The fresh cut grass and the smell of pollen in the air could mean one of two things: a trip to the store for new allergy medication or that Bulldog softball is back.
The ‘Dogs are ready for a final run at a Western Athletic Conference title before moving to the Mountain West Conference next season. The team was picked to finish first in the WAC Preseason Poll.
The Bulldogs open up the season Thursday against Toledo in the first game of the Fresno State Kick-Off. Fresno State will also host North Dakota State, UC Riverside, Sacramento State and Long Beach State in the four-day tournament.
The team will play 10 games in 11 days, including three double-headers. Head coach Margie Wright is optimistic of the 10-game stretch because of the experience her players will gain from it.
“We have nine new players so I think it will be good not only for our players to get used to playing in front of our home crowd, but for our fans to get to know them,” Wright said.
The team will then take to the road for two softball classics in Cathedral City and San Diego. Fresno State will play five teams in the Cathedral City Classic on Feb. 23-25, and five more at the San Diego State Classic on March 2-4.
The ‘Dogs will then return home to host eight teams for the Bayer Cropscience Classic on March 9 through the 13th. The final classic of the season for the ‘Dogs will be at Cal State Fullerton for the Judi Garman Classic. The ‘Dogs will hold a double-header with Cal Poly March 19 before finishing their season with conference play.
The team also has three players named to the 2012 Preseason All-WAC team. Senior pitcher and first baseman Michelle Moses, senior outfielder Andrea Ortega and sophomore infielder Brooke Ortiz all received the honor. All three made the All-WAC team last season.
This season the Dogs will look to continue their award-winning ways through the veteran leadership of Moses, Ortega and Ortiz as 40 percent of this year’s team is made up of freshmen.
That is not to say that the team is in disarray. Wright said this year’s freshmen class is mature on the field and ready to play.
“They came in and after a week of practice and it was like they were veterans,” said the 27th-year head coach. “Some games our whole infield will be freshmen and sophomores. Some games we’ll have four freshmen infielders and a freshman pitcher.”
The ‘Dogs will open the 2012 season against the Rockets at 7 p.m. at Bulldog Diamond.
