Maher, Fresno State Homing In on Series

After her Fresno State softball team lost a Western Athletic Conference championship bid by dropping a doubleheader at Cal State Northridge last week, shortstop Kim Maher was relieved that the Bulldogs were still alive.

Fresno State (45-14) is playing host to the NCAA Region 6 tournament, which will begin Friday. Being at home is a bonus for the sixth-ranked Bulldogs, who finished 21-5 in the WAC behind No. 3 Northridge (21-3) and No. 9 Utah (22-4).

“A couple days ago, I was just happy to get the chance to get back to the World Series,” Maher said.

The former Buena High standout has been to two College World Series with Fresno State, which finished third each time. She will compete in a third if the Bulldogs can advance past California, Oregon and Central Michigan this weekend.

For Maher, a senior who is batting .435 and leads Fresno State in eight offensive categories, there is no place like home--especially when you compare Bulldog Diamond (capacity 2,400) to Matador Diamond, which featured a few hecklers in Northridge’s 1-0 and 2-0 victories.

“(Our field) gets crowded and all you see is red, for Fresno State,” Maher said. “It’s like a big family reunion. The fans are a little more respectful to the players. They’re there just to watch good softball. They’re not there to bash on anyone’s performance or what they look like or what team they’re from.”

Bulldog Coach Margie Wright was visibly upset at her team between games, but she also defended her players and complained to CSUN officials about abusive fans down the right-field line.

“(Wright was mad) because we weren’t playing up to our potential and the fact that we had to play in a place where you don’t get any respect for being a ballplayer,” Maher said. “That does have an effect on your playing ability.”

Fresno State stranded seven runners in the first game. Maher, who went 0 for 6 in the doubleheader, struck out with none out and the bases loaded in the first inning against Jennifer Richardson in the first game.

But now it’s home sweet home for Maher and the Bulldogs, who have won each of the past six regional tournaments in Fresno.

Maher likely will settle for nothing less than another regional title and CWS berth. With what she’s accomplished, a national title is all that’s left.

The four-year starter holds four records at the Division I power: home runs (31), doubles (50), runs batted in (179) and runs (162).

She also expects to finish with the second-highest batting average (currently .346, behind Julie Smith’s .359 average over two seasons) and total hits (279 to Martha Noffsinger’s 327).

This season, she leads the Bulldogs with 81 hits, five triples, 18 walks and a .737 slugging percentage. Her team-best 62 RBIs already have broken her single-season record (49), and her 50 runs and 16 doubles threaten records held by Smith (55) and Gina LoPiccolo (17). She has tailed off in home runs, 10 this year compared to 14 in ’93.

“It’s probably been the best four years of my life,” Maher said. “It’s been incredible, and I don’t think anything could really top it.”

Well, maybe one thing.

“There’s only one thing left,” she said. “That would be to come back here with a World Series title. That would top my career.”

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Checking the fax: New Mexico junior infielder Heather Medearis (Hart) led her team in nine offensive categories, including batting average (.397), runs (33), hits (58), triples (two), home runs (nine) and RBIs (34). Her first-inning solo home run Friday helped the Lobos knock Utah out of contention for the WAC championship, won the next day by Cal State Northridge. One of Medearis’ home runs was a grand slam. She was named honorable-mention All-WAC, the Lobos’ most valuable player, and their best offensive player for the third consecutive season.

Sophomore pitcher Stacey Hart (Alemany), who was 13-5 as a freshman, is 9-7 with a 1.89 earned-run average at Wichita State. . . . Utah senior catcher Deb DiMeglio (Palmdale) was selected first-team All-WAC for the third consecutive season. She has set career school records for home runs (26) and RBIs (119) and begins play in the NCAA regional this weekend with a .358 batting average and .981 fielding percentage. Utah freshman pitcher-infielder Cyndee Bennett (Glendale) set team single-season records for home runs (12) and RBIs (48) and was named honorable-mention All-WAC.

In baseball, senior outfielder Jason Shapiro (Taft) has led UC Davis (44-10) to the NCAA Division II West regional at UC Riverside. Shapiro has a .335 batting average and leads the team in doubles (15), times hit by a pitch (16, tied) and stolen bases (39 of 52).

Freshman left-handed pitcher Justin Siegel (Taft) has 12 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings for North Carolina State (41-14-1).

Pitcher Russell Ortiz (Montclair Prep) has 28 strikeouts in 32 2/3 innings for Oklahoma (39-15). He is second on the staff in appearances (20) and saves (two). . . . Freshman infielder Stacy Kleiner (Taft), overcoming a stress fracture in his left foot that sidelined him for 18 games, is batting .317 at Nevada Las Vegas.

Senior Brent Overfelt (Glendale) pitched a complete game to lead Westmont to a 6-4 victory over Cal Baptist and put the Warriors in the NAIA District 3 tournament final last week. Overfelt is 7-3. . . . Freshman first baseman David Jacobs (Calabasas) is batting .298 at Cornell.

Sophomore catcher Shane Slayton (Royal) is batting .348 and ranks second in home runs (eight) and third in RBIs (42) at Nevada. Freshman infielder Andy Dominique (Alemany) is batting. 322 with seven homers, and his 44 RBIs are second highest on the team. Freshman pitcher Chris Garza (Notre Dame) ranks second on the team with a 3.31 ERA in 16 1/3 innings.

Junior first baseman Mike Mitchell (Rio Mesa) is batting .338 and leads UCLA in home runs (11) and RBIs (40). . . . Junior first baseman J.P. Roberge (St. Francis) is batting .316, has eight home runs, 40 RBIs and 17 stolen bases for USC.

Freshman pitcher Trevor Leppard (Simi Valley) has left the University of San Diego for Moorpark College.