Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
LSU (NFCA Leadoff Classic)
No. 25/19 Softball Advances to NFCA Gold Championship Bracket
2/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 26, 2005
COLUMBUS, Ga. - The No. 25/19 Fresno State softball team automatically advances to the 10th NFCA Leadoff Classic Gold Championship Bracket after winning its pool this morning with a 5-2 victory over No. 10 LSU.
While all the runs scored came on home runs, the Bulldogs hit four of them as All-America pitcher Jamie Southern hit two and sophomore catcher Nichole Willis and senior third baseman Leticia Pacheco connected for one a piece.
In the circle, Southern tossed a five hitter and struck out 10 to improve to 3-0 on the year. The 10 strikeouts was No. 44 of her career while the multi home run game was her fourth of her career.
Fresno State (4-1) struck for five runs on six hits while the Tigers (8-3) had two runs on five hits.
In the first, All-America shortstop Christina Clark led the game off with a double down the left field line. Southern then drove the first pitch she saw from Tiger pitcher Emily Turner over the left field fence for a 2-0 lead.
In the fourth, Pacheco led the inning off with a solo shot to left center before Southern and Willis hit two out back-to-back home runs in the fifth.
In the second and seventh inning, left fielder Quinlan Duhon hit a home run for LSU's lone runs with a lead off long ball to start the second and seventh inning.
While posting a 3-0 record in pool play, Fresno State begins gold championship bracket play this afternoon at 4:30 p.m. (EST) against a TBA opponent.
