Fresno State Athletics
Undefeated Dogs Ready for Cathedral City
2/22/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 22, 2011
FRESNO, Calif. - The undefeated Fresno State softball team (3-0) will take a trip to Cathedral City to face Virginia and Oklahoma State on Friday, Syracuse on Saturday, and UMass and Oregon State on Sunday.
This Week in Bulldog Softball - Cathedral City Classic
NOTE: Live statistics of all games can be viewed on Gametracker at GoBulldogs.com.
• Virginia (Friday - 10:30 a.m. PT) • GAMETRACKER
The Virginia Cavaliers (Atlantic Coast Conference) are 6-3 on the season before starting play at the Cathedral City Classic. The Dogs lead the all-time series with the Caveliers, 3-2.
• No. 19/18 Oklahoma State (Friday - 3:30 p.m. PT) • GAMETRACKER
The Oklahoma State Cowgirls (Big 12 Conference) are 8-2 on the season before starting play at the Cathedral City Classic. The Bulldogs and Cowgirls are tied 6-6 in the all-time series.
• Syracuse (Saturday - 3:30 p.m. PT) • GAMETRACKER
Syracuse (Big East Conference) is 7-2 on the season before starting play at the Cathedral City Classic. Fresno State won the only previous meeting by the score of 6-3 in 2004.
• Massachusetts (Sunday - 11 a.m. PT) • GAMETRACKER
The Massachusetts Minutewomen (Atlantic 10 Conference) are 2-3 on the season before starting play at the Cathedral City Classic. The Dogs lead the all-time series 11-2.
• Oregon State (Sunday - 1 p.m. PT) • GAMETRACKER
The Oregon State Beavers (Pacific 10 Conference) are 4-1 on the season and will serve as the hosts of the Cathedral City Classic. The Dogs lead the all-time series 20-6.
Fresno State Starts 3-0, Adds Win over No. 8 Missouri to Resume
The Bulldogs opened the season with a doubleheader sweep of Sacramento State and defeated then-No. 8 Missouri 6-3 at the San Diego Classic I for a 3-0 start to the season.
WRIGHT WATCH: All-Time Wins Milestones
• Margie Wright is the all-time winningest Division I fastpitch head softball coach (1,389)
• Margie Wright is 11 wins shy of the 1,400 career win milestone entering the week
• Margie Wright is in her 26th season as Fresno State's head softball coach
DOG WATCH: Bulldogs Climbing into Record Books
• Michelle Moses is third all-time in career home runs at Fresno State (32 home runs)
• Haley Gilleland is Fresno State's all-time stolen base leader (62)
• Mackenzie Oakes is one of eight Bulldogs to throw a perfect game
Fresno State is One of Nation's Elite Programs
• Fresno State is the nation's second-best all-time winningest NCAA Division I softball fastpitch program with a 1,410-471-1 (.749) record since 1982 --- ahead of UCLA, Florida State, Cal State Fullerton, La.-Lafayette, California, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
• Fresno State is in its 34th year of competition with an overall program record 1,494-528-1 (.738) since 1978 - just six wins away from the program's 1,500th all-time victory.
• Fresno State is the nation's only program to qualify for every NCAA Tournament (29)
• In 2011, Fresno State is the only undefeated team with a win over a then-Top 10 team
Dogs Blasting Home Runs with a Purpose
Fresno State, who set a program record in 2010 with 51 home runs, is continuing its offensive firepower in 2011 with five home runs through the first three games. Michelle Moses has hit a home run in every game this year and moved into sole possession of third place on Fresno State's career all-time home run list. Senior Nicole Angene and junior Courtney Moore hit the other two home runs of the season. Angene has now hit 12 career home runs and Moore recorded the eighth of her Bulldog career.
Walker and Ortiz Making Early Impression
Freshmen Demi Walker, an outfielder from Corcoran, Calif., and Brooke Ortiz, an infielder from Lodi, Calif., have started and hit safely in all three games this season. On the year, Walker and Ortiz are both hitting .364 (4 for 11). Walker connected for a pair of singles and Ortiz added one of her own in the Bulldogs 6-3 victory over then-No. 8 Missouri.
Bulldogs to Face Ranked Opponents All Season Long
In 2011, the Dogs will face three schools that competed in the 2010 Women's College Series. Fresno State beat No. 8/10 Missouri 6-3 in the SDSU Classic I. The Bulldogs will also play No. 7/11 Washington and three WAC home games versus No. 10/13 Hawai'i (April 1 and 2). The Bulldogs also host longtime rival No. 14/14 California on March 13 at 2 p.m. in the finale of the Bayer CropScience Classic at Bulldog Diamond. In total, the Dogs are slated to play nine schools who were ranked in both preseason Top 25 polls and three other schools who received at least one vote in either of the polls.
Dogs Earn Votes in Both National Polls
Fresno State earned votes in both the USA Today/NFCA Division I (22 votes/28th) and ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate (nine votes/30th) polls this week.
Dogs Power Past No. 8 Missouri, Smash Three Home Runs
The Fresno State softball team blasted three home runs and played spectacular defense despite a steady swirling wind and late game rain to beat No. 8 Missouri 6-3 at the San Diego State Softball Stadium. Junior Michelle Moses earned her first victory in the circle of the year with her 12th career complete game and blasted the game-winning three-run home run. The Bulldogs are now 9-0 all-time against the Tigers. No. 8 Missouri had run-ruled No. 22 San Diego State 9-1 and had advanced to the 2010 Women's College World Series.
Fresno State Washed Out of Five Games So Far
Due to inclement weather conditions that made the USD and SDSU fields unplayable, Fresno State's games against No. 10/11 Washington, UC Davis and San Diego were canceled and will not be rescheduled for a future date. The Bulldogs also had a doubleheader with Pacific previously scheduled for Feb. 15 changed to a single game on April 5 at 2 p.m. due to an inclement weather forecast for the Stockton area.
Fresno State Holds Record for 29 NCAA Tournament Appearances
Fresno State is the nation's only program to have qualified for all 29 NCAA Tournaments in the Division I sport's history. The Bulldogs have appeared in 12 of the 29 NCAA Women's College World Series and secured the school's first Division I national championship in any sport in 1998, have been a national runner-up four times (1990, `89, `88 and `82), finished third three times (1997, `92 and `91) and tied for fifth four times (1999, `94, `87 and `84).
Dogs to Host 2011 Bayer CropScience Classic March 10-13
Fresno State will host the 2011 Bayer CropScience Classic from March 10-13, 2011 while welcoming Bradley, California, Drake, Idaho State and Troy to campus for the annual non-conference tournament at Bulldog Diamond.
Bulldogs to Host 2011 WAC Softball Tournament May 11-14
Fresno State will serve as the hosts for the 2011 Western Athletic Conference Softball Tournament from May 11-14. The top six schools qualify for the double-elimination tournament with the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament awarded to the winner. The Bulldogs have won three WAC Tournament titles (2009, `07 and 1999) and 10 of the past 15 regular season WAC championships. Ticket information will be announced later this year.
"We Are Your Team!" --- Fresno State takes to the road for the next month and returns to Bulldog Diamond on March 10 when the Dogs host the 2011 Bayer CropScience Classic.
