Fresno State Athletics
Bulldog Softball Starts Season Saturday
2/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Feb. 8, 2011
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State softball team starts the 2011 season on Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Diamond with an Opening Day doubleheader against the Sacramento State Hornets.
The action starts at 1 p.m. and the second game will begin at approximately 3 p.m.
The first 1200 fans will get free Fresno State ice cream served by the Bulldog women's tennis team. All kids are invited to run the bases following the conclusion of the second game. There will also be a post-game autograph session with the team.
GAME NOTES: Fresno State vs. Sacramento State 
FRESNO STATE: 2011 Season Opener
Fresno State vs. Sacramento State (Doubleheader)
Date: Saturday, February 12, 2011 (1/3 p.m. PT)
Site: Bulldog Diamond (3,288); Fresno, Calif.
Radio: None
Online: Bulldog All-Access at www.GoBulldogs.com (Video)
Tickets: Fresno State vs. Sacramento State Game Tickets
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Next Games: Fresno State @ Pacific [DH] -- (Feb. 15: 1/3 p.m.)
Next Home Games: Bayer CropScience Classic -- (March 10-13, 2011)
About the Sacramento State Hornets
The Sacramento State Hornets (Pacific Coast Softball Conference) went 23-31 last season for a second-place finish in the PCSC behind conference champion Saint Mary's, who the Bulldogs defeated 6-0 in the 2010 NCAA Los Angeles Regional. The Hornets return all three of their pitchers and seven position players. Sacramento State head softball coach Kathy Strahan is in her 18th season at the school and owns a 507-470-2 school record.
Against the Sacramento State Hornets
Fresno State leads the all-time series with Sacramento State, 29-9. The Bulldogs have won the last ten meetings dating back to 1995. The two teams competed twice last season with the Dogs defeating the Hornets 3-2 and 6-0 in the season opening Fresno State Kick-Off.
Fresno State Picked to Finish Second, Three Dogs Named All-WAC
In the annual Western Athletic Conference coaches preseason poll, Fresno State was picked to finish second and three Bulldogs earned selections to the preseason All-WAC team. Senior shortstop Haley Gilleland, junior pitcher/first baseman Michelle Moses and senior catcher Caitlin Stiglich were Fresno State's representatives on the preseason All-WAC team. Hawai'i, the defending WAC champion who advanced to the 2010 Women's College World Series, was tabbed as the preseason conference favorite.
Dogs Earn Votes in Both National Polls
Fresno State continued to receive national recognition by earning votes in both the 2011 preseason USA Today/NFCA Division I and ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate polls. The Bulldogs garnered 31 votes in the USA Today/NFCA poll, the 26th most in the country. In the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, the Dogs earned nine votes to rank in 34th position.
Season Tickets Available Online and at the Bulldog Ticket Office
Softball season tickets are available for as low as $39 for youth/senior in general admission areas, $65 for adult general admission, $78 for upper reserved seating and $130 for lower box seating. This represents an affordable price reduction and gives Bulldog fans significant savings when compared to the single game ticket price. Fans can purchase tickets by logging on to www.gobulldogs.com, calling 559-278-DOGS or by visiting the Bulldog Ticket Office.
Wright and the Bulldogs Approaching Key Milestones
• Margie Wright is the all-time winningest Division I fastpitch head softball coach (1,386)
• Margie Wright is 14 wins shy of the 1,400 career win milestone
• Margie Wright is in her 26th season as Fresno State's head softball coach
• Fresno State is the nation's second-best all-time winningest NCAA Division I softball fastpitch program with a 1,407-471-1 (.749) record since 1982 --- ahead of UCLA, Florida State, Cal State Fullerton, La.-Lafayette, California, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
• Fresno State enters its 34th year of competition with an overall program record 1,491-528-1 (.738) since 1978 - just nine wins away from the program's 1,500th all-time victory.
Speedy Gilleland Ready for Senior Season
The speed of senior shortstop Haley Gilleland cemented itself in the Bulldog career record books. As the leadoff batter in all 62 games in 2010, she batted a team-high .367 (72-196) with 42 runs, 12 doubles, four triples, three home runs, 18 RBI and 21-24 stolen bases. Gilleland is already Fresno State's all-time career leader for stolen bases (59).
Moses is a True Triple Threat
Junior right-handed pitcher and first baseman Michelle Moses is one of the West Region's best pitchers, hitters and defenders. The triple threat improved in every facet from her freshman to sophomore season. In 2010, Moses hit .351 with 19 home runs, 57 RBI and six doubles. In the circle, she had a 2.07 earned run average, went 12-3 and fanned 155 batters.
Stiglich Shining at the Plate
Senior catcher/first baseman Caitlin Stiglich provides steady experience behind the plate as she enters her fourth season as the Bulldogs' catcher. She is one of Fresno State's three preseason All-WAC honorees. In 2010, she batted .340 (54-159) with five doubles, five home runs (including her third career grand slam) and 35 RBI.
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, including a neutral site game with No. 7/9 Missouri, two neutral site games against 2009 national champion and No. 10/11 Washington and three WAC home games versus No. 8/13 Hawai'i (April 1 and 2). The Bulldogs also host longtime rival No. 12/12 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 ranked in both preseason Top 25 polls and three other schools who received at least one vote in either of the polls.
Dogs Finished 2010 in Los Angeles Regional Championship Game
Fresno State went 41-21 in 2010 and advanced to the championship game of the Los Angeles Regional before falling to eventual NCAA national champion UCLA. The Bulldogs were ranked four weeks and finished the season receiving votes in both national polls.
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).
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" - The Fresno State softball team will start the 2011 season on Feb. 12 with a doubleheader against Sacramento State at Bulldog Diamond. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Season tickets and single-day tickets are available throughout the season at www.gobulldogs.com and the Bulldog Ticket Office.
