Fresno State Athletics
Softball Hosts Utah State For Three Games
3/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 28, 2007
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Up Next For the Bulldogs: Fresno State returns to Bulldog Diamond for three games this week. The Bulldogs host WAC opponent Utah State for three games, beginning Friday night at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs will face the Aggies in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 31 at 1 p.m. Fresno State enters the week with a 26-12 overall record and are 13-1 at Bulldog Diamond this year.
Who's Hot: Fresno State junior Kristin Sylvester was on fire at the plate this past week for the Bulldogs. The junior helped lead Fresno State to a 4-1 mark with a .563 batting average. In five games she went 9 for 16 with four home runs and eight RBI. Sylvester hit two home runs in the same inning against Ohio on Tuesday night and hit two home runs on Saturday, one in the first game, followed by one in the second game against Nevada. Sylvester had an unbelievable 1.313 slugging percentage, got hit three times and had a .632 on base percentage. Sylvester also scored seven runs in five games.
Sylvester Earns First WAC POW Honor: The Bulldogs' Kristin Sylvester earned her first Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week honor on Monday, for her efforts last week. Sylvester was on fire at the plate for Fresno State and had an impressive four home runs and eight RBI in five games. Sylvester pulled off the impressive feat of hitting two home runs in the same inning against Ohio in the second game of the doubleheader. The junior hit .563 (9 for 16) with a 1.313 slugging percentage and a .632 on base percentage.
Fresno State Receiving Points in Polls: Fresno State is receiving points in both polls, including 12 points in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll released Monday. Virginia Tech is ranked No. 25 with 50 points. The Bulldogs are also just outside the Top 25 in the USA Today/NFCA with 31 points, the 25th ranked team has 35 points.
Busy Weekend: Friday night at Bulldog Diamond will be Cancer Awareness Night. There will a table on the concourse level of the stadium with information for fans in attendance. Saturday is Youth Day, where Kids Take Over the Ballpark. Kids get in free with the purchase of an adult ticket. There will also be spots for kids to participate in the following activities: guest umpire, guest announcer, guest field crew member, guest marketing assistant, first pitch and anthem singer.
Mackin Earns Third Honor: Fresno State sophomore pitcher Robin Mackin, from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada (Newmarket) appeared in all seven games for the Bulldogs, but the most memorable came against No. 2 Arizona State. Mackin baffled the Sun Devils with 16 strikeouts during Fresno State's 6-1 win in the second game of the Judi Garman Classic. Mackin's other wins came against Purdue and a complete-game, 11-strikeout performance against Cal State Northridge. Mackin also picked up a save during the week while only allowing five earned runs in 31 2/3 innings. Mackin ended the week with a 3-1 record, pitching 31.2 innings and adding 49 strikeouts. She averaged 10.8 strikeouts per seven innings.
Leading the WAC: Fresno State as a team leads the WAC in pitching and fielding. The Bulldogs have a combined 1.76 earned run average and have struck out 274 batters in 254 1/3 innings pitched. Defensively the Bulldogs have a .975 fielding percentage and have committed 28 errors in 38 games.
On Top of the WAC: Fresno State has Robin Mackin leading the WAC in pitching with a 1.12 earned run and a 19-7 record. Mackin has recorded 231 strikeouts in 181 2/3 innings pitched. Kristin Sylvester ranks second in the WAC in doubles, having recorded 10 on the season, two back of the leader. Haley Perkins ranks fourth in hits and runs scored against WAC competition as well. Perkins has 45 hits and 32 runs scored.
Pacific Game Set For Tuesday: The Bulldogs will face Pacific on Tuesday, April 3 in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Bill Simoni Field in Stockton. The game was originally scheduled for February 28 at Pacific, but due to rain, the Tigers were unable to host the game. Fresno State will leave immediately following the game to travel to Saint Mary's, facing the Gaels in a doubleheader April 4 at 12 p.m. in Moraga.
Stanford Game Postponed: Fresno State postponed its doubleheader with No. 11 Stanford on Tuesday night due to inclement weather. The Bulldogs called the game early in the morning, prior to Stanford leaving Palo Alto for the trip south. Fresno State and Stanford are working on finding a date to make up the game.
What's Next: Fresno State travels north to Stockton and Moraga to face Pacific in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 3 beginning at 1 p.m. Followed Tuesday's make-up game from earlier this season, the Bulldogs will travel to the East Bay to face Saint Mary's on Wednesday, April 4 in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
