Fresno State Athletics
Long Ball Powers `Dogs Past Cardinal
2/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
PALM SPRINGS, Calif.- The Bulldogs picked up a Saturday night victory by powering their way past Stanford (13-8) on the second day at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif. The victory held significance for head coach Trisha Ford who was a member of the Stanford softball program prior to Fresno State.
"Anytime you win against a power five conference, it's always a good win." Ford said. "I think that one was a little more special because it came from Stanford, but our girls played hard and going into tomorrow, we have two big games and we need to keep our momentum."
After a full day of rest, the Bulldogs came out strong offensively in the first inning against the Cardinal earning three runs on one hit. The `Dogs stayed active on the base path after advancing on four wild pitches and demonstrated discipline at the plate by drawing four walks, two of which the Bulldogs scored on.
The `Dogs offensive success was followed up by a strong start from starting pitcher Jill Compton who had four Cardinal strikeouts in the first two innings. Hannah Harris made her ninth appearance of the year in the fifth inning and faced eight batters before Compton (4-3) reentered to pick up the 13-8 win over Stanford.
Michelle Solomon earned her third homerun of the season with a solo shot that cleared the left field fence to give the `Dogs a 4-0 lead in the third inning. Alyssa Villalpando, with her sixth hit of the weekend, singled up the middle to score Kierra Willis who reached on a Cardinal error to tack on another run for Fresno State heading into the bottom of the third inning.
Senior Brenna Moss broke the all-time career record for the most stolen bases to start the fourth inning after reaching on a single up the middle, accounting for her first hit of the game after drawing a walk in the first.
"Breaking the record is such a great accomplishment," Brenna Moss said. "It's crazy because I really didn't know how close I was until this year. I just come out to play the game that I love every day and it makes it that much more rewarding knowing that all the hard work is paying off, and I'm having fun at the same time. I am truly grateful for this, but it doesn't stop here, I have a whole season ahead of me and I am going to keep looking forward and try to be even better."
The two runs given up in the third were re-accounted for with a double to left field from Willis that scored both Moss and Malia Rivers.
Seven Bulldogs had two or more hits on the night, but highlighting Fresno State's win was back-to-back-to-back homeruns from Willis, Paige Gumz and Villalpando in the seventh inning to put Fresno State up 13-5.
Willis led the team against the Cardinal after driving in three runs including her second homerun of the season that cleared the left field fence with one out in the seventh. Only three pitches later, Gumz followed up with her first home run of the season and Villalpando accounted for the third shot over left field with her second home run in her Bulldog career.
"We definitely had a plan getting into the box of what pitch we were sitting and I thought we did a great job of executing," Ford added. "We're swinging the bats well right now, seeing the ball and hitting the ball, and we executed tonight." Fresno State will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as they face Oklahoma State at 2 p.m. and Loyola Marymount at 4:30 p.m. for the final day of the Mary Nutter Classic.
"Be Bold!" - The official home of Fresno State Softball is 790 AM ESPN2 The Deuce. For ticket information contact the Bulldog Ticket Office at 559-278-3647 or log on to www.gobulldogs.com.
