junior second baseman Leticia Pacheco then doubled down the left field line to knock in Gaynor. Senior designated player Lori Hoffman followed with a RBI single up the middle as Willis scored from third.
Fresno State (35-12, 8-0 WAC) continues WAC play against Hawai'i (22-21, 4-2 WAC) tomorrow afternoon with a doubleheader at 3:00 p.m. (HST).
