Fresno State Athletics
Softball Finds Success in 2015
5/20/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif..- At the conclusion of the toughest season under head coach Trisha Ford's helm, the Fresno State softball team finished first in the Mountain West and reached its highest win total since 2010 after being picked as the 2015 preseason conference favorite.
Wrapping up her third season, Ford led the Bulldogs to a 40-win season for the first time since 2010 (41-21, 15-6 WAC), with 2015 being the 24th season in program history with 40 or more victories. Fresno State competed amongst nine teams that made it to the 2015 NCAA Tournament and collected wins over No. 29 Texas, Cal State Northridge and took 2-of-3 from San Diego State during the regular season. During non-conference play, the `Dogs took on the top two overall seeds in the same afternoon in defending national champion Florida and two-seeded Oregon, where they were outscored by only six runs on the day.
The 21 California natives who made up this season's roster played a 29-game tournament stretch, posting a 19-10 record before opening the regular season on the road. Fresno State capped the season with a home record of 20-6 with ten victories coming during conference play over San Jose State, New Mexico, Boise State and Nevada at Margie Wright Diamond.
The Bulldogs secured the 2015 Mountain West title and automatic NCAA bid to the postseason for the first time in program history on May 8 after clinching the regular season series over UNLV. With its last postseason appearance being in 2011, Fresno State competed in the NCAA Eugene Regional and entered the Division I Softball Championship riding an 11-game winning streak, the second-longest among the postseason playing field. This was the 35th postseason advancement and 31st NCAA appearance in Fresno State softball history with the last 30 coming consecutively between the years of 1982 and 2011. Heading into postseason play, Fresno State was tied with UCLA for the most all-time appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Two Bulldogs were named to the preseason all-conference first and second-teams with the expectation of making a significant impact during Mountain West play. At the conclusion of the 2015 season, head coach Trisha Ford was named the MW Coach of the Year while the pitcher-catcher duo of Jill Compton and Paige Gumz were tabbed the Pitcher and Defensive Player of the Year. Compton was joined by senior Brenna Moss on the All-MW first-team, both of which are three-time recipients of the conference honor. Five additional Bulldogs earned second-team accolades, two more than last year, including Hannah Harris, Malia Rivers, Whitney Smith, Michelle Solomon and Kierra Willis.
The `Dogs continue to add to a lengthy tradition of success as the squad capped the season with an RPI of 44, being one of only two Mountain West programs in the top 50, and for six week this season received votes to be ranked in both the NFCA and ASA/USA Top 25 weekly polls. Individually, Moss was one of the nation's leaders at the plate ranking 34th for a season batting average of .439 and tied for 36th in runs per game (1.05) while Compton tied for a 21st place ranking after tossing eight shutouts, 13th for claiming 28 victories and was 24th for a total of 242 strikeouts this season. As the `Dogs sophomore cleanup batter, Willis earned a third place ranking for recording nine triples on the year, while Harris stands fifth in the nation for fewest walks per seven innings (.78).
The National Fastpitch Coaches Association named Compton to the first-team Pacific All-Region team while Moss and Alyssa Villalpando received second-team accolades. An All-Region returnee, Compton was the lone Bulldog named to the All-Region first-team and the only recipient representing the Mountain West as she claimed her first career first-team honor after being named to the second-team in 2014. Moss earned her second consecutive NFCA second-team accolade as a senior while Villalpando grasped her first Bulldog career postseason honor as a junior transfer from Hawaii.
On April 1, 2015, Brenna Moss was selected as the 13th pick in the third round to the Chicago Bandits during the 2015 National Fast Pitch College Draft. The Bakersfield, Calif., native was one of five players selected in the third round including elite athletes from Arizona State, Auburn, Cal and Purdue. As Fresno State's centerfielder and leadoff slapper, Moss is the first Bulldog to be drafted by the NPF since 2005.
This season served as a memorable year as Fresno State softball history was made and new program records were set. On Feb. 21 the `Dogs recorded back-to-back-to-back home runs against Stanford at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, this being the first time Fresno State has cleared the fence in three consecutive at-bats. On the same night, Moss broke the 2011 record for the most career stolen bases of 86 and ended her Bulldog collegiate career with 104 total stolen bases.
Former Bulldog All-American and Olympic Gold Medalist Laura Berg's No. 44 jersey was retired on Feb. 28 prior to the `Dogs matchup with Oregon State at Margie Wright Diamond. The world class athlete guided Fresno State to its first NCAA Division I national title in 1998 before becoming a three-time USA Softball Olympic Gold Medalist. Joining Berg's retired jersey, proudly hung on the stadium press box, is Wende Ward's No. 19 which was only the second female jersey retired in Fresno State athletics history. Ward was honored on Feb. 13, 2015 as she threw out the first pitch and a banner commemorating her success as a Bulldog was revealed.
At the conclusion of the 2015 regular season, Fresno State stood atop the Mountain West with a combined earned run average of 1.62 and opposing batting average of .212, with 129 batters struck out (40 looking) and a conference-best 20 wins. Offensively, the 'Dogs finished in the top three in batting average (.353), on base percentage (.427), runs scored (151), hits (224), runs batted in (140), triples (9), plate appearances (773), walks (87) and stolen bases (18) while posting a second-best fielding percentage (.965) during conference play.
2015 Mountain West All-Conference First Team
Jill Compton,** Fresno State
Brenna Moss,** Fresno State
Megan Sweet,* Nevada
Brandi Heimburg,* New Mexico
Lorena Bauer,* San Diego State
Kayla Jordan,* San Diego State
Jenavee Peres, San Diego State
Erica Romero, San Diego State
Jessie Hufstetler,* San José State
Allison Lang, San José State
Jessica Madrid, San José State
Garie Blando,* UNLV
Sam Juarez,* UNLV
Hailey Fronton, Utah State
Noelle Johnson, Utah State
2015 Mountain West All-Conference Second Team
Devon Bridges, Boise State
Jordan Kreiger,* Boise State
Haley Hutton, Colorado State
Hannah Harris,* Fresno State
Malia Rivers, Fresno State
Whitney Smith, Fresno State
Michelle Solomon, Fresno State
Kierra Willis,* Fresno State
Karley Hopkins,* Nevada
Mariah Rimmer, New Mexico
Michelle Cox, San José State
Nicole Schultz, San José State
Emily Haslinger,** UNLV
Sarah Chow, Utah State
Alleyah Armendariz, Utah State
Player of the Year: Lorena Bauer, Sr., LF, San Diego State
Pitcher of the Year: Jill Compton, Jr., RHP, Fresno State
Defensive Player of the Year: Paige Gumz, Jr., C, Fresno State
Freshman of the Year: Jenavee Peres, C, San Diego State
Coach of the Year: Trisha Ford, Fresno State
**= three-time honoree
*= two-time honoree
"Be Bold!" - The official home of Fresno State Softball is 790 AM ESPN2 The Deuce. Follow the Bulldogs on twitter (@FresnoStateSB).
