March 16, 2004

Box Score

FRESNO, Calif. - The 15th-ranked Fresno State softball team collected its 14th shutout victory of the season but what junior All-America pitcher Jamie Southern accomplished was much bigger in the 5-0 win over Long Island.

With 13 strikeouts, Southern not only eclipsed the 900 career strikeout plateau but she also cracked the NCAA Division I career strikeout list and is ranked No. 30 with 902.

Southern, who broke the school's and the Western Athletic Conference all-time strikeout mark last week when she surpassed four-time All-American Amanda Scott, entered the evening with 889. Southern now has her eyes set on becoming the 19th NCAA Division I hurler to total 1,000 career strikeouts.

The three-time WAC Pitcher of the Week, who also is coming off her 70th career victory over Campbell and 50th career shutout win against Long Beach State, pitched her second two-hitter of the season as she walked no Blackbirds to improve to 14-3 overall with 12 shutouts.

Offensively, the Bulldogs scored five runs on 10 hits while committing an error while Long Island picked up two hits and had an error.

Southern helped her cause as she went 2-3 with two RBI and a walk. Sophomore third baseman Veronica Green also went 2-3 with a run and two doubles. Senior center fielder Mitzi Ing and freshman Nichole Willis also knocked in a runner for the Bulldogs.

Fresno State scored a run in the third, two in the fourth and tacked on a run in the fifth and sixth inning to go to 21-8 overall.

In the third, Southern hit a two-out RBI single up the middle to score Green, who led the inning off by reaching first on a Blackbird fielding error.

In the fourth with two outs, junior second baseman Leticia Pacheco tripled to left field. Ing then singled through the left side to score Pacheco. Green then doubled to right center to score Ing.

In the fifth, junior left fielder Porsha Finley led the inning off with a double to left center. Senior designated player Lori Hoffman followed with a single up the middle before Willis connected on a RBI single to center to score Finley.

In the sixth, Green collected her second double of the game with a shot down the left field line. Sophomore Daisy Gaynor, who came in to pinch run for Green, would score later on a two-out RBI single by Southern.