Fresno State Athletics
Softball Sweeps Conference Weekly Honors
4/28/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.- The Fresno State softball team swept the Mountain West weekly honors Tuesday afternoon as junior shortstop Whitney Smith was named the Player of the Week and Jill Compton earned Pitcher of the Week accolades for games held April 24-26 against Nevada.
Helping lead the Bulldogs to their fourth regular season series sweep, Smith averaged .800 (4-for-5) at the plate and drew three walks while posting a perfect fielding mark as the `Dogs starting shortstop. This week's conference honor is the first career accolade Smith has received, serving as the third Bulldog to be named Player of the Week this season.
Hitting in the nine spot for Fresno State, Smith had a multi-hit game during the Friday night series opener going 2-for-2 with a hit by pitch and tallied another perfect mark on Saturday going 1-for-1 with a pair of walks. In what was a 12-0 run-rule victory over Nevada on Sunday afternoon, she had one hit with one walk and scored a run for the `Dogs on a squeeze bunt. Smith posted a team-best .800 slugging percentage and had an on base percentage of .889 while scoring three runs during the weekend slate against the Wolf Pack.
Smith is one of six Bulldogs to post an on base percentage over .400 and holds a .268 overall batting average with two doubles, one triple and one home run while starting all 50 games for the `Dogs. Standing only one shy of the team-leader, Smith has a second-best of 25 walks and guides the team with six sacrifice hits this season.
Compton, a junior from Oceano, Calif., posted a 3-0 record and had a 1.29 earned run average after tossing 16.1 innings and drawing the start in the circle for every game against Nevada. Of the 12 Mountain West Pitcher of the Week accolades issued this season, the Bulldog ace has claimed the last four giving her six on the season and nine career wise.
The `Dogs 12-0 finale on Sunday afternoon marked Compton's second shutout of the weekend giving her 14 on the season with eight coming during conference play. During the Friday night series opener, Compton set a new personal game-high of 11 strikeouts and capped the weekend striking out 25 Wolf Pack batters.
The junior guides the Fresno State pitching staff with a conference-best 1.89 ERA, tossing 21 complete games with 41 appearances and a total of 214 innings in the circle for the `Dogs this season. Compton is 25-10 on the season and holds a 14-3 record in Mountain West play.
As the `Dogs starting pitcher, Compton ranks nationally against the top competitors in the nation, tying for seventh with 25 victories and ninth after tossing eight shutouts this season while placing 22nd in strikeouts (214), according to the latest NCAA Women's Softball Statistics.
Following a two-week home stand the `Dogs will make their way to Stockton, Calif., for a single non-conference game against the University of the Pacific on Saturday, May 2 at 2 p.m. Fresno State will compete in its final regular season conference series May 7-9 against UNLV at Eller Media Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
2015 MW Softball Player of the Week
Feb. 10 - Sharon-Renae Estrada, Sr., IF, San José State
Feb. 17 - Jessie Hufstetler, Jr., IF, San José State
Feb. 24 - Kierra Willis, So., OF, Fresno State
March 3 - Jenavee Peres, Fr., C, San Diego State
March 10 - Kayla Jordan, Sr., OF, San Diego State
March 17 - Brenna Moss, Sr., OF, Fresno State
March 24 - Kayla Jordan, Sr., OF, San Diego State
March 31 - Lorena Bauer, Sr., Util., San Diego State
April 6 - Jasmine Casados, So., 3B, New Mexico
April 14 - Kayla Jordan, Sr., OF, San Diego State
April 21 - Nicole Schultz, Sr., OF, San José State
April 28 - Whitney Smith, Jr., IF, Fresno State
2015 MW Softball Pitcher of the Week
Feb. 10 - Lauren Soles, Jr., LHP, New Mexico
Feb. 17 - Erica Romero, So., RHP, San Diego State
Feb. 24 - Carrie Sheehan, Sr., RHP, New Mexico
March 3- Morgan Ettinger, So., RHP, UNLV
March 10 - Erica Romero, So., RHP, San Diego State
March 17 - Jill Compton, Jr., RHP, Fresno State
March 24 - Jill Compton, Jr., RHP, Fresno State
March 31 - Trinity Harrington, Fr., RHP, Colorado State
April 6 - Jill Compton, Jr., RHP, Fresno State
April 14 - Jill Compton, Jr., RHP, Fresno State
April 21 - Jill Compton, Jr., RHP, Fresno State
April 28 - Jill Compton, Jr., RHP, Fresno State
"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.
