'Dogs sweep through WAC opener

The Bulldogs open Western Athletic Conference play with a doubleheader sweep of Nevada

By Nathan Hathaway

Laura Ferreira is beginning to emerge as the No. 2 starter Fresno State will need if it hopes to make a run at a College World Series berth.

All-American Jamie Southern has established her dominance as the game one pitcher, but the No. 2 spot has been a question.

Ferreira has proven herself to be worthy of the job.

Ferreira pitched a complete-game 4-0 shutout in the second game of Saturday’s Western Athletic Conference opening doubleheader against Nevada (23-15, 0-2 WAC) to bring her record to 7-4 on the season. Of the 91 pitches she threw in the game, 71 were for strikes.

Fresno State also won the first game 4-2.

After opening the season 0-2, Ferreira went on to get five straight wins. Her only losses after those first two came against No. 1 Arizona and No. 11 Stanford.

“ At the beginning of the season,a I was confident,” Ferreira said. “Now I just know if I get myself in a jam, I can get out of it.”

But the Bulldogs did a good job of keeping Ferreira out of jams Saturday.

The only time Ferreira got in trouble was in the sixth inning, when Nevada’s Jiliane Hartfiel, after hitting a single to lead off the inning, got to third base on a Stacy Mueller single. On the next play Stephanie Grant hit the ball to second baseman Leticia Pacheco, who threw home to nail Hartfiel at the plate.

Two groundouts later, the inning was over and Ferreira had gotten out of the jam.

“ I don’t feel the pressure of having to strike everybody out,” Ferreira said. “I’ve got a great defense behind me.”

The Bulldogs also made life a bit easier on Ferreira by establishing an early lead.

Fresno State (29-12, 2-0 WAC) put up two early runs on RBI singles by Lori Hoffman and Nichole Willis.

“ You’re always happy for that,” Fresno State coach Margie Wright said. “It allows everyone to relax and not tense up.”

The Bulldogs scored again in the third and fifth innings.

In the second game, Willis went 2 for 4 with an RBI and a run, and Rachael Donaldson was 2 for 3 with an RBI.

In the first game, Southern had a shutout through the first six innings, but a pair of hits and an error with two outs allowed Nevada to score two runs in the top of the seventh.

The second inning, in which the Bulldogs scored their first run, held two of the more exciting plays in softball.

With Pacheco on third and two out, the Bulldogs’ second baseman stole home. On the next play, Hoffman was caught in a rundown between first and second while trying to steal from first. She was eventually tagged out at second.

The win boosted Southern’s record to 19-5. Hoffman went 2 for 3 with a pair of RBIs.

Fresno State continues its conference season Thursday at Louisiana Tech.

“ I don’t think you could ask for two better games,” Wright said. “We executed well.”