Fresno State Athletics
National Championship Experience
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By Michael Peterson
Fresno State Media Relations
FRESNO, Calif. - Celebrating the 1998 Fresno State softball national championship with the Valley, Fresno State will showcase the "National Championship Experience" on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Bulldog Diamond prior to the Bulldogs' 7:00 pm home football game against BYU.
This community event, which kicks-off at 4 p.m., hopes to give the San Joaquin Valley a sense of what it was like for the Bulldogs during their 1-0 win over Arizona at the 1998 NCAA Women's College World Series on May 25 in Oklahoma City, Okla.
"The purpose of the National Championship Experience is to give Fresno State fans and all of the young kids an opportunity to enjoy some softball activity, meet the softball team and get pictures and autographs of the players," said Diane Milutinovich, associate athletic director. "It is just supposed to be a fun day and a great way to tie it in with the BYU football game. It will be an all around Fresno State sports day."
The National Championship Experience will lead-off with Fan Fest events and individual photo sessions, followed by an autograph session from 5-6 p.m. and conclude with a team picture session at 6 p.m.
Participants of Fan Fest will have an opportunity to try and fill the shoes of some of their favorite Bulldog players, while attempting to duplicate the plays that allowed Fresno State to capture the university's first national championship.
Feel what it's like to throw the ball from centerfield to third base like former four-time All-American and USA Olympian Laura Berg did to teammate Jaime Maxey in the Berg to Maxey Challenge. See if you can duplicate All-American Nina Lindenberg's dramatic World Series home run against Arizona in the Dialing Long Distance Challenge or sprint faster than Becky Witt in the Sprint to First Base Challenge. The final challenge, if you have the nerve to accept it, is to see if the speed of your fastball can match that of two-time All-American and College World Series MVP Amanda Scott in the You Can't Touch This Challenge.
Although the Bulldogs won't begin the defense of their title until February, Milutinovich says that this is an ideal time for the fans of Fresno State softball to celebrate the Bulldogs championship performance.
"If we waited until February when the softball season starts, the weather would be pretty bad," Milutinovich said. "And at the end of the softball season everything is so busy, with Fresno State and many of the high school teams in the playoffs. So we thought this was a good opportunity for people to get out early and be part of the college campus in the fall."
Besides the on field activities, fans will have the chance to tailgate, purchase College World Series memorabilia, including limited edition and commemorative pins and key rings and tour the Bulldog Diamond press box. In addition, fans can get information on how to purchase a seat option in order to watch every moment of Fresno State softball in 1999 and beyond. There will be food and drinks available on the stadium concourse. Admission to the event is free, with prize giveaways throughout the day.
It was definitely a milestone year for the 1998 Bulldog softball team as they not only captured their first national title, but celebrated the 20th anniversary of the program being recognized as a varsity sport at Fresno State.
The Bulldogs finished the year with a No. 1 national ranking after posting a 52-11 record (28-2 WAC) that included a 7-1 postseason and a Western Athletic Conference title. The Bulldogs began their championship run by winning the programs 11th NCAA regional championship, securing a spot in the eight team World Series. Fresno State, which was seeded seventh, opened the championship tournament with victories over second-seed Nebraska (6-1) and third-seed Michigan (8-0) before suffering their only loss to fourth-seeded Washington (3-1).
But the Bulldogs showed their resilience by bouncing back to defeat Washington that same day (6-1) earning a spot in the championship game against top-seeded Arizona and setting up Lindenberg's dramatic home run and Scott's stellar pitching performance.
Leading off of the sixth inning, Lindenberg hit Wildcats' pitcher Nancy Evan's first pitch over the left field fence for a solo home run to give the Bulldogs the only run they would need to pull off the victory. That was enough for Scott who scattered three hits and struck out six in the title game before garnering MVP honors.
Four Bulldogs were named to the 1998 NCAA All-College World Series team, in Berg, Lindenberg, Angela Cervantez and Scott and head coach Margie Wright, along with assistants Mary Ivy and Margaret Sutter, were named Speedline/NFCA Division I National Coaching Staff of the Year.
There's no better way to celebrate this historic event in Bulldog softball than with the fans of the Valley.