1997_03 The Daily Collegian March 1997

              THE DAILY
COLLEGIAN
Wednesday, March 19,1997
Sports
Sports Editor: Luis Hernandez
Telephone: (209) 278-5733
CORNER
USA TODAY
Softball Rankings
1. Arizona
2. Fresno State
3. UCLA
4. South Carolina
5. Washington
6. Michigan
7. Iowa
8. Cal Poly SLO
9. Minnesota
10 Long Beach State
11. Oklahoma State
12. Arizona State
13. Oklahoma
14. South Florida
15. Missouri
16. Michigan State
17. California
18. Florida State
19. Pacific
20. Louisiana Tech
21. CS Northridge
22. Baylor
23. Southwestern Louisiana
24. Northeast Louisiana
25. San Diego State
Rolex Top 25 men's
golf teams
1. Oklahoma State
2. UNLV
3. TCU
4. Arizona
5. Clemson
6\ Southern California
7.\Texas
8. North Carolina
9. Florida
10. East Tennessee St.
11. Wake Forest
12. Arizona State
13. New'Mexico
14. Ohio State
15. Virginia
16. Georgia Tech
17. Mississippi St.
18. Virginia Commonwealt
19. Auburn
20. BYU
21. Minnesota
22. Pepperdine
23. San Jose State
24. SMU
25. Arkansas
Softball
Fresno State
Oklahoma
Fresno State
Oklahoma
Baseball
Fresno State
Washington
Sooners surprise Bulldogs with series split
By Tom Sepulveda
The Daily Collegian
The Oklahoma softball team
, came into Bulldog Diamond and
did what no other team has done
this season — they won the first
game of a doubleheader.
Left-hander Jill Most dazzled
the Bulldogs, giving up six hits
and two runs as Oklahoma won
6-2. But Most was rocked in the
first inning of the second game
as a determined Fresno State
line-up pounded out three hits
and three runs en route to a 6-2 vic¬
tory and a series split against the
13th-ranked Sooners.
"We kind of got beat up on that
first game and it was real good to
see our team come back in the sec¬
ond game and re-focus and play like
we were capable of playing," Head
Coach Margie Wright said. "I give
a lot of credit to their team, in that
first game they come out and kept
stroking the ball. We needed to do
the same thing and we didn't. It was
a good lesson for us in the future."
Most only gave up two hits in
five innings, not allowing a runner
past second base. She finished the
game with no walks and six
strikeouts.
"I knew they were a good hit¬
ting team so I concentrated on the
tough hitters. The key was hitting
my spots and mixing up pitches."
Most said. "I didn't expect to be that
dominant that long."
The Sooners took a 1 -0 lead on
Casey Dickson's solo home run in
the third inning off starter Lindsey
Parker. Parker pitched out of jams
all evening long, but finally got
Ryan Weber — The Daily Collegian
Fresno State centerfielder Candice Bowlin beats out the throw to get an infiend hit in yesterday's
game against Oklahoma.
tagged for four runs in the sixth
inning when she allowed four
consecutive batters to reach
base.
"I didn't throw good pitches
when I needed to. I felt ready for
the game and then I didn't throw
as well as I thought I should
have," Parker said.
Kim Peck pitched the final
two innings, allowing two inher¬
ited runners to score and giving
(up a run in the seventh inning.
The Bulldogs were tied up by
Most, unable to generate any¬
thing beyond Laura Berg's third
inning infield hit and Nina
Lindenberg's fourth inning
bloop single.
But things fell apart some¬
what for Most in the sixth in¬
nings, giving up three hits and
two runs. She was pounded
again in the first inning of the
second game as she only got one
out before being lifted for re¬
liever Jennifer Jaime.
"We should have been all
over her tonight. If we didn't
swing at bad pitches she would
have had to come inside with
something we could hit," Bull¬
dogs third baseman Trina
Puckett said. "Our team took it
upon ourselves to get up on her
and not let the same thing hap¬
pen in the second game."
Amanda Scott drove in two
runs on a one-out double in the
Bulldogs half of the first inning.
Please see SPLIT page 7.
Softball team bounces back after tough loss
Commentary
By Kael Moffat
The Daily Collegian
It's been said that one way to
find out how well a team is re¬
spected is to talk to other teams that
have beaten the team in question.
If that's the case, then the Fresno
State softball team is still a highly
respected team in spite of losing
their third game of the season, a 6-
2 loss to the 13th ranked Univer¬
sity of Oklahoma Sooners.
"We knew they're a good hitting
team," said winning pitcher, Jill
Most. "This victory is a big deal for
us, especially going into the PONY
Tournament." ^
Sooner pitching coach Melyssa
Panzer shared Most's assessment of
the Bulldogs. "We were concerned
about [Fresno State). Everybody
can hit. We were especially con¬
cerned with Laura [Berg] and Nina
(Lindenberg)."
One of the keys to the Sooner
victory was Most's pitching effort.
Most threw a complete game, al¬
lowing two runs on six hits, with
six strike outs and no walks.
"I concentrated on the tough hit¬
ters, and on hitting my spots," Most
said. "I tried mixing my pitches,
coming inside then outside, high
then low."
Most held Fresno State scoreless
for five innings before giving up
two runs on three straight singles
by Robyn Yorke, Nina Lindenberg
and Amanda Scott in the bottom of
the sixth inning.
When asked if she expected to
pitch so dominantly, Most replied,
"No, not for that long."
A key to Most's performance
was getting ahead in the count on
many hitters. "(Most) gets ahead
and then she can hit her pitches, not
throw hitter's pitches," Panzer said.
The Bulldogs, however, saw
Most's performance in a different
light. "I think it was more us. Our
Please see LOSS page 7.
Men's track team improves record to 9-1
By Ranjeet Randhawa
The Daily Collegian
The ideal situation developed
last weekend for the Fresno State
track team. The coach spoke and
team listened.
'Team spirit is the magnet that
draws people." Bulldogs track
Coach Bob Fraley told his squad.
The athletes absorbed these
words. The Fresno State track
teams clinched the four way meet
against Cal State Northridge, San
Diego State and Cal Baptist.
Fresno State's seven first place
finishes in the men proved to be the
difference.
Freshman Matt Castiglione
ruled the jump events with his wins
in the triple and the long jump.
Other first place finishers on Sat¬
urday for the men included junior
Juan Pinnales in the 1500 meter
with a 3:56.65 sec mark; senior
Charlton Jordan who ran the 100
meter in 10.74 sec; junior Greg
Tademy who ran the 800 meters
1:58.00 sec; junior John
Cartwright's javelin 162'-2" throw
and senior Christian Dossey in the
hammer throw of 175 feet.
Another outstanding performer
for the men's track team was jun¬
ior Chris Jones, who ran 47.55 sec
for the 400 meter, which is the fast¬
est time in the squad since 1993.
"I wanted to get a degree in nurs¬
ing which is not offered at Fresno
State, but the team spirit is too
strong here and the magnet drew me
back," Jones said.
Fresno State women's team im¬
proved to 4-1 on the season. The
squad had seven individual first
place finishes, and several all time
top 10 performances. The men are
now 9-1 in dual competition this
season.
For the women, senior thrower
Becky Elwood along with the rest
of the throwing team had a great
outing in Northridge.
Elwood provisionally qualified
for the NCAA Championships af¬
ter recording a throw of 170 feet.
Senior Erika Spence also brought
home first place honors in the jav¬
elin with 130'-4" effort. Sophomore
Melissa Price won the pole vault
and junior Jayme Ullrich took the
first place in the high jump with a
clearance of 5'-3 3/4'.
In the 400 meter hurdles junior
Ardin Harrison, who is the school
record holder in the event, won the
event with 1:00.47 sec mark.
Fresno State will travel to Long
beach on Saturday to compete in the
third outdoor meet of the season.