Another Fresno State softball shakeup: Ace pitcher Hailey Dolcini to transfer
Fresno State ace Hailey Dolcini, who put together one of the most dominant seasons in Mountain West history and was honored as the pitcher of the year in the conference, has filed paperwork to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
The senior right-hander last season went 22-5 with an ERA of 1.12 and an opponents batting average of .175, including 13-1 with an ERA of 0.89 and an opponents batting average of .161 in Mountain West games, leading the Bulldogs to a conference championship and their first NCAA Tournament since 2017.
Her ERA overall and in conference games rank third in conference history, and her opponents batting average rank fourth and first.
Dolcini, who transferred to Fresno State from UC Riverside after the 2018 softball season, will graduate in December and be eligible to pitch at another school in 2022.
The paperwork is expected to be finalized and Dolcini in the transfer portal by Thursday afternoon, according to an athletics department source.
The transfer is another blow to first-year coach Stacy May-Johnson and a Bulldogs’ program that was roiled in controversy last season after outfielder Kaitlyn Jennings and former coach Linda Garza were involved in an on-field altercation during the second game of an April 6 doubleheader sweep of Santa Clara.
Garza took a leave of absence three days after that game and did not return to the team while it made its run to the NCAA Tournament. She resigned from Fresno State on June 15, three weeks after the end of the season, and has since been hired at Mountain West rival Nevada.
Jennings said on social media in July that Garza had grabbed her by the jersey after she argued with an umpire who had called her out attempting to steal second base in the third inning, the Bulldogs already leading 8-3.
Fresno State then hired May-Johnson to lead the program, the Bulldogs’ new coach inheriting a roster decimated by transfers and the loss of departing seniors including Jennings, infielders Schuylar Broussard and Miranda Rohleder and catcher/designated players Hayleigh Galvan and Kelcey Carrasco.
Outfielder McKenzie Wilson, who did not play last season due to an injury but in 2019 was the freshman of the year in the conference, transferred to Baylor. Pitcher Dariana Orme also transferred to Baylor, outfielder Kelsey Hall transferred to Boise State and pitcher/utility Lexie Webb transferred to Sacramento State.
Fresno State on its website lists only 16 players on its 2022 softball roster including four recruited by May-Johnson. Dolcini was removed from the roster Wednesday evening.
The only pitchers on the Bulldogs’ 2022 roster are sophomore Cassidy West and senior Danielle Lung. West pitched in four games last season, allowing three hits and four walks but no earned runs in 3.0 innings. Lung appeared in 14 games with 10 starts, going 6-3 with an ERA of 3.05.
This story was originally published September 16, 2021 at 7:10 AM.