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Records going down quick
Now that the Terminator is the governor, it seems two Bulldogs softball players have decidedly taken his old job. Pitcher Jamie Southern has terminated more batters by way of strikeout than anyone else in Fresno State history. Shortstop Christina Clark terminates yellow softballs—by hitting them over the fence. Like two sophisticated softball robots sent from the future, they have targeted the Fresno State record book for termination. “ There’s no question they’re two of my best,” Fresno State coach Margie Wright said about Clark and Southern. Southern recently broke Amanda Scott’s Fresno State and Western Athletic Conference career strikeout record. That’s right—THE Amanda Scott. Scott was the ace of the Bulldogs’ national championship team in 1998. She was a four-time all-American, and she led Fresno State in wins in each of her four seasons. Last Tuesday, Southern surpassed Scott’s team record of 851 with an 11-strikeout performance against Virginia that brought Southern’s total to 860. It’s only a week later, and she now has more than 900. After a consistent performance in the Clovis Auto Row Classic and notching 13 strikeouts in a 5-0 win over Long Island in the first half of Tuesday’s doubleheader, Southern pushed her total to 902. To hardcore softball fans this might not be a surprise—especially to those who’ve been watching Southern since her freshmen season when, just like Scott, she made the 10-minute move from Clovis High (not the future) to Fresno State. This might not even sound surprising to casual softball fans (a.k.a. you) who’ve seen so many seemingly carbon-copied front-page photos of Southern’s follow through, they can’t remember when she wasn’t patrolling the circle at Fresno State. It’s easy to be desensitized by Southern’s success. She’s been shoved in our faces more times than violence on television. But this is the shocking part about her termination of the career record—she’s still a junior. Southern broke Scott’s career record a little more than a third into her junior year. She did it in more than 45 fewer appearances and more than 180 fewer innings pitched. Southern’s not just rewriting the WAC and Fresno State record books. After Tuesday’s performance, she crashed the NCAA’s top-25 list of career strikeouts. Most career record breakers get to bask in the glow of media attention given during their chase for the record, and any extra amount of statistics the get over that record is like frosting on the Krispy Kremes. But Southern’s got another year and a half to build on all her accolades. Southern will and so will sophomore shortstop Christina Clark—as long as neither goes pro. Clark, the 2004 WAC preseason player of the year, is on pace to terminate the school’s career home run record. She might be able to do it this year, if not it will come early next. Clark tied the school’s single-season record with 15 home runs as a freshman. She has 10 so far this season after belting one in the second half of last night’s doubleheader with Long Island, an 8-0 TKO in the fifth inning. 15 + 10 = 25. The career record? 36—slugged by Bulldogs legend Nina Lindenberg, another important notch on the key that unlocked Fresno State softball’s national championship in 1998. If Clark were to establish a new school record for home runs in her sophomore season...I can’t even finish this sentence. Theoretically, Clark should destroy the school’s career mark for home runs and set one more untouchable than Kevin Costner—but slightly less untouchable than that guy from “Unsolved Mysteries.” She’s the best hitter the Bulldogs have had in years, maybe even ever. She leads the team in runs, hits, doubles, home runs, runs batted in, walks, stolen bases, total bases and slugging percentage. Wright said she aims to get these types of record chasers on the team each season, but acknowledged what a special time it is for Fresno State softball. “ I think we have the best fans in the nation, and I think they’re fortunate.” They’re fortunate to watch the termination of the record books right before their eyes, and it’s not likely there will be any sequels any time soon. |
