May 2, 2018

WHY WERE THERE ANIMALS AT THE DORMS?

collegian.csufresno.edu

Wednesday, May 2, 2018

PAGE 6

Fresno State’s Award-Winning Newspaper

CONTROVERSY

Forums will address polemic tweets

Benjamin Cruz • The Collegian

CAMPUS FORUM

COMMUNITY FORUM

• • •

• • •

North Gym 118 May 2 10 a.m.

Save Mart Center May 3 7 p.m.

By Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado

F

resno State President Dr. Joseph Castro said Monday that the university is hosting two forums this week so he and the community can discuss the recent controversy that has overtaken the campus.

Nearly two weeks ago, English professor Randa Jarrar tweeted out messages highly critical of former U.S. First Lady Barbara Bush after she had died. Jarrar called Bush a “racist” who “raised a war criminal.” And after she began engaging with critics online, Jarrar continued making fiery remarks about the Bush family. Her comments led to a flurry of criticism hurled at Jarrar and the university.

In an official statement one week later, the university said it could not legally penalize Jarrar for her actions, saying that it had consulted with California State University legal counsel.

But the criticism has not stopped.

Castro said the university will hold a campus forum on Wednesday in North Gym 118 at 10 a.m. The second forum will be a public event which the entire community is invited.

That will be held May 3 at 7 p.m. in the Save Mart Center.

Castro made the announcement at a lecture held Monday night in the arena. Academic Senate Chair Thomas Holyoke and Associated Students, Inc. President Blake Zante will join Castro and other university leaders during the campus forum.

“The past couple of weeks have proven to be challenging for many colleagues on campus as the university experienced the aftermath of a professor sending out offensive and poorly timed messages,” Castro said in an email to the campus.

In an editorial, The Collegian called for Castro to host a public forum in order to directly communicate with the community about the matters. In Castro’s announcement, he said the forum took the place of a previously scheduled administrative roundtable meeting.

Also on Wednesday, a vigil for Barbara Bush is planned for 7 p.m. in the university’s Free Speech Area.

California Assemblyman Jim Patterson tweeted those plans on Saturday.

LEGISLATION

SQE students lobby in Sacramento

By Bineet Kaur @hellobineet

Fresno State Students for Quality Education (SQE) went to Sacramento on Tuesday to lobby in favor of a number of bills in the hopes of creating change for college students.

“A lot of congress [members] or legislators are so far away from the realities of your average citizen,” said Cecilia Ruesta, a member of SQE. “We’re humanizing the issue by being in front of them.”

Below are the bills the students spoke in favor of:

SB 968 SB 968 would mandate California State University campuses to hire a mental health counselor per every 1,000 students. Diane Blair, president of the Fresno State chapter of the California Faculty Association (CFA), said it’s crucial for students to have access

to mental health services.

“Our students are juggling multiple responsibilities,” Blair said. “Some of our students of color may be experiencing issues around discrimination. DACA students may be concerned about their status.”

the bill holds a special importance to her.

“Some of the people we interviewed said they were revictimized by the police,” Ruesta said.

SB 1421

Another bill regarding transparency is AB 2505, which would initiate reports as well as an audit by the California State auditor for CSUs. The report and audit would entail budget checks and more information on how staffing decisions are made.

SB 1421 would require police officers to allow the public to access records for sexual assault cases as well as dishonesty in criminal investigations.

In addition, records regarding police shootings and other incidents involving deadly uses of force would be made public – either after 180 days or after an investigation, whichever occurs first.

Ruesta was a member of a Fresno State feminist organization People Organized for Women’s Empowerment and Representation (POWER). POWER and other campus organizations formed the Students Against Sexual Assault Caucus.

While part of the caucus, she spoke with victims of sexual assault. For this reason,

AB 2505

AB 2408 SQE will also lobby for AB 2408, which would make a three-unit ethnic studies course a general education requirement for graduation. Ruesta said history education is not comprehensive and inclusive of all cultures – but ethnic studies courses could help bridge the gap.

“A lot of racism is born from fear of the unknown,” Ruesta said. “Having an ethnic

studies requirement might allow these people to be more intuitive.”

Cristina Herrera, chair of the department of Chicano and Latin American studies, says that ethnic studies courses are especially important for those who live in California.

“How can we deny ethnic studies to our students who live and work in the most diverse state in the country” Herrera said. “All students, regardless of ethnicity, should be exposed to ethnic studies to critically reflect on this country’s disturbing histories of racism, violence and the erasure of our stories.”

Faculty SQE will also lobby in favor of allocating $50 million toward hiring more tenure track faculty. Ruesta said that tenure track faculty are crucial to students’ education because they’re able to offer additional hours to help students, rather than part-time staff.

See LEGISLATION, Page 3

OPINION

GOT OPINIONS? We want to hear them.

COLLEGIAN-OPINION@CSUFRESNO.EDU WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018

2

CAMPUS COLUMN

Today’s McLane Annex buildings aren’t the first ‘short term’ buildings to appear on campus

By Dan Waterhouse

W

hile strolling along San Ramon Mall, I’ve noticed the growing number of temporary buildings there again. They harken memories of hideous structures that were there back in my undergrad and graduate days.

When I transferred to Fresno State from Fresno City College in 1975, San Ramon Avenue (it was still a street then, just blocked off with pipes with chains strung between them) was lined with one-and two-storied buildings between Jackson and Maple avenues. They housed classrooms and faculty offices.

We students were told they were only supposed to be on campus for at most 10 years until permanent buildings were constructed. Several lasted for more than 30 years. Their surviving that long serves to illustrate the difficulty Fresno State had in getting needed buildings built.

Just east of Jackson on the north side of San Ramon stood a large two-storied wood frame structure that hosted a few classrooms and business faculty offices.

That one lasted until Engineering East was built in the 1980s. Across the way was a one-story brown wood building, which was the home for the recreation adminis-

tration department mostly. That one survived into the 1990s.

To the east of rec administration’s temporary home, next to the parking lot behind Jordan Agricultural Sciences, was another two-storied wood frame building

Students deliver crayons, coloring books to Valley Children patients

Ramuel Reyes • The Collegian

Media, Communications and Journalism professor Dr. Tamyra Pierce (center) with students holding the color books they created in class for the patients at Valley Children’s Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House on April 27, 2018.

The Collegian is a student-run publication that serves the Fresno State community. Views expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff or university. collegian.csufresno.edu

Collegian File Photo

The Veteran Services annex office are located north of the Fresno State campus.

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which became notorious on several counts.

It housed the English and Chicano studies departments for many years.

In the early 1970s, then-University President Norman Baxter sent campus police to seize the department’s offices during a dispute with his administration.

The cops famously padlocked the file cabinets in the department chair’s office and sealed the doors after removing the door knobs.

The other famous incident led to the building, being condemned and finally demolished in the 1990s. An English instructor was standing in the department office upstairs when he suddenly plunged through the floor into an office below. The building was cleared and a hasty survey by building inspectors revealed tons of rot and mold. There was so much that the building was unsafe to occupy.

I’d occasionally have business at that building and it always made me nervous.

The plywood of the second-story office floors and walkway would sag and ripple whenever you walked, and the building itself would sway a little.

You had to wonder if a stiff breeze might finish it off. Toward the end of its life, the layers of plywood were visibly separating due to years of rain and dew. Few tears were shed when that building was finally bulldozed.

There were two temporary buildings near Agricultural Mechanics. They were both one story. One was finally removed

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and the other replaced with another “temporary” after it too became too dilapidated. The replacement lasted close to 10 years before it was torn down and replaced by grass.

Although most temporaries were located along San Ramon, there were other temporaries elsewhere on campus. There were several in a cluster near Peters Business and some more across Keats Avenue from the Laboratory School complex that served University High School until a permanent home was built in 2010.

The Bulldog Card office was housed in a stray trailer behind Family and Food Sciences for many years. After the temporaries along San Ramon were removed and the old street reconstructed into the pleasant walkway it is now, I was hopeful the era of flimsy buildings there was over.

I was heartened further by the disappearance of all the others. Removal equaled huge aesthetic improvement.

Then the “McLane Annex” appeared a few years ago. Hopefully, they won’t spawn another outbreak of “short term” temporary structures that end up staying for 20 or 30 years.

Dan Waterhouse writes The Collegian’s Campus Column, which prints on Wednes- days. Waterhouse is a lifelong Fresnan. He has written for the Fresno City College and Fresno State student newspapers over the years, including other local publications. Follow him on Twitter: @WaterhouseDan

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The news stories or opinions in the supplements do not reflect those of The Collegian.

Each member of the campus community is permitted one copy of The Collegian. Subscriptions are available for $25, on a semester basis. Staff positions at The Collegian are open to students of all majors. All content Copyright © 2018 The Collegian.

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018

PAGE 3

LECTURE

There’s ‘another side’ to each president, historian says

By Hayley Salazar @Hayley_Salazarr

G

eorge Washington “loved to be loved.”

Abraham Lincoln had second thoughts on the Emancipation Proclamation.

Harry Truman didn’t receive an elite education, and Lyndon B. Johnson’s knack for friendship helped him to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Those topics were discussed in-depth at “Leadership in American Politics,” a Save Mart Center lecture by presidential historian and best-selling author Michael Beschloss.

Beschloss revealed “another side” of former U.S. presidents and historical leaders and spent many minutes describing the “qualities of great presidents.”

His lecture was part of Fresno State’s President’s Lecture Series.

Beschloss said that a president’s willingness to forfeit popularity, to make certain groups unhappy, their sense of history and ability to work with “the other side” are all key characteristics that lead to success in office.

He also outlined how presidents have “screw[ed] up,” including Franklin D. Roosevelt’s violation of Japanese-Americans’ civil liberties with Executive Order 9066 and Lyndon B. Johnson’s decision to send troops to Vietnam when there was no hope of winning the war, as he privately remarked.

Beschloss took the audience back in time to show the difference between seeing presidents in “real time” and researching them as a historian.

“Things that we are obsessed

LEGISLATION from Page 1

“A lot of the conversations that I had with my professors is what gave me enough confidence to apply to a master’s program,” Ruesta said. “It happened outside of the classroom – when I went into the office and talked one-on-one.”

SQE will also continue to advocate for increased funding for CSUs. Gov. Jerry Brown’s January budget allocated $92 million for the CSU system. Some have argued that the state government can and should increase funding allocated toward CSUs.

Benjamin Cruz • The Collegian

Historian and best-selling author Michael Beschloss presents his lecture titled, “Leadership in American Politics” to an audience at the Save Mart Center on April 30, 2018. The lecture was part of the President’s Lecture Series at Fresno State.

with in real time often times, I guarantee you, 40 years later will turn out trivial,” Beschloss said.

“But also things 40 years from now we think were hugely decisive and important may be things that we don’t even know about in real time.”

He said that historical re-

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“The money is there,” Ruesta said. “Research shows that the state of California [is] one of the richest states in the country.”

Ruesta said that tuition-free higher education is an investment toward the state of California overall.

“The more educated people that you have in the state, the more progress you’re able to make,” she said.

search takes about 40 years after a president leaves office to collect information that fully develops a president’s character and method of operating.

The research often includes letters, diaries and tape recordings. Beschloss said he used taped conversations from former

President Johnson to help write his latest biography.

During a Q&A portion of the lecture, an audience member was curious as to how historians will view President Donald Trump’s presidency in the future.

“The honest answer is I don’t know,” Beschloss said. “As a rule

of thumb” historians wait the 40year period whether they like the president or not, he said.

Through his storytelling, Beschloss offered insight into presidents’ lives and terms, many which have only been read about in vague descriptions in history textbooks.

SOCIAL WORK

Students meet with faculty after protest

By Bineet Kaur @hellobineet

Students from the Fresno State social work program met with faculty on Tuesday to discuss their concerns about graduate school admission policies.

The meeting came several weeks after students protested recently released admission decisions to the Master of Social Work (MSW) program.

The students had spoken out on a number of issues, including removing the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) from the list of requirements to apply to the master’s program and the need for an established social work writing course.

Some students were concerned that just one-third of MSW students had been bachelor

of social work undergraduates.

After the protest, Martha Vungkhanching, chair of the Fresno State department of social work education, wrote a letter to the editor to The Collegian to address some of the students’ concerns.

Vungkhanching said that for the 2018-19 school year, 50 percent of those admitted to the MSW program were bachelor of social work undergraduates. She said the percentage fluctuates from year to year.

The Collegian was asked to leave Tuesday’s meeting before it began. After the meeting ended, The Collegian spoke with the students who stayed for the meeting.

Student Sandy Vongthong said an item discussed was the GRE examination and the burden it often poses for some students.

She said that people with

more income may have a stronger chance of scoring well on the exam – raising equity issues, she said. She also explained that the study materials from Kaplan to prepare for the exam can cost between $500 and $1,000.

“I’m a single mom and a fulltime student,” Vongthong said.

“I can’t afford to pay for that test prep to do better on the GRE.” Avelina Charles, an undergraduate social work student, agreed with the proposed changes to the department admission criteria after communicating with faculty members.

She said she hopes the efforts by students will help build a better path for the aspiring graduate.

“The reason we’re doing this is not to help us, but to help the future social work students,” Charles said.

A&E

4

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018

REVIEW

Lin-Manuel Miranda proves his genius (again)

By Selina Falcon @SelinaFalcon



I

MASTERFUL

f you saw someone walking across campus toward The Bucket Tuesday afternoon with tears streaming down her face, it was probably me.

On Monday, playwright and all-around incredible human being Lin-Manuel Miranda released “First Burn,” the latest installment of his “Hamildrop” series.

“Hamildrops” are monthly releases of brand new “Hamilton” content, announced

by Miranda at the end of 2017. “Hamilton” is the hip-hop Broadway musical written by Miranda that tells the story of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.

What was initially so special about “Hamilton” was its casting of people of color to play white historical figures, and the fact that it was one of the first of its kind in regards to being a musical about history largely told through hip-hop and rap songs.

“First Burn” is the original draft of what would become “Burn,” a song originally sung and performed by Phillipa Soo that comes at a heightened point in the musical when Eliza, Hamilton’s wife, learns of his infidelity.

“First Burn” is performed by five of the current and former women who have played Eliza in the show: Lexi Lawson (Broadway), Julia K. Harriman (first national tour), Shoba Narayan (second national tour), Rachelle Ann Go (West End) and Arianna Afsar (original Chicago company).

The first time I listened through the “Hamilton” original cast recording, “Burn” was a song that hurt to listen to. You feel every ounce of Eliza’s pain and Hamilton’s betrayal. It was a song that brought me to tears three years ago and continues to do so today.

So, I thought I was prepared for “First Burn.” Surely Miranda already put what would wreck our emotions the most into the final version of “Hamilton,” right? No new version of “Burn” could make us feel that emotional again, right? Wrong and wrong.

I think Miranda was aware that he needed to amp “First Burn” up a bit and so he called in not one Eliza, but five – all of whom earned their roles in Hamilton with their strong and powerful voices that can convey emotion incredibly well.

“First Burn” is more upbeat in comparison to “Burn,” which is one of the show’s more emotional ballads. Most of the lyrics remained the same with the exception of a few.

“I’m burning the letters you wrote me/ You can stand over there if you want/I don’t know who you are/I have so much to learn/

Chris Sweda • Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service

The cast of “Hamilton” takes a bow during a curtain call as the production makes its Chicago premiere on Oct. 19, 2016, at PrivateBank Theatre in Chicago.

I’m re-reading your letters/And watching them burn,” Afsar sings in “First Burn.”

In “Burn,” Soo sings, “I’m re-reading the letters you wrote me/I’m searching and scanning for answers/In every line/ For some kind of sign/And when you were mine/ The world seemed to/Burn” “Burn” is more painful and steeped in betrayal, while “First Burn” is that, but also more in your face and angry, which I love.

Perhaps my favorite line, and the other major differences between the two songs, comes from lines sung by all five Elizas: “And when the time comes/Explain to the children/The pain and embarrassment/You put their mother through/When will you learn/That they are your legacy?/We are your legacy.”

“First Burn” is my favorite of the “Hamildrops,” next to “Found/Tonight,” a “Dear Evan Hansen” and “Hamilton” mashup sung by Miranda and Ben Platt that was released in March. Miranda and Platt performed the song at the March For Our Lives rally in D.C., and a portion of the song’s proceeds went to the March For Our Lives initiative.

So far, Miranda has released five “Hamildrops,” including “First Burn.” He said he will continue to release one every month through 2018.

If they continue to be as good as they have been, we are in for an exciting rest of the year.

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THE COLLEGIAN • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018

MUSIC

PAGE 5

A&E BRIEF

Lance Bass waited to come out as gay to save *NSYNC Fleetwood Mac tickets available Friday

Walter Michot • Miami Herald/Tribune News Service

*NSYNC member Lance Bass and Michael Turchin renew their vows at the “Love is Love” beach wedding on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Feb. 5, 2015, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

By Kate Feldman New York Daily News

Lance Bass stayed in the closet for the sake of *NSYNC. As the boy band accepted its Hollywood Walk of Fame star Monday, the former member spoke about his decision to come out as gay in 2006, years after *NSYNC members went their separate ways.

“Growing up in Mississippi and in a Southern Baptist church, in a town where everyone knows your business, I had a secret: I was gay,” Bass said.

“Yes, guys, I’m gay! I am! And at the time, I thought that I would never be able to tell

Clovis Community College

anyone because not only was I terrified of the lasting rejection – I was certain that that would happen – but more than that I didn’t want to jeopardize the careers of these guys up here, much less the hundreds of amazing people who worked tirelessly to bring *NSYNC to the world.”

Bass, now 38, revealed in a 2006 People magazine cover story that he’s gay. Today, he’s married to painter and actor Michael Turchin. Their December 2014 wedding, which aired on E!, was the first same-sex ceremony shown on cable television.

“I thought if I had come out, *NSYNC would be over. So I kept my secret. And our wildest dreams were coming true, and we were so incredibly thankful – and I still am.

10309 North Willow Avenue | Fresno, CA 93730 (559) 325-5200 | www.cloviscollege.edu

But so many nights onstage, I’d see so many young, gay fans singing their hearts out, and I wanted so badly to let you know, I was you.

I just didn’t have the strength then,” Bass said during the Walk of Fame unveiling.

“But I do today and so let me say loud and proud to all my LGBT brothers and sisters, who embrace me and show me the way to be who I am, thank you so much.”

Bass reunited with Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, JC Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick for the special event, along with speakers Ellen DeGeneres and Carson Daly.

Over the weekend, the band also celebrated its Los Angeles pop-up, “The Dirty PopUp,” and sat in on Timberlake’s Man of the Woods concert in Inglewood.

Francine Orr • Los Angeles Times/ Tribune News Service

Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie, left, and lead singer Stevie Nicks, right, during the Classic West festival at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 16, 2017.

Grammy Award-winning band Fleetwood Mac has announced a Dec. 6 stop at the Save Mart Center for its North American tour that kicks off in October.

The tour will feature the newly announced lineup of Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Stevie Nicks and Christine McVie, along with newcomers Mike Campbell and Neil Finn.

Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. and can be purchased at ticketmaster.com, by phone at 800-7453000 or at the Save Mart Center box office.

Prices are $69.50, $99.50, $149.50 and $229.50.

NEWS

6

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018

AGRICULTURE

Fresno State awarded funds for irrigation research

By Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado @cres_guez

File/Roe Borunda

The Center for Irrigation Technology was established as a testing lab and educational and research facility. The center works with eight Valley counties advocating and lobbying for water projects.

CAMPUS

Petting zoo visits dorms

Benjamin Cruz • The Collegian

The Fresno State University Courtyard hosts a petting zoo outside Sequoia Hall for a chance for students to destress before final examinations begin on April 30, 2018.

By Bineet Kaur @hellobineet

To relieve some end-of-semester stress, students at the Fresno State dormitories got to interact with farm animals.

On Monday, the usually empty lawn outside Sequoia Hall was transformed into a miniature zoo that included animals such as a miniature donkey, a miniature horse and rabbits.

Alyssa Alamilla, resident director for the dormitory suites, said the makeshift zoo was set up to provide students with an outlet to relax as finals week nears.

“We just wanted to have something for the residents to be able to come out and have a nice little stress reliever,” Alamilla

said. “Self-care is always important.”

Michele Dunlap, the assistant director of housing, said that students face an array of challenges while living in the dorms – making stress relief even more crucial for them.

“Whether it’s roommate stress, financial stress [or] family stress,” Dunlap said.

“Lots of things are happening to our students. So, being able to provide an outlet for that is something that we’re really excited about.”

Taylor Coleman, who lives in the dorms, said that she enjoyed the petting zoo because she doesn’t always get to interact with animals, as the dormitories don’t allow any pets other than fish.

A group of universities, including Fresno State, and agriculture industry companies were awarded $5 million to advance irrigation technology research.

Fresno State Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology spokesman Geoff Thurner said Tuesday that the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research sponsored the grant that was given to the companies and universities so they can launch an Irrigation Innovation Consortium to develop water and energy-efficient technologies.

Fresno State and the other recipients will match the grant to raise it to $10 million. From there, researchers from the public sector and the agriculture industry will co-develop, test, prototype and improve innovations, equipment, technology and decisions and information systems designed to equip farms of the future with

“cutting-edge technologies and strategies,” Thurner said in a news release.

Federal agencies like the Agriculture Research Service in the U.S. Department of Agriculture will work with the groups in the consortium to address critical water challenges facing the industry, Thurner added.

Following the research, the consortium is expected to share the results with the public.

“Our campus water and energy technology researchers and facilities can provide critical leadership in the areas of field and laboratory testing,” said Dr. David Zoldoske, project manager for Fresno State.

The consortium includes Fresno-based Jain Irrigation, Modestro-based Rubicon Water, the Irrigation Association, Lindsay Corporation and Northern Water. Colorado State University, Kansas State University, University of Nebraska and Texas A&M University are the other universities working with Fresno State.

For more information on the consortium, contact Madeleine O’Conner, moconnor@foundationfar.org or 202-590-7613.

“Studying law in the heart of the Central Valley has given me the ability to pursue a career in law without having to abandon the network of professionals I built while studying accounting at Fresno State.”

Jesus Pereda Accounting Major, Fresno State Juris Doctor Candidate

Law School 101 Wednesday, may 23, 2018 from 7-9pm You’re invited to this free program to learn more about the legal profession and what a law degree can do for you!

At this forum you will be introduced to law school, from courses offered to admission requirements.

Register now at www.sjcl.edu or 559/323-2100

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018

THE COLLEGIAN • SPORTS

PAGE 7

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

Reliever relives experience at Fresno State

By Michael Ford @MFordCollegian

S

oftball has always been a part of her life. Now, as Fresno State Bulldogs senior softball relief pitcher Sarah Santana nears the end of her playing career, she appreciates the journey that she has taken to become the person she is today.

Santana wanted to be a Bulldog from a very early age. Although she was born in Miami Beach, Florida, she and her family moved to the Central Valley as she started third grade and considers herself a locally grown player and person.

“I basically grew up here watching Fresno State softball, and that is always where I wanted to play; Valley pride and family feel, all of that,” Santana said.

Before she could fulfill her dream of being a Bulldog, Santana had to make a quick detour to Fresno City College. There, Santana was the ace of the pitching staff and won 2016 NorCal Pitcher of the Year honors.

This dominance in the circle garnered much attention from universities looking to recruit her.

For a time, it seemed as if Santana would not be a Bulldog, she said. Santana went to the California State University Stanislaus but said that being there wasn’t a good fit for her.

But the uncertainty of where she would play was not behind her. Santana first was recruited hard by California State Univer-

I had to embrace that role and take it as a new challenge.

— Sarah Santana, pitcher sity, Bakersfield, so hard in fact that she verbally committed to going there.

One thing about verbal commitments is that they are not set in stone, in this case to the benefit of the Bulldogs.

Santana said that she got wind that recently hired Fresno State softball head coach Linda Garza was interested in bringing her on board, much to the delight of Santana. The real possibility of her playing for her dream school was revived.

When I found out Garza became the coach, I got her contact information and she expressed interest and so I dropped my verbal [commitment] to Bakersfield about three weeks before school started,” Santana said.

Being at Fresno City, she said that she was the team’s workhorse. But Santana said that she was never under a false impression about what her role would be at Fresno State.

As a Bulldog, her playing time significantly decreased. Although she knew ahead of time this would be the case, it was not easy for her to get used to, at first.

“When I first came in, I’m not going to lie, it was something that I struggled with

Fresno State Athletics

Right-handed pitcher Sarah Santana pitched fifteen innings this season as a reliever for the ‘Dogs.

a little bit. But honestly where I am at, I just want to see my team win. We win together, and we lose together, and it doesn’t matter if I play a specific part in it every single time,” Santana said. “I know my energy and just being ready – as long as we are holding the trophy at the end of the day, we win together and that is all I care about.”

Luckily for her and the team, she learned to embrace her role as a relief pitcher saying that it fit her competitive personality.

“Right now my role is relief and to come in and close during pressure situations. I had to embrace that role and take it as a new challenge,” Santana said.

In this 2018 season, the Bulldogs have had a remarkable run and although Santana has thrown just 15.2 innings total in the team’s 48 games, she said that her enthusiasm for the game has allowed her to keep

a positive attitude.

She said that at the end of the day, winning is all that she cares about.

If she and her team get their way, they will be holding up an NCAA Championship trophy after her last game.

“I have played softball my whole life, and I am a super-competitive person. That is why I like being a pitcher because of the pressure aspect of it…I really thrive in those situations.”

And the competition is what she will miss the most, she said.

Once her playing days are over, Santana said, she will be far from being done with the game she so dearly loves.

Majoring in kinesiology with a focus on physical education, Santana wants to get her master’s degree and is about four classes away from earning her teaching credential so that she can become a physical education teacher and softball coach.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

Mountain West Championships after defeating No. 10 Utah, 4-1 in the quarterfinals and No. 3 San Jose State, 4-0 in the semifinals.

“After we got out of that first round, we really just believed in ourselves. That was key,” Stotland said.

The ‘Dogs faced the Rebels on April 29 in the Championships.

Sophomore Katerina Stlouklova clinched Fresno State’s second MW title in five years in three sets right after England native Georgia Lawson and junior Olivia Noble secured a pair of straight-set wins in singles.

The ‘Dogs are also going into the NCAA tournament with a league-best three AllMW singles selections in junior Emma Wilson, sophomore Juliane Triebe and Stlouklova as well as a All-MW doubles team selection in Wilson and Lawson.

The second round will start at 3 p.m. on May 12 at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

The winner of the four-team regional will advance to the Round of 16 in the Wake Forest Tennis Complex in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and compete for the national championships from May 17-22.

from Page 8

tournament with a Mountain West title, a 3-1 conference record and a hot streak to go with it. They have won eight of their last nine matches.

“We have a chance to beat an amazing team like UCLA. I know our team is much more excited this time around, and we’re playing at the highest level we have all year,” Stotland said.

The Bruins are coming in hot as well. The team just finished runner-up to Stanford in the Pac-12 Conference. It boasts a 20-5 record and 1-0 record over Fresno State earlier this season.

“I think the progression started in the fall, and we just keep getting better,” Stotland said. “We peaked at the right time. Before the tournament, we started to get on a win streak and every match we just got better and more relaxed. When we’re relaxed we’re a very good team.”

The ‘Dogs punched their ticket to the

SPORTS

8

WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 2018

BASEBALL

Bulldog bats miss the mark

The Diamond ‘Dogs fell to Pepperdine on May 1, 2018 at Pete Beiden Field in Bob Bennett Stadium, 2-0.

By William Ramirez @willoveslakers2

F

resno State’s bats went missing at the most crucial times in the Bulldogs’ 2-0 loss on Tuesday to Pepperdine.

The Diamond ‘Dogs had two runners on with nobody out on two occasions; neither of those occasions resulted in runs.

The first instance came in the fifth inning, with right fielder Nate Thimjon on first base and designated hitter Zach Presno on second base. The next three ‘Dogs failed to manufacture hits. The same happened in the following inning, this time with shortstop Korby Batesole on first and second

baseman Jeremiah Burks on second.

In the eighth, with two outs this time, the ‘Dogs’ Zach Ashford and Burks were left stranded.

“Every time it seems like we had a runner in scoring position tonight, we ripped a ball and to come up with no runs, but that is going to happen occasionally in baseball,” said head coach Mike Batesole.

The Waves were not necessarily much more efficient with their bats. They finished with the same amount of hits as the ‘Dogs, and left one more runner on base. The deciding factor was the Waves’ ability to capitalize on one of their offensive opportunities, whereas Fresno State was unable to capitalize on any.

With runners on first and second and

one out at the top of the fifth, Waves shortstop Chase Lambert hit a ground ball that zoomed down the left field line and resulted in a double, driving home the first run of the game.

That same inning, the second run was driven home via fielder’s choice.

The ‘Dogs’ offensive struggles did not follow them into the defensive side. Both pitching and fielding excelled against the Waves.

When line drives and fly balls needed to be caught, and ground balls needed to be fielded, the ‘Dogs infield and outfield proved to be very reliable.

Mitchell said their fielding was the most commendable aspect of their game against the Waves.

Fresno State Athletics

“I got to give it to our infield. We don’t really [miss] ground balls, we make the hard plays, and I like that,” right-handed starting pitcher Nikoh Mitchell.

Mitchell was one of four pitchers that took the mound for the Bulldogs, all of whom had relatively effective outings. Together, they only allowed eight hits and two earned runs.

The Waves’ pitching and fielding were equally dependable, allowing no runs and making no errors. Six pitchers combined for the shutout.

Moving forward, Mitchell hopes that the team is able to carry the positives from the game into this weekend’s series at the University of Nevada. That series starts Friday at 6 p.m.

WOMEN’S TENNIS

MW champions set to compete on national level

By Vanessa Romo @vanesssaromo

Fresno State will head to No. 12 seed UCLA for the first round of the NCAA Women’s Tennis Championships on May 11.

“It’s an exciting time for us,” head coach Ryan Stotland said. “UCLA is a great team and presents a tough challenge ahead. We played them earlier in the year and lost, but I think we’re at a different spot right now.”

The news comes days after the ‘Dogs won the Mountain West Championships in Boise, Idaho, against No. 1 UNLV, 4-2.

The UCLA match is set for 1 p.m. at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

The ‘Dogs are entering the NCAA

See WOMEN’S TENNIS, Page 7

Fresno State Athletics

The Fresno State women’s tennis team is set to face No.12 UCLA in the first round of the NCAA Championships after winning the Mountain West Championships on April 29, 2018.