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SEASON PREVIEW SEASON PREVIEW FRESNO STATE BULLDOGS SET SIGHTS ON FIRST WCWS APPEARANCE SINCE 1999 2011-12 SEASON PREVIEW The Fresno State softball program looks to add onto the storied tradition of the program and seeks to get past the NCAA Regionals this 2012 season, which is the 27th under legendary head coach Margie Wright. Fresno State owns the NCAA record for consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with 30 and is third all-time in tournament victories (89) and World Series appearances (12). All of those numbers speak for themselves, but the 2012 Bulldogs are thirsty to get past regionals. After losing in the regional championship game in five of the last seven years, Wright feels that her group of returning players have the motivation necessary to start what could be another long run of WCWS appearances. Remember, the Bulldogs made 10 WCWS appearances in a 13-year span from 1987-99 under Wright, so she knows what it takes to achieve that kind of success. "I think it's always the College World Series," Wright said when asked about the goals for this team. "Until you get past that hump, there is no one returning that knows what that feels like. My hope with this group is that they can get past that championship game in regionals and get into a super-regional, which will carry over year after year." Leading the group of 11 returning letterwinners are senior right- handed pitcher/infielder Michelle Moses, senior outfielder Andrea Ortega, sophomore infielder Brooke Ortiz and senior right-handed pitcher Mackenzie Oakes. Moses, Ortega and Ortiz received All- WAC accolades a year ago while Oakes led the team with 18 victories in the circle. With eight seniors on the roster, the experience of this group will mesh well with the nine newcomers on the team. SOFTBALL PITCHING "Our returners, probably more so than in the last few years, really bring a lot of experience back into our program," Wright said. "They've been through three regional championships and came within one or two runs of being able to go to the super-regionals, so that in itself and their desire to want to go one step further - when you have eight of them - that's a pretty big majority." The consensus around Bulldog Diamond is that with the talent coming in combined with the returning veterans, the pieces of the puzzle are in place for this team to achieve their goals. "We have quite a few new girls, but they've all come out here and done really great things and have worked really hard," said Moses, who was a Easton Sports Inc. third-team All-American last year. "We want to go out with a bang and take the whole thing this year." Fresno State's schedule is a favorable one, as the Bulldogs play 35 home games this season, including 10-straight to open the year. "There is a 180 (degree) difference playing at home than anywhere else," Ortiz said. "Our fans our amazing. Just coming out here even before the games, we are so pumped because there are always so many people here to support us." This will also be the Bulldogs' final year in the Western Athletic Conference, as Fresno State moves into the Mountain West Conference next season. Wright has led the 'Dogs to 10 WAC championships since Fresno State joined the league in 1993 and they hope to go out with one more. Michelle Moses and Mackenzie Oakes will be the anchors of the pitching staff, as the two seniors have combined to pitch in 148 games with 106 starts and have accumulated 65 victories in the circle over their careers. Both have thrown no-hitters and they give the Bulldogs an intimidating 1-2 punch. "I think our pitching staff could be very strong," Wright said. A pair of freshmen, right-hander Destinee Levesque and left- hander Kiley Shae Aldridge, add to the overall depth and strength of the staff, giving Wright more options in the circle. Levesque throws the hardest of the four while Aldridge brings another dimension being able to switch it up on teams and throw a left- hander out at them. INFIELD The right-side of the Bulldog infield is pretty set in stone, but the left-side will be brand new with the graduation of shortstop Haley Gilleland and third baseman Nicole Angene. Brooke Ortiz will anchor down second base and at first base Moses will see time there when she is not in the circle. Stesha Brazil, a transfer who started 56 games at first base for the Houston Cougars as a freshman in 2011, will split time with Moses along with freshman Kelly Megee. Brazil can also play the other corner and fill in at third base when needed. Mario Sio, a freshman with great range and great hands, will step in to fill Gilleland's shoes at shortstop while sophomore Vonnie Martin and freshman Michelle Solomon will both see action at third base. "Our whole infield will be relatively new, especially our left-side, but I still think it is going to be a deep group and I think we can be really solid there," Wright said. "I think our defense is going to be a strength." Senior Kaitlin Griffin is the one returning catcher from last year who will see a lot of time behind the plate. A pair of freshmen, Caitlin Neal who is a power hitter, and Taylor Green, a left-hander, can also fill in at catcher for the Bulldogs. OUTFIELD Andrea Ortega returns to anchor the outfield after she earned second-team All-WAC accolades a year ago when she started 51 games in left field. Other returning players with experience you'll see in the outfield are seniors Kaylan Pollard and Rebecca Hall and junior Diane Runge. "The outfield returns a lot of veterans who have played off-and- on throughout their careers," Wright said. "I feel really good about us back there." The one newcomer to the group Bulldog fans will get to know in center field is freshman Brenna Moss. In her prep career at Bakersfield's North High School, Moss set the all-time state record for hits in a career and she sported a .518 batting average in high school. "I haven't seen an outfielder that can cover as much of the field that she can really since Laura Berg," Wright said. "I don't know if Brenna is at her level, but she clearly covers the outfield and I think she is a big addition to the team." MICHELLE MOSES 28 SOFTBALL MACKENZIE OAKES 2011 2012 29 ANDREA ORTEGA BROOKE ORTIZ