May 23, 1999

FRESNO, Calif. - The Red Raiders softball team fell just one game short of a magical season against defending national champion Fresno State with a 5-0 loss in the regional final at Bulldog Diamond. FSU earned a spot in next week's Womens College World Series. The Bulldogs will play Southern Mississippi on Thursday at 2:30 p.m. in the first round.

"I thought we played extremely well," Fresno State head coach Margie Wright said. "We played as well today as we have all year long. Its a great time for us to be playing good."

Fresno State, ranked No. 1 in the region, took on the Red Raiders after they defeated South Carolina Saturday night, 4-1, following a 3-1 Texas Tech loss to Fresno State earlier that day.

Texas Tech looked poised for vengeance in the first inning as outfielder Sandy Butler led off the game with a single. A sacrifice bunt by Jenny Kohler moved Butler up to second, but she would not get any farther than third base, despite two straight singles by the Red Raiders. With one out and the bases loaded Bulldog pitcher Kristen Hunter got the next two batters to strike out looking and end the Texas Tech threat.

"We've been struggling all year trying to get a hit when runners are in scoring position, " said Renee Luers-Gillispie, Texas Tech head coach. "It's frustrating, it brought us down a little not being able to get the hits to bring those runners in."

After sending the Red Raiders away empty-handed in the first, Fresno State went to work against Texas Tech pitcher Amanda Renfro. Outfielder Becky Witt led off the bottom of the inning with a single, then moved up to second on a sacrifice by Vanessa Czarnecki.

After a strikeout by Amanda Scott, the Bulldogs got on the board when Angela Cervantez singled home Witt, then advanced to second on the throw to the plate. Fresno State pushed its lead up to 2-0 as second baseman Lovieanne Jung followed up Cervantez's single with one of her own, scoring Cervantez.

With a two-run lead, Hunter was in command on the mound. After picking up three hits in the first, the Red Raiders would not get a hit off Hunter until sixth inning, an infield single by Kim Martinez.

Fresno State made sure it had the game in hand in the sixth as it tacked on three more runs. First baseman Jamie Maxey led off the inning with a single, then pinch runner Alejandra Roncancio reached second as Hunters ground ball was bobbled by the shortstop, allowing her to reach first.

Following a foul out by Alicia Downland, Lindsay Fossatti brought Maxey in from second with a single to center. The Bulldogs slammed the door on the Red Raiders as Witt doubled to right field, bringing in Fossatti and Hunter.

Hunter set down Texas Tech one-two-three in the top of the seventh to seal the Bulldogs third-straight trip to the WCWS. Fresno State has appeared in 11 of the past 17 Women's College World Series and the Bulldogs won their first national championship last year with a 1-0 victory over Arizona.

1999 Region IV All-Tournament Team

Lovie Jung, 2B, Fresno State
 Becky Witt, OF, Fresno State
 Kristen Hunter, P, Fresno State - Tournament MVP
 Amanda Scott, P/OF, Fresno State
 Amanda Renfro, P, Texas Tech
 Sandy Butler, OF, Texas Tech
 Paula Workman, SS, Texas Tech
 Kim Martinez, 3B, Texas Tech
 Brande McArthur, P, Pacific
 Joyce McMillian, UT, South Carolina
 Megan Matthews, P, South Carolina