April 9 2014

INSIDE: 2014 STUDENT CHOICE AWARDS

THE COLLEGIAN WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

FRESNO STATE'S STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1922

MOLOTOV COCKTAIL BLAMED FOR BLAZE NEAR CAMPUS

NATIONAL DISTRACTED DRIVER AWARENESS MONTH

CHP course shows perils of distracted driving

By David Lee @D_Lee64

The California Highway Patrol kicked off National Distracted Driver Awareness Month with the Distracted Driver Car Rodeo in parking Lot C of the Save Mart Center at Fresno State Tuesday morning.

Students had the opportunity to drive in Check out a real-life simulation of Collegian. distracted driving while csufresno. navigating a cone-sectioned course. edu for a The course started video on with drivers backing Tuesday’s Distracted up into a stall, then Driver Car moving forward into cone patterns with a Rodeo. straightaway that led into an “S turn” and brought them back to the start.

Johnny Fisher, a CHP public information officer, designed the course for college students.

“The leading cause of death for teenagers is traffic collisions,” Fisher said. “We want to bring awareness and education to drivers as far as the dangers of the road when it comes to

ONLINE

Khlarissa Agee • The Collegian

The Fresno Fire Department responded to a fire, allegedly started by a Moltov cocktail, at the Fresno Square Apartments on Cedar Avenue Tuesday night. No occupants were harmed, but a firefighter recieved minor burn injuries responding to the call, Fresno Fire spokesman said.

By Brianna Vaccari, Christopher Livingston & Jesse Franz A firefighter suffered minor burn injuries at an apartment fire Tuesday night after an incendiary device was allegedly lit and thrown into a living room at the Fresno Square Apartments on Cedar Avenue,

FRESNO STATE FASHION

STEP INTO SPRING Tuesday was the first day of the year to hit 90 degrees in Fresno, signifying the definite shift into spring. Six students have that special spring touch when it comes to fashion.

Take a look at Fresno State’s spring fashion trends. Coverage on Page 4 & 5.

Katie Eleneke • The Collegian

FLOATING IN FASHION: Fresno State student Christy Kuchar poses near the Memorial Court Fountain Tuesday afternoon.

Fresno Fire Department reported.

Fresno Fire Capt. Reggie Zellous said the first crew arrived at the fire southwest of Fresno State at 11:26 p.m. When firefighters arrived on scene, there was heavy smoke and flames in the living room of one unit.

“Someone said that someone threw a Molotov cocktail through one of the bottom apartments,” Zellous said. “They heard a loud sound, they looked up, and there was

fire in their living room.”

Another fire chief arrived and found flames coming from the rear of the apartment and extinguished them. The blaze took 10 to 15 minutes to control, Zellous said.

Two units were completely gutted, and a third adjacent unit was damaged.

See FIRE, Page 6

See CHP, Page 3

NATIONAL

Obama, groups call for women’s pay equity

By Jesse Franz

@JesseOfTheNews Groups on campus and around the U.S. called on Congress to pass legislation Tuesday geared toward providing women equal compensation as men in the workforce as part of Pay Equity Day. The day signifies the amount of additional time on average a woman would have to work to earn the same pay received by men in 2013 in comparable positions. Tuesday marked the 99th day of the year, meaning that women would have had to work 464 days to a man’s 365 to have equal annual earnings on average.

President Barack Obama called on Senate Republicans not to hold up a bill, The Paycheck Fairness Act, aimed at expanding the ability for people to collect monetary

damages based on pay discrimination.

“I don’t care whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican, if you’re a voter -- if you’ve got a daughter -- if you’ve got a sister -- you’ve got a mom -- this is something you should care about,” he said.

Obama also signed an executive order prohibiting federal contractors from disciplining employees for discussing their compensation with one another.

“The issues are real,” said Jane Stanley, president of the Fresno branch of American Association of University Women (AAUM). “The pay gap has not budged in a decade with women being paid 77 percent of what men are paid.”

Citing the U.S. Census Bureau, the group points to occupations like physicians and

See PAY, Page 6

PAGE 2

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

CLUBS DEBATE CURRENT ISSUES

By Matthew Jimenez Collegian Staff

Matt Vieira • The Collegian

Daniel Gai (left) speaks during the open forum debate on current issues, hosted by Phi Alpha Delta, Tuesday organized by the club’s president Simren Gill (right).

Phi Alpha Delta, a pre-law fraternity on campus, hosted an open forum debate Wednesday night in the Henry Madden Library on current issues such as the Second Amendment, water allocation in California and NSA surveillance of American citizens.

Phi Alpha Delta President Simren Gill said the debate forum was open to all students and was used as a way to spark interest in pre-law on campus.

This year’s Mock Trial and Debate teams have performed well on the national stage, she said, attracting interest in law among Fresno State students.

Gill said debate is a good way for students to develop better articulation skills. It helps students see things from a new perspective and encourages deeper thinking, making beliefs stronger by filling in holes within an argument.

When it came to choosing topics for discussion in Tuesday’s debate, Gill said the fraternity drew its inspiration from newspapers like the New York Times and The Fresno Bee. Many of the recurring topics in those papers were on Second Amendment rights, water allocation and government surveillance, she said.

Gill said organizers wanted questions that were relevant and recent to students.

The fraternity chose those specific topics because the topics tend to bring out strong beliefs and opinions, she said. The fraternity wanted questions that students would have much to speak and argue about.

The forum was the first of its kind on the Fresno State campus, Gill said. She said she hopes the next Phi

Alpha Delta president will continue the event because it is a good opportunity for students.

Each person who participated was given two minutes to speak per topic, and about 30 minutes of time was allocated to each issue.

The first topic on firearms was unanimous, as discussants argued against the government banning firearms on public college campuses. Much of the talk focused on self-defense, guns as a potential to save lives in the right hands and whether or not it is unconstitutional for the government to ban people with a concealed carry permit from carrying it on campus.

On the issue of water allocation, many of the speakers agreed that farmers deserve to have the bulk of California’s water because the state is one of the nation’s leading producers in agriculture.

One person brought up the fact that the smelt -- fish considered an endangered species -- is part of the problem. Another speaker encouraged people to question whether the fish are worth the effort or if the economy holds a stronger importance.

For the final discussion about National Security Agency surveillance, people were much more eager to give their two cents on the topic.

Some said the government is viewed as tyrannical or criminal because it hacks into the public’s systems just as hackers would.

One person argued that anything that is put online is fair game because it is out in the open. He said that many people don’t read the online agreements before agreeing to the terms of that agreement.

Audience members posed questions and the moderator stepped in when necessary to help move the discussion along.

Valley’s ‘Community Heroes’ honored at reception

By Matthew Criswell Collegian Staff

The College of Health and Human Services hosted its annual “Community Heroes” awards event Friday at the Smittcamp Alumni House.

The event is held each year to honor individuals in the community who have had an impact on children and families throughout the Central Valley. Winners were honored for their contributions to the community. Each was nominated by a department at Fresno State, or a center or institute within the College of Health and

Human Services. “‘Heroes Awards is an annual event where ‘unsung heroes’ in our community that work in the health and human services sector are recognized for their contributions,” said Beth Wilkinson, development coordinator for the College of Health and Human Services.

“Every year, each department in the college and some of our research centers nominate someone in their field who is making a difference in lives of families and the Central Valley community at large.”

The 2014 award winners and their nominating departments are: James Beauchamp, communicative dis-

orders and deaf studies; Break the Barriers, kinesiology; James Wong, nursing and the Central California Center for Excellence in Nursing; Creative Therapeutics Physical Therapy, physical therapy; SAFE founding board members, SAFE Central Valley Coalition; Daniel Shydlerk, public health; Brent Smither, recreation administration; Margaret Jackson, social work education and Central California Social Welfare Evaluation, Research and Training Center; Robert Riddick, Central California Children’s Institute; and Walter Ramirez, Central Valley Health Policy Institute.

One of the groups honored at the event was Break the Barriers, a local organization

dedicated to the inclusion of people with all abilities and disabilities. Break the Barriers was established in 1983 by Deby and Steve Hergenrader. The program began with 20 students, and now it has over 3,000 students in-house and partners with 145 schools throughout 32 school districts, providing inclusive programs during and after school.

“We were so honored to be recognized alongside so many other amazing people,” Deby Hergenrader said. “It was very inspiring to see all that is being done in the community.”

LELAND YEE INVESTIGATION

Yee pleads not guilty to gun trafficking, corruption charges

By Howard Mintz

San Jose Mercury News SAN FRANCISCO -- Flanked by some of his alleged criminal confederates, suspended California state Sen. Leland Yee pleaded not guilty Tuesday to federal gun trafficking and political corruption charges _ the first step in what promises to be a drawn-out legal drama to determine whether he will spend the rest of his life in prison.

During a brief appearance in federal court here, the 65-year-old Yee, through his lawyer, entered the plea to an indictment that accuses him of accepting bribes in exchange for political favors and trying to arrange an international arms deal with an undercover FBI agent.

With his wife Maxine by his side, Yee posted his San Francisco home as bond

to remain free while the case against him unfolds. He is scheduled to appear again in court Friday before U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer, who has been randomly assigned to hear the case against the embattled legislator and dozens of co-defendants.

Yee, dressed in a dark suit, declined to speak to reporters outside court and his lawyer, James Lassart, also declined to comment.

He awaited his arraignment sitting next to Wilson Lim, the San Francisco dentist who is alleged to have been involved in the gun trafficking allegations, and a few feet from Keith Jackson, a San Francisco political consultant portrayed in the indictment as the state senator’s chief conduit to corruption.

Lim and Jackson also pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

Federal prosecutors allege Yee accepted checks and bags of cash from undercover operatives to pay off his campaign debts

THE COLLEGIAN The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university.

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and help fund his now-derailed bid to become California’s secretary of state. Yee also is alleged to have tried to orchestrate an international arms deal with an undercover agent, promising to arrange shipments of high-powered weaponry from rebel groups in the Philippines for money.

The indictment is based largely on a three-year undercover FBI investigation in which Yee was allegedly involved in cutting illegal deals with agents posing as everything from East Coast mafia members to an Arizona businessman looking to expand into the medical marijuana business in California. An FBI affidavit alleges that Yee was involved in such clandestine illegal meetings as recently as mid-March, as he was ramping up his run for statewide office.

The San Francisco Democrat is specifically charged with gun trafficking and conspiracy to commit honest services fraud, a linchpin of many federal corruption cases.

Paul De Meester, Yee’s previous lawyer,

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suggested after his arrest that he would explore whether the lawmaker had been entrapped by the FBI, considered a likely defense by legal experts following the case.

The Yee indictment unfolded as a result of a probe into Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow, a reputed leader of an Asian organized crime syndicate and a longtime target of federal law enforcement officials who is now charged with a string of felonies, from conspiracy to money laundering. Famed San Francisco lawyer J. Tony Serra has agreed to represent Chow, who did not enter a plea on Tuesday.

Outside court, Serra, renowned for his theatrical attacks on the government, vowed to take Chow’s case to a jury, calling him innocent and maintaining the investigation is rife with “outrageous government misconduct” and racial profiling of the San Francisco Asian community.

Ricardo Cano Jesse Franz Brianna Vaccari Yvette Mancilla Christopher Livingston Katie Eleneke Matthew Vieira Khlarissa Agee Nadia Pearl Daniel Leon Julian Paredes Joseph Deutscher Nicole Knod Andrew Gustafson Courtnei Johnson Heather Beam

Assistant Ad Manager Matthew Schneider Special Projects Nathan Talbot Diana Williams Art Director Martha Pinilla Assistant Art Director Emanuel Clemente Distribution Manager Vanessa Rodriguez Accountancy Assistant Rich Marshall General Manager Toni A. Carmona Financial Manager Jan Edwards Advertising Faculty Adviser Dr. Bradley Hart Faculty Adviser Dr. Katherine Adams MCJ Chair

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

PAGE 3

CHP hosts distracted driving simulations on campus CHP from Page 1 distracted driving.”

The course included many sharp turns, which required the driver to keep both hands on the wheel to maintain control.

“Sometimes you have to make a hard turn left or right and then continue on driving,” Fisher said. “The only way to be able to do that safely is with two hands.”

Participants first rode the course without distractions.

After the initial drive, they drove the course again while texting or calling somebody.

“At 65 mph, your vehicle is traveling around 90 feet per second. When you text someone, it’s about four seconds time where you don’t look at the road,” Fisher said. “In four seconds, you’re traveling farther than the length of a football field without paying attention to the roadway.”

The event lasted from 8 a.m. to noon. Informational booths and representatives from the CHP were on site to provide educational materials to participants.

CHP spokesman Axel Reyes said that distracted driving is compared to DUI driving, and distractions that impair good driving can range from eating to listening to loud music.

“Some of those may not be against the law, but they contribute to how easily somebody can get in a crash.”

Reyes said.

Organizations involved in the event included the CHP, California Office of Traffic Safety, Save Mart Center, Bulldogs Sports Properties, Fresno State and Fresno Lexus.

“If you’re texting, you are not driving,” Fisher said.

“You wouldn’t text blindfolded, so don’t drive blindfolded.”

GRA TS N

Research Grants

Undergraduate and Graduate Deadline Extended to Wednesday, April 23

Application online: asi.fresnostate.edu

Photos by Katie Eleneke • The Collegian

The California Highway Patrol put on an event at Fresno State Tuesday to demonstrate the danger posed by distracted driving.

A&E

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

FASHION

Fresno State students speak on their current outfits and what favorite styles suit them for the spring WEARING:

By Yvette Mancilla

Forever 21 Navy floral sun dress, Foreign Exchange earrings and gold sandals from Target.

Photos by Katie Eleneke • The Collegian

SHE SAYS: Jasmeen Sidhu said campus fashion is now evolving into more spring wear because of the seasonal change.

“I think campus fashion is fine right now,” Sidhu said. “The sun is finally coming out so more people are wearing a variety of things.”

For Sidhu, her to-go-to pieces are maxi skirts, flowery dresses and flowy tops.

@yvette_mancilla

WEARING:

SHE SAYS:

Red polka dot silk skirt, basic purple tank top and flip-flops.

Christy Kuchar said she wears what makes her feel most comfortable and her wardrobe depends on what mood she is in at the time.

“My look can be described as fun, flirty and optimistic,” Kuchar said. “I just dress based on how I feel, but I’m definitely optimistic most of the time.”

IN BLOOM WEARING:

Jasmeen Sidhu

Charlotte Russe crop top, sunglasses from Love Culture skirt, gladiatorstyle strap sandals, and a gold necklace from a local thrift shop.

SHE SAYS:

Gap blue shirt, Anne Taylor Loft patterned shorts, Birkenstocks sandals.

Kathryn Barajas said she sticks to simplicity and modesty for her looks.

“I don’t necessarily look at trends that often,” Barajas. “I keep it simple and modest.

My overall style would probably be classic.”

Barajas also said her tips for others branching out in fashion is to not “to try too hard.”

Forever 21 floral red dress, Forever 21 floppy maroon hat, black buckled boots from JCPenney, Urban Outfitters frilly tan socks, and Target tortoise shell framed glasses.

Ana Nunez said she likes to wear dresses more than anything, but when she goes for a more casual day, she’ll accessorize to dress up her outfit.

“A lot of other times, it’s just a laid back style,” Nunez said. “But then I dress it to make it not look too basic with accessories.”

Nunez also said floral prints will be a hot commodity for spring fashion.

“A lot of florals are and will be in style,” Nunez said.

WEARING:

SHE SAYS:

SHE SAYS:

For Arianne Murphy, her style is flirty, fresh and unique.

“I go with a more flirty, springy type,” Murphy said. “My overall style I change it up because I’m not afraid to try something new.”

For the spring season, Murphy said she looks forward to wearing high-waisted shorts and sandals.

Murphy’s advice for those getting ready to switch out their wardrobes is to have some variety in choosing new outfits.

Amanda Parriott tends to go for a laid back look with a girly twist for everyday wear.

Parriott said she usually plays around with her choices for her outfits before deciding to “just go for it.”

“I’ve tried so many different things that I’ll go out of the house later on regretting what I wore but most of the time I’ll be like ‘Wow, this actually worked out well,’” Parriott said.

Kathryn Barajas

SHE SAYS:

Forever 21 kimono floral blouse, Michael Kors watch, tan cami from Loft, necklace from Plato’s Closet, shorts from a local thrift store and Forever 21 black booties.

WEARING: WEARING:

Christy Kuchar

Amanda Parriott

Arianne Murphy

Ana Nunez

PAGE 6

THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

FUN & GAMES

SUDOKU: Fill the 9×9 grid with digits so that each column, each row, and each of the nine 3×3 sub-grids that compose the grid contain all of the digits from 1 to 9.

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis / McClatchy-Tribune

Across

1 Uncertainty 6 Bit of gel 9 Classroom supply 14 Media mogul Winfrey 15 Old studio letters 16 Google rival 17 “The Cloister and the Hearth” author Charles 18 Smart remark 20 Bowling building 21 Year’s record 22 Word from a heckler 23 Firmness of spirit 25 Makes furious 27 Crisp cookie 31 Ditty 35 Old vitamin bottle no.

36 Melville novel that continued the story from “Typee” 37 Betray like a stoolie 38 Country music’s __ Ridge Boys 39 Team supporters, collectively 42 “As I see it,” in texts 43 Reaper’s bundle 45 LAX predictions 46 Windy City hrs.

47 Can in a cooler 48 Super-popular 51 Jessica of “Sin City” 53 Voice below soprano 54 Unit of resistance 57 Desktop computer that inspired clones 59 Rainy-day covers 63 Compulsive cleaner

No occupants hurt in apartment fire FIRE from Page 1 The units were occupied, though Zellous couldn’t say by how many people. Red Cross responded and assisted the occupants with housing arrangements.

Though none of the occupants were injured, paramedics treated one firefighter for minor burn injuries on his left forearm.

The fire is considered arson, Zellous said, and Fresno Police Department was on scene to assist in the investigation. Cedar Avenue between Shaw and Santa Ana avenues was blocked off afterward for the investigation.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire within 10 to 15 minutes.

Zellous said there were no sprinklers in the unit, and it was not apparent that any smoke alarms went off.

Zellous said a suspect was not identified, and the investigation was ongoing.

Pay equity discussion comes to campus PAY from Page 1 surgeons where women earned $120,971 on average compared with $190,726 for men.

Members of the AAUM were on campus Tuesday to talk about current legislation and galvanize calls for pay equity.

One, Mariann Powell, said, “As a mother of one daughter and a grandmother of five granddaughters, some graduating from college this year and others entering college, I am looking for changes. Hopefully there are some out there.”

65 “__ you to try it!”

66 Fad 67 Place for pampering 68 Israeli desert 69 Voice an objection 70 Skosh 71 Lose it, and a hint to the last words of 18-, 27-, 48- and 63-Across

Down

1 Cartoon explorer with a cousin named Diego 2 German automaker 3 Eurasian border river 4 Rotten apple 5 Race track cry after “And” 6 Holmes’ confidant

7 Similar 8 Region bordering Croatia 9 Rinse or spin, e.g.

10 Guffaw syllable 11 Obsessed fictional captain 12 Bonkers 13 Early cartoon clown 19 Lawman Wyatt 24 Culinary author Rombauer 26 RR stop 27 “That’s disgusting!”

28 Montana neighbor 29 Ready to skinny-dip 30 Prestigious prize 32 City in upstate New York 33 Asian menu assurance 34 Cyberjotting 37 Turning back to zero, as an

odometer 40 Smear campaign commercial 41 Satirist Mort 44 Duracell size 48 Shortened wd.

49 Least plausible 50 Truckers’ competition 52 Career soldier 54 One way to store pics 55 “Grab this” 56 Title of respect 58 Mama’s mate 60 Sitar music 61 Get ready for the OR 62 Golfer Ballesteros 64 Shih __: Tibetan dog

COLLEGIAN QUIZ

Where should you go for spring break?

Circle the answers that best apply to you and tally the numbers you have the most to see which result is yours!

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SLEEP THE MOST?

(1) On my bed, duh.

(2) My floor is really comfortable after a night of…studying.

(3) My friend’s couch is like paradise.

(4) The car can be a great place, man.

(5) On weekends, I get free rooms at the best hotel.

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR LAST MEAL?

(1) Pasta is ah-mazing!

(2) Let’s stick with classic American: McDonald’s.

(3) Hot Cheetos and nacho cheese is a great combo, just saying.

(4) Hello, leftover dinner!

(5) Five course meal from Wolfgang Puck please.

IF YOU COULD SPEAK ANOTHER LANGUAGE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

(1) Italian si? No, that’s Spanish. Let’s try Italian, I love pasta.

(2) I’m good with English, I can barely speak it now.

(3) Can I have an Australian accent instead?

(4) I live in California, I already know Spanglish.

(5) Mandarin Chinese or Arabic to expand my horizons.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE TRAVEL MOVIE? (1) Seven Years in Tibet…or Brad Pitt in pretty much anything.

(2) Forrest Gump dude! He made every 20th Century event awesome.

(3) The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Love those girls!

(4) Castaway. Wilson can make me cry anytime, plus Tom Hanks.

(5) Into The Wild of course! No question there.

WHAT CAR WOULD YOU DRIVE IF YOU COULD? (1) I’m perfectly fine with my Mazda.

Zoom zoom!

(2) Eco-friendly, sir. Let’s just walk everywhere.

(3) Can a motorbike count? I would love to get through traffic.

(4) Volkswagen bus, got to love the 70s.

(5) Preferably, an Audi. Pretty please?

RESULTS! 1. BEACH TRIP:

You’re a sensible person, so why waste money on extensive travel? Take a couple days, and dip your toes in the amazing California coast with friends.

2. SAN FRANCISCO:

This city has everything you could possibly want: Great food, eco-friendly transportation and awesome sights

3. NETFLIX AND COUCH

Hello, Mr. Homebody! No worries mate, it’s perfectly fine to take a nice break from everything and just cozy up in bed. Make sure you hit the pool every once in a while, okay?

4. CANADA:

You’re so relaxed already. Why not trek up to our northern neighbor eh?

If you’re not a fan of Bieber’s homeland, then check out Montreal! You might pick up on some French.

5. EUROPE:

Why not add to your list of experiences and enjoy the English countryside or hang with Spanish matadors. Enjoy your already cultured life and head across the pond. (Just don’t forget your toothbrush)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

PAGE 7

Fresno State finds rhythm at the plate

Fresno State sophomore pitcher Hannah Harris

SOFTBALL from Page 8

Photos by Katie Eleneke • The Collegian

Fresno State’s Whitney Smith slides home during the Bulldogs’ victory over Utah State on March 30. Smith is ranked second in the conference (and 48th in the nation) in toughest to strike out.

tory.

“When our kids are in the box,” Ford said, “it’s one pitch at a time. You either win the pitch or you lose it. As the season has progressed, they’ve bought more fully into the approach.

“It’s hard when you first start, and you are overwhelmed. You have some failures and successes, and [the team] is starting to really see that coming together.”

Kierra in the clutch During the weekend series against New Mexico, Willis hit .700 with four RBIs and a .750 on-base percentage. And that all was done with zero strikeouts.

“She hates striking out,” Ford said. “She will battle until she gets the ball to put in play.”

After the productive series, the freshman moved up to first on the team in hitting in conference contests.

“I was confident with myself,” Willis said, “and I just went out there to have fun and put the ball in play. I focused on what Coach tells me and just kept my hands in for the ball [at the plate].”

And all Willis needed, Ford said, was a little TLC. “She needed to get somewhere where she was getting consistent coaching from the same people over and over,” Ford said.

“I think she’s really starting to hit her stride.

“She’s fun to watch.”

Looking ahead

The first-place San Diego State Aztecs come to town this weekend for a 3-game set that begins Friday night. The Bulldogs – who share second place with San Jose State and UNLV – look to take the lead in the standings.

And to do that, they will need to win two of the three games.

The Aztecs have a healthy offensive lineup coming into the series. Senior outfielder Patrice Jackson is hitting .387 with 13 home runs and 37 RBIs, ballooning her slugging percentage to .892.

Freshman Sydnee Cable is leading the team with a .404 batting average.

Although she has no home runs, she does have 22 RBIs, second on the team behind Jackson.

“They have a balanced attack,” Ford said, “but nothing that, if we take care of the things we need to take care of, we can’t get over.”

Sophomore pitcher Danielle O’Toole has a 1.48 ERA with a 20-4 record. In conference contests, she is 3-1 and allows an average of 2.84 runs per game.

But for now, the Bulldogs are focused on themselves. With only four hits allowed last weekend, they have emphasized their pitching prowess.

Now, it’s all about “passing the bat.” No matter what happens at the plate, whether it is a home run or a walk, as long as a Bulldog gets on base, there is trust in the team to bring her home. “[The New Mexico games were] a good example of how we don’t need to hit the longball to score 20 runs,” Ford said. “You need to keep passing the bat and having good at-bats.”

‘Dogs avoid losing skid, beat CSUN 8-2 BASEBALL from Page 8 Fresno State lead to six.

The ‘Dogs scored adding two more runs in the second and third innings but were held scoreless for the next five.

The Bulldogs held CSU Northridge scoreless in the final seven innings using a variety of pitchers. Junior pitcher William Munro started on the mound for the ‘Dogs and allowed two earned runs in 2.2 innings before he was replaced by Garrett Mundell. The 6-foot-6 junior tossed 1.2 innings before he was relieved by Dillon Houser. Fred Schlichtholz and Casey Rodriguez closed out the game.

Batesole’s team has now won two out of

their last three and is three games above .500 overall. In Mountain West play, the ‘Dogs are in fifth place.

The ‘Dogs will be back on the baseball diamond on Friday when they travel to New Mexico take on conference rival Lobos in a 3-game series. The series kicks off Friday at 5 p.m. PT with Games 2 and 3 taking place over the weekend.

“New Mexico is playing good,” Batesole said. “They’re a tough team offensively that plays well at home, so it’s really going to be a tough weekend.”

Fresno State’s next contest at Pete Beiden Field will come against the California Golden Bears on Tuesday, April 22.

SPORTS BASEBALL

8

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

Beating the Big West

Fresno State’s fast start fuels victory over CSU Northridge

Fresno State outfielder Taylor Tempel slides into second base during the Bulldogs’ interconference match against Pacific on April 1.

By Daniel Leon @DanLeon25

The Fresno State baseball team (18-15, 7-8 Mountain West) found its rhythm early in Tuesday night’s game as it scored six runs in the first inning to propel it to an 8-2 win over the CSU Northridge Matadors.

“They’ve been playing hard for a long time,” Fresno State head coach Mike Batesole said. “Teams have been

SOFTBALL

playing perfect defense against us. We kind of got a little crack today, and it was nice to make them pay for it.”

The Matadors (13-19, 2-4 Big West) tried to climb back into the game after falling in a 6-0 hole early on by scoring two runs the following inning. Junior Nick Blaser recorded the Matador’s first run off a Michael Livingston bunt.

Minutes after, Nicolas Osuna scored the second and final run.

But CSUN ultimately fell short in its comeback attempt, as it was held scoreless for the final seven innings.

Katie Eleneke • The Collegian

In the bottom of the first, Jordan Luplow batted in Trent Woodward with a single for the first run of the game.

Shortly after, Taylor Ward connected on a single to send Brody Russell home, putting the ‘Dogs up 2-0. Luplow scored the ‘Dogs third run on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Chris Mariscal. Freshman left fielder Jake Stone then stepped up to the plate with two outs to hit his first triple of the year, sending home three more ‘Dogs to increase the

See BASEBALL, Page 7

Passing the bat

Fresno State softball team relies on healthy offense to beat opponents

By Christopher Livingston @senorlivingston

The formula is simple: if the Fresno State softball team throws shutouts, it will win games.

That’s something that the Bulldogs’ head coach Trisha Ford has instilled in them. Her team chuckles when she says it, but last weekend, the New Mexico Lobos fell victim to two shutouts, one that ended early under the mercy rule.

The two road victories helped the Bulldogs get closer to .500 in away games. Whereas Fresno State has struggled when away from Bulldog Diamond, it may have found its sweet spot: familiarity with the game plan.

The Bulldogs are getting more comfortable. It’s Ford’s second season as head coach of the team, and her players are becoming accustomed to her strategy.

“This is only their second year with us,” Ford said, “so even though they’re seniors and they have that savviness of the game, they’re only sophomores in the system.”

A windy affair in New Mexico The gusts came into the Lobo Softball Field at

an average of 20 mph. But with the ‘Dogs’ offensive strategy – try to hit just line drives and ground balls – that was not a problem.

Friday’s 11-9 loss to the Lobos was just an anomaly. The Bulldogs allowed 11 runs (10 of which were earned) and had home runs off the bats of first baseman Stesha Brazil and third baseman Vonnie Martin.

New Mexico scored twice in the bottom of the eighth inning to snatch the game away from the ‘Dogs.

After that, everything went in Fresno State’s favor.

The Bulldogs scored 29 unanswered runs with no home runs. It started with a 4-run first inning on Saturday, when sophomore second baseman Whitney Smith and freshman left fielder Kierra Willis smacked in a pair of 2-run singles.

The Bulldogs scored five more runs – a 3-run double from Smith, one from Moss and a single from shortstop Brooke Ortiz that scored Moss from first base.

Pitcher Hannah Harris tossed seven 2-hit innings to avenge her loss in the previous game.

On Sunday, the run production did not stop.

Fresno State scored 20 runs and again held the Lobos to two hits to get the 5-inning, mercy-rule vic-

See SOFTBALL, Page 7

Katie Eleneke • The Collegian

Fresno State right fielder Michelle Solomon is one of three Bulldogs with four or more home runs this season.