|
Related Material
|
Final.PDF
|
FRESNO STATE FALLS IN NCAA REGIONAL The 16th-ranked Fresno State softball team fell in the loser's bracket in NCAA Region VII play at Stanford, Calif. The Bulldogs came up short after dropping a 6-1 decision to Pacific at the Boyd & Jill Smith Family Stadium.
Fresno State (48-20) scored a run on five hits and had one error, while Pacific tallied six runs on 10 hits and committed three errors. Junior All-American pitcher Jamie Southern took the loss for the Bulldogs. She allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits, walked two and struck out two in 3.2 innings of work to finish the year at 30-7. Senior left-hander Lori Hoffman pitched the final 3.1 innings and allowed two runs on three hits and struck out four to wrap up her Bulldog career.
FRESNO STATE AT REGIONALS Fresno State advanced to its 23rd consecutive NCAA Championships. The Bulldogs are 46-24 (.657) in regional play and 63-34 (.649) overall in NCAA Tournament play under 19th-year head coach Margie Wright. Fresno State last appeared in the WCWS in 1999.
In 2003, the Bulldogs also hosted a regional that also featured UCLA, the eventual National Champions. Fresno State lost its first game of the regional to the eventual champions, 3-0. The Bulldogs rebounded behind the arm of Jamie Southern to defeat the other Bulldogs from Georgia, 1-0 in eight innings. Fresno State lost to Michigan State, 2-0, to end the 2003 season.
The last three seasons, the Bulldogs have played the eventual national champions in the first game of regionals, facing California in 2002 and UCLA in 2003 and 2004.
TULSA'S PINKERTON RESIGNS AS SOFTBALL COACH The University of Tulsa softball head coach James Pinkerton has resigned his position at the University to accept a similar position at the University of Arkansas.
Pinkerton was the Golden Hurricane's winningest coach with a four-year record of 140-105. In the previous eight years of the program, prior to Pinkerton's arrival, Tulsa had amassed 128 wins. He is the only coach to record winning seasons, posting three consecutive 30 or more win-seasons.
In 2002, the Hurricane's 48-16 record was the largest turnaround in NCAA Division I. With a difference of 30.5 from the previous season, Tulsa had also produced the second largest turnaround in NCAA history.
The Golden Hurricane finished second in the Western Athletic Conference in 2004 with a 45-18 record. Pinkerton was named the WAC's Coach of the Year for the second time in his career, also winning the award in 2002. Six players from TU's squad were also honored with all-WAC accommodations, including three first-team members and three second-team members.
ALL-AMERICANS The 2004 Louisville Slugger/NFCA softball All-America teams were announced at the Womens College World Series in Oklahoma City, Okla. and Fresno State had two Bulldogs earn first-team All-Americans in sophomore shortstop Christina Clark and junior pitcher/utility Jamie Southern.
A second-team All-American as a freshman, Clark becomes the first Bulldog to be a multi All-American at shortstop. The 2004 WAC Player of the Year is the fifth sophomore to garner first-team All-America accolades, joining Laura Berg, Nina Lindenberg, Amanda Scott and Robyn Yorke.
A second-team All-American at utility last year, Southern is a first-team All-American at utility this season after playing three positions effectively, pitcher, designated player and outfield. She is the eighth Bulldog to be a three-time All-American.
Recording her 90th career victory against No. 12 Auburn in NCAA Regional play, Southern became the 23rd NCAA Division I player to amass 1,000 or more career strikeouts. In the 50th game of the season she struck out 10 UTEP Miners at home on April 15 for her eighth 10-strikeout game of the year. Southern is the first Bulldog and WAC pitcher to reach the 1,000-career mark after being the first hurler to reach 900.
In 2004, Southern went 30-7 in the circle with 20 shutouts, three saves and 299 strikeouts for a 0.54 ERA in 259.0 innings as opponents hit .144 against. Posting a career year at the plate, she batted .335 (70-209) with 29 runs, 14 doubles, nine home runs and 34 RBI.
SOUTHERN EARNS ACADEMIC HONORS The 2004 CoSIDA Academic All-America Softball University Division Team was announced and three-time All-American and junior pitcher/utility Jamie Southern (Clovis, Calif.) can add another All-America title to her resume.
Southern was named Third Team Academic All-American by the College of Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). This marks the 16th time that a Bulldog softball player has been singled out, 14 times under head coach Margie Wright, and 34th overall for the university since 1985.
As the eighth Bulldog to become a three-time All-American on the softball field last week, she is majoring in liberal studies and boasts a 3.46 cumulative GPA.
Remarkably, Southern is the fifth softball player to garner All-America honors both on and off the field in the same year (nine times overall) and the 14th Fresno State student-athlete overall to accomplish that very same extraordinary feat.
FIVE NAMED TO ALL-REGION TEAM Five WAC softball players earned all-region honors. Fresno State shortstop Christina Clark, junior All-America pitcher/utility Jamie Southern and senior designated player Lori Hoffman were named to the 2004 all-West Region. Both Clark and Southern garnered first team all-region honors while Hoffman was selected second team. Tulsa sophomores Katie Torres and Kelly Miller were named to the Midwest all-Region teams. Torres was named to the first team at first base, while Miller earned a spot on the second team at catcher.
Clark, who was a first-team all-West Region as a freshman, has put together a record year. Hitting a new school and WAC single-season home run mark (22) while becoming Fresno State' all-time career home run leader (37), she picked up her 100th career RBI while posting her 20th multiple hit game last time out.
Virtually leading the team in every offensive category, Clark has also set single-game records in home runs (3), total bases (12) and home runs in league play (10) while being nationally ranked in home runs per game, slugging percentage, runs per game and batting average during the year.
Southern, who was named to her third- straight all-West Region first team, led the nation in ERA. Hoffman, who garnered all-region honors for the first time, was the third Bulldog to be an all-region pick as she joins Gina LoPiccolo and Michelle Bolt. She was named first-team all-WAC in 2003.
Torres hit more home runs in 2004 than anyone else in school history with 15. She also hit more home runs than anyone else for a career with 22. Torres was also a second team selection in 2003.
Miller recorded the third best batting average in the WAC during conference play at .394, to go along with the fifth most hits at 26. The catcher was also the all-time school leader in fielding percentage for TU catchers with a career percentage of .992.
TULSA COMPLETES ITS TRIPLE CROWN Tulsa led the league in hitting, ERA and fielding percentage. The Golden Hurricane is the first to lead in all three categories since Fresno State in 1999. Tulsa ended the season hitting .281 with a 1.35 ERA and a .974 fielding percentage.
CAREER RECORDS Tulsa pitcher Maren Genow is now second in the WAC in career saves with eight. She had six this season and is now just two behind the WACs career leader in saves Amanda Scott of Fresno State who had 10.
Fresno States Jamie Southern is first in the WAC in career strikeouts with 1,024. She is also currently first in ERA with a 0.52 career ERA and first in strikeouts per seven innings (8.31). Southerns 90 wins places her second behind Fresno States Amanda Scott who ended her career with 106 wins. Southerns 875.2 innings pitched places her second in the career standings behind Utahs Ali Andrus-Sagas who pitched 891.2 innings from 1994-1997.
Christina Clark currently has 38 career home runs which places her tied for second in just two seasons. She is tied with Hawaii slugger Stacey Porter.
FRESNO STATE CLINCHES WAC TITLE Despite losing a doubleheader to Tulsa, Fresno State clinched its seventh WAC title. The Bulldogs, 19-3, last won a WAC regular season title in 2002. Last season, Hawaii captured its first title. With the regular season crown, Fresno State earns the WAC's automatic bid. Fresno State has advanced to 23-straight NCAA Regionals. The regular-season title is the program's 18th overall as head coach Margie Wright collects her 14th overall at Fresno State.
SINGLE-GAME HIGHS The 14-inning marathon between Nevada and Hawaii on April 24 was the longest game of the season. Fresno States Jamie Southern holds the single-game high for strikeouts in a game, striking out 15 twice this season against Texas A&M on Feb. 15 and Campbell on Mar. 8. Offensively, Louisiana Techs Alison White leads the WAC with her seven RBI in a win over Jackson State on Feb. 7. Fresno States Christina Clark leads the league in total bases in a game with 12 against Hawaii on April 10. Clark also set the WAC record with three home runs in a game against the Rainbow Wahine on April 10.
BETTER THAN EVER Four WAC teams past last seasons league game winning percentage. Last season, WAC Champion Fresno State ended the WAC season, 14-4 (.778). This year, the Bulldogs were 20-4 (.833). With the addition of UTEP, there are four more WAC games for a total of 24. Tulsa was 8-12 (.400) in league games last year, and were 16-5 (.762) in 2004. First-year program Nevada was 5-15 (.250) last season, and was 13-11 (.542) during its sophomore campaign. Finally, Louisiana Tech was 10-11 (.476) in league play after going 6-14 (.276) in WAC games in 2003.
Overall, Tulsa has had a big improvement. Last season, the Golden Hurricane was 34-29 (.540). This seasons club is 45-18 with three wins over ranked teams. Nevada was 10 games over .500 this season (38-28). Last season, the Wolf Pack was 22-35.
SOUTHERN REACHES 1,000 STRIKEOUTS Fresno States Jamie Southern became the 22nd NCAA Division I player to have 1,000 or more career strikeouts. She accomplished the feat in the Bulldogs 3-0 victory over UTEP on April 15. In the first game of the doubleheader, Southern struck out 10 to move her career total to 1,005. She ended the season with 1,039 strikeouts which places her No. 22 all-time in NCAA Division I history. In a 15-day span in the month of April, five current Division I hurlers have reached the 1,000 career strikeout plateau. Southern was the only junior. She and four other senior right-handed pitchers have eclipsed the 1,000 mark.
CLARK DESTROYS WAC RECORDS Christina Clark was the first Bulldog and WAC player to hit 23 home runs in a season. She also broke WACs single-season record for most home runs in conference play with 10, breaking Hawaiis Stacey Porter, who hit nine in 2003. After hitting her second grand slam of the year and third of her career against UTEP on May 1, Clark was the second Bulldog to hit two grand slams in a season as four-time All-American and 2000 USA Olympic softball alternate Amanda Scott belted two on the road in 1998 against Oklahoma and New Mexico. Hitting three long balls in the Bulldogs' game one 5-2 win against Hawaii on April 10, she also set a new Fresno State and league record for most home runs (3) in a contest. The old WAC mark was two by several different players, most recently in 2003 (Nevada's Lindsey Hall and Fresno State's Lori Hoffman).
AGAINST THE BEST The WAC was 13-34 against non-conference ranked teams in 2004. Hawaii was 2-6 against ranked teams. Hawaii had two wins with wins against Oregon State and DePaul. The Rainbow Wahine also had a losses to Tennessee, No. 4 California and most recently two road games to the Cardinal. Fresno State was 9-8 against ranked teams with its most recent wins coming against No. 23 Auburn and a loss to No. 24 Southern Illinois in the NCAA Regionals. The Bulldogs also beat No. 7 Oklahoma and No. 13 Pacific. The Bulldogs have wins against South Carolina, Arizona State and Texas to name a few. Fresno State has losses against No. 2 UCLA, No. 1 Arizona, No. 4 Florida State and No. 12 Stanford.
Louisiana Tech was 0-7 with its last loss coming to No. 7 Louisiana-Lafayette. The Lady Techsters also had losses to then-No. 12 Louisiana-Lafayette and another instate rival No. 13 LSU. The Lady Techsters also lost twice to Tennessee. Nevada lost to both No. 3 Arizona and No. 23 Arizona State. The Wolf Pack had also lost a pair of games to Louisiana-Lafayette. San Jose State had played the toughest schedule this season. The Spartans were 1-7 with six losses to teams in the top 10, including Stanford, Alabama and California. San Jose States win came against Long Beach State. Tulsa also has a loss to Alabama and a win against Oklahoma.
UTEP had lost to UCLA, Georgia Tech and No. 13 Tennessee. The Golden Hurricane was 1-2 with a win and a loss to Oklahoma and a loss to Alabama.
ON THE BASEPATHS Fresno State All-American Jamie Southern is just the fourth NCAA Division I pitcher to be a multiple ERA statistical champion. She also is the second Bulldog after Amanda Scott.The other two are: Tracy Compton (1983,1985) and Lisa Fernandez (1992, 1993)
Southern became the 23rd NCAA Division I player to amass 1,000 or more career strikeouts on April 15 when she struck out 10 in the Bulldogs' 3-0 victory over UTEP. In the first game of the doubleheader, Southern struck out 10 to move her then career total to 1,005.
Hawaii closed out the 2004 campaign spliting a WAC doubleheader with San Jose State. The Spartans took the opener, 5-1, before the Rainbow Wahine took the nightcap, 3-1. Hawaii finishes its season at 28-33 overall and 10-14 in the WAC. After losing power hitters Kate Judd and Stacey Porter, the Rainbow Wahine struggled at times this season. Last season, the Rainbow Wahine were WAC Champions and finished with a 40-20 record, advancing to regionals. This season, Hawaii ended the season 28-33. Porter, who is playing for the Australian Olympic team, should return to the Rainbow Wahine for her senior season next year.
Louisiana Tech had four players earn all-WAC honors, Mary Cohn, Amber Miles, Bridget Broadnax and Brittany Stanley. That is the most Lady Techsters to win all-WAC honors since they joined the league for the 2002 season. The four Louisiana Tech players helped lead the Lady Techsters to a 27-33 record this season, including a 10-11 mark in league play. The 27 wins were an 11 game improvement over last season and the fourth-place finish was the highest since becoming a member of the WAC.
Nevada sophomore Candice Rainwater became the third Wolf Pack player to earn all-WAC honors. She also led the team with a .330 batting average, added four home runs for second-best on the team, knocked in 25 runs for third (tie) on the squad and had the second-highest slugging percentage with a .495 listing. Nevada finished the season 38-28 and 13-11 in the WAC for third-place in just their second year back as a varsity sport. The 38 wins is a school record and the squad set 10 other marks during the season.
San Jose State sophomore shortstop Carlie Hill was named to the all-WAC second team, the only Spartan representative. Hill led the Spartans in hitting in WAC games only with a .321 batting average. In 24 WAC games, she had 17 hits, nine runs scored and eight RBI. Overall, Hill hit .276 with 32 hits, 17 runs scored and 11 RBI. She had a .388 slugging percentage and a .323 on-base percentage.
UTEP concluded its first ever season with a 8-46 record, 1-21 in league play. The Miners ended the season last in the league in hitting (.213) and last in the league in ERA (4.66). UTEP won its lone WAC game against Nevada on April 29 at home. The win over the Wolf Pack was the Miners last win.
Tulsa sophomore Maren Genow broke the school record for wins in a season with 22. She remained undefeated in WAC play with a 10-0 record to go along with three saves. Genow also ended the season with six saves. She now has eight career saves which ties puts her in second in the WAC in career saves. She needs only four more saves to break the WAC career record held by Fresno States Amanda Scott. The Golden Hurricane ended the season with 45 wins. It is the second time in three years that Tulsa has ended the season with at least 45 wins. In 2002, Tulsa had 48 wins to set the school record.
FRESNO STATE PICKED TO WIN TITLE The WAC softball coaches selected Fresno State to win the 2004 WAC regular season crown. Fresno State has been picked to take the preseason crown eight out of the last nine years. In 2002, Hawaii was chosen to win the title. The coaches also voted on 2004 preseason award winners. Fresno State swept both categories when shortstop Christina Clark was voted preseason Player of the Year and Jamie Southern earned preseason Pitcher of the Year honors. Southern is the first WAC player to earn Pitcher of the Year honors three-straight years. Fresno State edged out Hawaii with 34 points to Hawaiis 33. Tulsa finished in third with 26 points. Second-year WAC team Nevada finished fourth with 18 points after a strong freshman campaign. Louisiana Tech and San Jose State tied for fifth with 15 points. UTEP, playing its first season of softball, was picked to finish seventh with six points.
WAC ADDS NEW MEXICO STATE AND UTAH STATE On Oct. 23, 2003, the WAC issued invitations to New Mexico State and Utah State effective July 1, 2005, the same date that Rice, SMU and Tulsa are moving to Conference USA. In softball, Utah State is 10-41 this season. New Mexico State is 14-49. The Aggies have four wins over UTEP and a loss to San Jose State.