PLAYER OF THE WEEK Fresno State's Tiffany Whipple was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week.
Whipple, a junior second baseman from Fresno, Calif., (Buchannan HS) hit .667 in four games as the Bulldogs extended their winning streak to eight games with doubleheader sweeps of Cal Poly and San Jose State. The center fielder scored the game-winning run in both 1-0 wins over the Spartans. In the four games, she had eight hits and three runs scored in 12 at bats. Against San Jose State, Whipple went 3-3 in game two of the doubleheader. This is Whipple's first player of the week honor of the season after earning the honor once last season.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK Fresno States Jamie Southern was named pitcher of the week. Southern, a freshman from Clovis, Calif., (Clovis HS) earned her sixth pitcher of the week honor by throwing her second perfect game of the season against San Jose State. The freshman is in the midst of a 44.2 scoreless innings streak, fifth-best all-time in Fresno State history. Southern became the second Bulldog pitcher to throw two perfect games in a season, also throwing a perfect game against Tennessee Tech. The last to complete the feat was Melanie Parrent. (1985-88). Southern also threw a no-hitter against UC Riverside on March 12, walking one batter.
In game two against San Jose State, she earned her league-leading third save of the season after striking out two of three batters faced in the seventh to seal the 1-0 Bulldog win. She is tied for the league lead in saves with LMU senior Jennifer Heliotes. With her sixth honor, Southern is two away from former Bulldog Amanda Scott who earned player of the week honors eight times during the 2000 season.
WAC HEADLINERS Other player of the week nominees included: Trisha Gomes, Loyola Marymount and Holly Reynolds, Tulsa.
Gomes hit .529 in six games as the Lions went 3-3 last week with wins over Portland State and Santa Clara. The sophomore catcher had nine hits in 17 at bats with three doubles to lead the Lions offensively.
Reynolds hit .500 for Tulsa, including a 3-3 performance in the second win against Centenary. The freshman outfielder scored three runs and went 3-4 on the basepaths.
Other pitcher of the week nominees included: Jennifer Heliotes, Loyola Marymount and Sheri Oronoz, Hawaii.
Heliotes went 2-1 in three starts for LMU. The senior completed all three games that she started for a 2.58 ERA, allowing eight earned runs in 21.2 innings.
Oronoz moved her overall record to 17-7 this season, throwing back-to-back shutouts for the first time in her career against Louisiana Tech. She allowed only six hits in 14.0 innings, striking out one. The Wahine went 3-1 against the Lady Techsters last week.
IN THE POLLS Fresno State is the only WAC team ranked in the sixth USA Today/NFCA top 25 poll. The Bulldogs are tied No. 12 with Michigan both earning 357 votes the week of April 10. The NFCA/USA Today poll is released on Wednesdays.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN Fresno State takes to the road the next two weeks, starting with the West Coast-Midwest Challenge in Oklahoma City, Okla. In its first season the Challenge will have No. 1 Arizona and No. 12 Fresno State representing the west coast face
No. 9 Oklahoma and Oklahoma State for the midwest. The Bulldogs take on Oklahoma on Tues., April 16. Fresno State will then take on the Cowgirls, Wed., April 17. The games will be played at the Don E. Porter Hall of Fame Stadium, site of the 2002 NCAA Womens College World Series. Fresno State will then return to WAC action with four games against second place Hawaii in Honolulu. Next week, the Bulldogs travel to Louisiana Tech on April 25 and Tulsa on April 27.
AROUND THE HORN (NOTES AROUND THE LEAGUE) FRESNO STATE pitcher Jamie Southern is the eighth Bulldog freshman to collect 10 victories. She became just the fourth freshman pitcher to win 20 or more games. Southern also broke former Bulldog Kristen Hunters record for most strikeouts in a rookie season (216). She currently has 288 strikeouts ... HAWAII is only six wins away from passing last seasons WAC total of 16 wins. In 11 league games this season, the Wahine are 10-2. Last season, Hawaii finished second with a 16-4 record. The Wahine still have 12 conference games to play. ... LOUISIANA TECH earned its third WAC win of the season with an upset win over Hawaii. The Lady Techsters defeated the Wahine, 4-1, behind Sabra Warners one-hit performance ... LOYOLA MARYMOUNT has been led by its offense all season. The Lions lead the league in home runs with 36 and are third in runs scored (174) and batting average .248. The Lions also have two players among the leaders in runs batted in with Sami Strinz knocking in 31 (third) and Danielle Kaminaka driving in 25 (fifth). LMU also has three of the top five home run hitters in the league in Kaminaka, Strinz and Emily Foltz ... portland state returned home to Oregon after a lengthy 10-game road trip with its two losses to LMU last week. The Vikings remain home this week to host non-conference opponent Western Oregon along with league foes Louisiana Tech and Tulsa ... SAN JOSE STATE junior Veronica Ramos is showing up all over the offensive leader board. She leads the WAC in doubles with 13. In WAC games, she is tied for third in hits with 16 and tied for first in triples with two ... TULSA has been tough on the basepaths this season. The Hurricanes 76 stolen bases this season is a school record, by 33 steals. Tulsa had 67 steals in the first four years of the program combined.
BATTER UP The WAC begins its 12th week of the 2002 season. The WAC stays busy this week with at least one game Monday-Saturday.
Fresno State takes on tough competition, playing in the inaugural West Coast-Midwest Challenge in Oklahoma City. The Bulldogs then prepare for one of their toughest series of the season, traveling to second place Hawaii for four games. The Wahine trail the Bulldogs by only one game.
Third place Tulsa, three games back, takes on Loyola Marymount in Los Angeles and Portland State in Portland. San Jose State takes the weekend off from WAC play, facing Saint Marys on April 17 and Cal Poly on April 19.
WEST REGIONAL RANKINGS Four of the seven WAC schools were ranked in the second West Regional poll. The remaining five schools are all located in California. This season is the first time that Tulsa has been ranked regionally. The first and second rankings will rank 10 teams in each region in alphabetical order.
*Cal Poly
*Cal State Fullerton
*Cal State Northridge
Fresno State
Hawaii
*Long Beach State
Louisiana Tech
*Pacific (California)
Tulsa
Bold = WAC schools
* = WAC opponents
SOUTHERN NAMED FINALIST Fresno State freshman Jamie Southern was one of 25 finalists named for the inaugural USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award, the Amateur Softball Association announced. Ten finalist will be named May 3, and three finalists will be announced May 31. The winner will be announced June 7 and will be presented the award in November during the ASA National Council Meeting in Reno, Nevada.
PLAYER COLLEGE
Alana Addison ULL
Sarah Beeson Stanford
Kara Brun Arizona State
Jaime Clark Washington
Christina Enea Oklahoma
Jocelyn Forest California
Amanda Freed UCLA
Jennie Finch Arizona
Keira Goerl UCLA
Peaches James Nebraska
Lovie Jung Arizona
Oli Keohohou Brigham Young
Kelsey Kollen Michigan
Leneah Manum Stanford
Nicole Myers Florida Atlantic
Stacey Nuveman UCLA
Gina Oaks CS Fullerton
C. Osterman Texas
Trena Peel LSU
Britni Sneed LSU
Jamie Southern Fresno State
Jenny Topping CS Fullerton
Natasha Watley UCLA
Phelan Wright Arizona State
IMPROVEMENTS Two WAC teams have already surpassed their win total from the 2001 season. With 36 wins in 46 games, Tulsa has exceeded last years win total of 26 by 10 wins.
Tulsa has improved on the mound and at the plate. The Hurricane continue to have the best team ERA in school history (1.34). Twenty of Tulsas 36 wins have been shutouts. At the plate, Tulsas 21 home runs ties the 1996 squads school record mark for home runs in a season.
San Jose State has also surpassed its 2001 win total with 16 wins, compared to last seasons final record of 13-42. The Spartans have also topped last seasons WAC win total by one with four wins so far this season. Before running into first place Fresno State last week, the Spartans had won three of their last six WAC games.
CLIMBING THE LADDER Viking head coach Teri Mariani now has 593 wins, just three shy of 600 career wins. She is looking to become the third WAC coach with at least 600 wins. Fresno State head coach Margie Wright and Louisiana Tech head coach Bill Galloway both have over 800 Division I career wins. Wright reached the 1,000 win mark earlier this season. Galloway is nearing the 900 plateau in Division I wins.
NON-CONFERENCE MARK WAC teams are 125-97 (.563) in non-conference games. The WAC is 12-46 against teams that have been ranked in the NFCA poll. San Jose State is 1-10 with losses to No. 2 UCLA, No. 9 Washington, No. 23 San Diego State and No. 3 Arizona. The Spartans have upset No. 7 Arizona State, but fell to Oregon State on March 25.
Fresno State is 7-10 with wins over No. 5 California and No. 23 San Diego State and losses to No. 1 UCLA, No. 8 Arizona State and No. 10 Cal State Fullerton. At the NFCA Classic, the Bulldogs went 2-2 against ranked teams with wins over No. 24 Mississippi State and No. 6 Washington. Fresno State fell to No. 2 Stanford and No. 5 LSU. Fresno State also added wins over No. 10 Pacific and No. 18 Louisiana Layfayette. On April, the Bulldogs fell to No. 3 Stanford in a doubleheader.
Hawaii is 3-5 with two wins over No. 23 San Diego State and a win over No. 14 Oregon State. Portland State is 0-7 against ranked teams. Loyola Marymount (1-7) captured its first win over a ranked team with a win over No. 10 Fresno State. Tulsa is 0-3 against ranked teams. The Hurricane played their first ranked team with a 14-6 loss to No. 9 Oklahoma. The Lady Techsters are also 0-2 with two losses to Fresno State. (Ranking on date played).
HAWAI`I PICKED TO WIN WAC TITLE The Western Athletic Conference softball coaches selected Hawaii to win the 2002 WAC regular season crown. This is the first time in seven years that a team other than Fresno State was voted to take the top spot in the WAC. The coaches also voted on 2001 preseason award winners today. Hawaii shortstop Kate Judd was voted preseason Player of the Year, while Fresno States Jamie Southern earned preseason Pitcher of the Year honors.
Hawaii earned 34 points, edging Fresno State by one point. Both the Wahine and the Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season. Hawaii advanced for the fifth time, while the Bulldogs are the only team to have advanced to all 20 NCAA Tournaments.
Loyola Marymount was picked third with 25 points after a 37-22 season. The WACs other affiliate member Portland State earned the fourth spot with 19 points. With 14 points, Tulsa took fifth, while San Jose State and newcomer Louisiana Tech tied for sixth with 11 points.
The preseason all-WAC team included five Fresno State players: junior catcher Pam West, senior third baseman Lindsay Fossatti, senior outfielder Tiffany Whipple, red-shirt freshman pitcher Jamie Southern and senior utility player Vanessa Czarnecki.
Hawaii placed four players on the preseason all-WAC team, including 2001 WAC Player of the Year Kate Judd. The sophomore shortstop earned preseason Player of the Year honors after driving in 31 runs and scoring 32 runs last season. Judd was joined by sophomore first baseman Stacey Porter and senior outfielder Stacie Hirano. Natalie Gonzales tied with Portland State Megumi Hackett for second base honors. Loyola Marymount outfielder Christy Cerecedes rounded out the team.