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Date Posted: 23:44:40 05/18/02 Sat
Author: Jon Ralston
Subject: Re: Lost to Fresno St., season over
In reply to: Jon Ralston 's message, "Lost to Stanford, beat Evansville" on 23:39:35 05/18/02 Sat

Originally Published Saturday, May 18, 2002
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tough one to take

Tigers season ends on 8th-inning rally

By Bob Highfill

Record Staff Writer

FRESNO -- University of the Pacific softball coach Brian Kolze said earlier this week that good wouldn't be good enough to win the NCAA Softball Region 4 Championship.

Somehow, the Tigers' 10th-year coach predicted, luck was going to play a huge role. His words proved prophetic.

The Tigers had Fresno State on the brink of elimination several times Friday afternoon, but good fortune smiled on the Bulldogs, and that proved to be the difference.

Pam West hit a soft liner a few feet behind second base, and Lori Hoffman, who had doubled and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt, crossed home plate without a throw to give Fresno State a 1-0 victory over the Tigers in eight innings at Bulldog Diamond. The Tigers (43-17) were out of the tournament despite having won more than 40 games for the second consecutive season.

"Someone had to lose, but we might have played our best game all weekend," Kolze said. "You had two soldiers on the mound battling, and it came down to a break and who could get the hit with runners in scoring position. It came down to a dink, and that's part of the game."

Pacific, ranked 17th nationally and seeded fifth, had a runner in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings -- twice with one out and once with no outs -- but couldn't convert. Fresno State, stymied by Tigers senior Cindy Ball through seven, opened the eighth with Hoffman's double off the outstretched glove of right fielder Nicole Inouye. Julie Selbicky laid down a sacrifice bunt, then West tapped the next pitch into no-man's land.

"That was a tough play for any outfielder," Inouye said. "That's one of the sickest feelings in the world. She hit the ball well. She hit that ball straight on."

For Fresno State (50-19), freshman Jamie Southern entered the regional with the lowest earned-run average in the nation at 0.41, but was the 2-1 loser to Cal on Thursday. She retired the first nine Tigers she faced but found trouble the next three innings. Freshman shortstop Michelle Anunciation led off the fourth with a single and was standing at third base with two outs when Estee Okumura struck out. Anunciation walked to open the sixth and went to second on Brandy Thurman's second sacrifice bunt of the game. Barbara Moody grounded out to shortstop, Ball walked and Okumura struck out again.

Boni Kading opened the fifth with a single, stole second with a nifty slide around the tag and advaned to third on a passed ball. But there she stood while Ashlie D'Errico grounded out to short, Aloha Yamaguchi popped out to Southern and Inouye watched a called third strike.

"When I was on third, I thought we had it because I got there so smoothly," Kading said. "I thought we had them. Hopefully, we'll channel this into something positive next season."

There is no next season for Ball, who ended her brilliant career with one of her most impressive performances. The two-time Big West pitcher of the year retired 21 of the first 22 she faced. She didn't walk a batter the entire game, nor record a strikeout before the seventh inning. She worked the fringes of the strike zone and trusted the defense behind her.

"It's a lot easier when they're swinging at the first or second pitch," Ball said, who went 28-11 and finished with 91 career victories. "I have a great defense behind me. I didn't have to throw as many pitches. We had a shot at winning."

Pacific accomplished more than most anyone expected with five starters lost from last year's team that won 50 and advanced to the regional championship game. The Tigers were one game shy of earning their first Big West championship with a school-record 21 conference wins, and advanced to their fourth regional in five years with seven freshmen and several players with little experience.

"I couldn't have more admiration for our program than I do right now," Kolze said. "They achieved something great together. It's been fun, so much fun. They're a great group and I'm glad we have so many of them back."

* To reach reporter Bob Highfill, phone 546-8299 or e-mail bhighfil@recordnet.com

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