Fresno State Athletics
No. 14/15 Bulldogs Head to Stockton for DH
2/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 12, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format 
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State softball team will spend Valentines Day in Stockton, Calif., as the Bulldogs take on the University of the Pacific Tigers in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m. Fresno State is 3-1 after opening weekend.
Scouting Pacific
The Pacific Tigers are 1-2 after opening season after falling to then-No. 25 San Diego State and Purdue and earning their first win of the season over Indiana. They are led in the circle by pitcher Heidi Helberg with an 1-0 record and a 1.91 ERA. At the plate, Nicole Matson leads the Tigers with a .417 batting average with one home run, 6 RBI's and five hits. The Bulldogs and Tigers met in the season opener in 2008 at Bulldog Diamond with Morgan Melloh and the Bulldogs picking up 5-1 and 3-2 victories. Fresno State leads the overall series 75-21-1, with Pacific's last win over the Bulldogs coming in 2007.
Melloh Named WAC Pitcher of the Week
Morgan Melloh earned her first WAC Pitcher of the Week honors and the sixth of her career after going 2-0 for the then ranked No. 12/14 Fresno State softball team on opening weekend. Melloh pitched two complete game shutouts, allowing only four hits and three walks while striking out 24 batters. She struck out 13 batters and gave up just three hits against Wisconsin in the season opener then pitched a one-hitter vs. Cal State Northridge in the Bulldogs 3-0 win in eight innings.
Meet the Bulldogs at Riverpark
The Fresno State softball team will be at the Riverpark Promenade on Sunday, Feb. 15 from 1-3 p.m. signing autographs for fans. The Spirit Squad and TimeOut will also be in attendance.
Pre-Season All-WAC
Senior Haley Perkins and sophomore Morgan Melloh were named to the pre-season All-WAC team voted on by the WAC coaches. Melloh was also named the pre-season Pitcher of the Year after she was named the 2008 WAC Freshman and Pitcher of the Year.
The Bulldogs were also picked to win their 21st conference title. This is the 12th time in the last 14 years that the Bulldogs have been favored to win the regular season conference championship. Fresno State has also won two WAC Tournament titles in the six years of its existence (1999, 2007).
USA Softball Top 50 Watch List
Haley Perkins and Morgan Melloh also received pre-season recognition from USA Softball as they were two of 50 players named to the Top 50 Pre-Season Player of the Year Watch List. The 2009 Pre-Season Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 32 schools and 13 different NCAA Division I Conferences. Melloh and Perkins are joined by fellow WAC opponent Noelle Micka (Nevada) representing the conference. Fresno State is one of 10 schools to have two student-athletes on the list while four schools placed three each on the list.
Season and Single-Game Tickets on Sale
Softball season and single-game tickets are now on sale. Single-game tickets in lower box areas are $15 and upper reserved seating is $8. Discounts are available for senior citizens and youth in the softball general admission areas and the baseball upper reserved areas. Senior tickets are $5 and youth tickets are $3 (ages 5-18). The softball Opening Night Plan is a four-game package, including the opening night game versus Utah Valley University on Feb. 26 and any three other home games. This package is only $22 for adults and provides discounts for youth. The softball WAC Pack includes six home dates, beginning with the game against San Jose State on Friday, March 20. The package also includes the Nevada and Hawai'i series. This package is only $33 for adults and provides discounts for youth.
Season tickets for softball range from $63 - $250. All packages include each of the 14 home dates including the annual Fresno State Tournament at Bulldog Diamond, with the Dogs taking on Cal on Sunday, March 8.
Bayer CropScience Classic
The annual Fresno State softball tournament at Bulldog Diamond has a new sponsor beginning in the 2009 season. Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, nutrition and high-tech materials. Bayer CropScience AG, a subsidiary of Bayer AG is one of the world's leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of crop protection, non-agricultural pest control, seeds and plant biotechnology.
This year's tournament includes BYU, Providence, Northern Illinois and Cal along with the host Bulldogs. The tournament runs March 5-8.
`Dogs to Host WAC Tournament
Fresno State will host the 2009 WAC Tournament at Bulldog Diamond, May 5-9. The top seven teams at the end of the regular season will compete in the double-elimination tournament. The winner of the tournament will receive an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. (Eight teams in the WAC now sponsor softball with Boise State joining the conference this year.)
Bulldogs on Radio/TV
There will be plenty of opportunities to view the Bulldogs on television and listen to them on the air in 2009. Comcast Local 14 will broadcast six games throughout the season live from Bulldog Diamond, beginning on Sunday, March 8 vs. Cal at 1 p.m. Guy Haberman and Aubrey Fast will be announcing the games.
790 the Deuce ESPN Radio will broadcast all of the Bulldogs 2009 home games with Paul Swearengin and Guy Haberman calling the action live from Bulldog Diamond. They will also broadcast live the doubleheader vs. Pacific in Stockton, Calif., Feb. 14 beginning at 12 p.m.
Internet streaming of select Bulldog road games will be made available on the all-access page. Alyssa Chambers will be calling all of the games live from the road.
Bulldog Blog
The Fresno State Media Relations office will blog throughout the season about the Fresno State softball team. To view the softball blog and blogs from all of the 17 varsity teams at Fresno State, log on to www.gobulldogs.com and click on the Bulldog Blog button on the right side of the main page.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The `Dogs travel north to Stockton to battle Pacific on Saturday, February 14. The doubleheader starts at noon. The `Dogs' home opener is Thursday, February 26 against Utah Valley. First pitch at Bulldog Diamond is scheduled for 6:00 pm. Season tickets, mini plans and single game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting the Bulldog Ticket Office, calling 278-DOGS or online at gobulldogs.com.
