Bulldogs home runs overwhelm Aggies
By Darrell Copeland III
The Collegian
The Fresno State softball team was scheduled to play three games against New Mexico State this past weekend, but due to weather conditions and an early flight for the Aggies, the teams only got in two games.
So the Bulldogs just made up for the offense they lost in Friday’s rained out game by scoring a combined 15 runs in Saturday’s double-header, including a 9-1 whooping that resulted in an eight-run rule victory for the Bulldogs in game two.
Fresno State senior Christina Clark came into the game with only three home runs on the season, but ended the day with five after hitting two in her first three at-bats. The first home run cleared the fence by 20 feet easily and the second went over the 220-foot centerfield fence by about 40 feet.
“I got the pitches that I can hit,” Clark said. “They were pretty fat.”
Three other Bulldogs hit home runs on the day, including outfielder Shannon Garvin, who hit one of the five two-run home runs for the Bulldogs on an offensive Saturday.
"This is what we're capable of," Bulldogs head coach Margie Wright said.
Upon witnessing the massacre of softballs by Clark, New Mexico State decided to do what other teams figured out a long time ago —walk her.
“It’s exciting for us [to watch Clark hit],” Garvin said. “We’re like little girls watching her.”
Clark was walked a total of five times on the day. All five walks came in order after Clark hit each of her home runs. The Aggies even attempted to walk Clark with the bases loaded for the Bulldogs, but a wild pitch brought home the runner from third.
Fresno State will host Hawaii this weekend for a first-place deciding series with the Rainbow Wahine.
Hawaii currently leads the Bulldogs by a half-game.
The Bulldogs will be on a roll entering the series, as they have won their past six home games. Fresno State has played at Hawaii the last two seasons, and the Bulldogs are looking to give Hawaii a rude awakening when it returns back to Bulldog Diamond.
“We know that we have to sweep them,” Clark said.
Saturday’s wins over the Rainbow Wahine gives the Bulldogs some good momentum entering the game.
"It’s just a good way to go into the series with them," Wright said.
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