Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Louisiana Tech
No. 18/17 Softball Wraps Up Sweep Over Louisiana Tech
4/30/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 30, 2005
RUSTON, La. - The No. 18/17 Fresno State softball team utilized the long ball to not only tie the game but to break a deadlock as well in its 5-3 Western Athletic Conference night cap win over Louisiana Tech.
Sweeping the series, Fresno State scored five runs on eight hits as the Bulldogs hit two more home runs on the day to bring their doubleheader total to five against the Lady Techsters.
Fresno State scored first with a run in the first before Louisiana Tech took a 2-1 lead after three innings. The Bulldogs tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth on a home run before the Lady Techsters took a 3-2 lead after four full innings of play. The 'Dogs would tie the game at three in the fifth before breaking the deadlock with another home run in the seventh.
Fresno State utilized three pitchers as starter Amanda Nesbitt allowed three runs on four hits, walked two and struck out three in 4.0 innings of work. Junior Laura Ferreira pitched a brilliant one inning of relief. Senior All-American Jamie Southern, who started the game at designated player, pitched the final two innings and struck out all six batters faced to earn her 22nd win of the season.
Louisiana Tech starter Lesli Aycock took the loss and fell to 3-9 overall after allowing five runs on eight hits while walking four and striking out two.
In the first, junior All-America shortstop Christina Clark led the game off with a walk. Southern then walked before sophomore catcher Nichole Willis sacrificed both runners up a base. With runners on second and third, senior third baseman Leticia Pacheco laced a liner to left center to plate Clark.
In the third with two outs, left fielder Brittany Stanley hit a single down the right field line to score two Lady Techsters.
In the fourth, freshman first baseman Kristin Sylvester answered right back as she led off the inning with a solo shot to left for her first collegiate home run.
In the bottom half of the frame, third baseman Carly White delivered a two-out RBI single to right field to give Louisiana Tech a 3-2 lead.
In the fifth with two outs, Willis singled to center field before scoring on a RBI double to left center by Pacheco.
With the game knotted at 3-3, Fresno State scored right away as Southern hit her 10th home run of the season and second of the day with a solo shot to left. Willis followed with a single to left, stole second and advanced to third on a pass ball before Pacheco delivered again with a RBI hit.
Louisiana Tech (18-43, 2-10 WAC), which forfeited two games at Southern Mississippi on Wednesday, has lost 15 straight.
Fresno State (35-10, 11-1 WAC) continues conference play next week with a three-game series at Nevada. The Bulldogs hold a three game lead over the Wolf Pack, who currently are in second place with an 8-4 league mark.
