3 Inducted During Inaugural Softball Hall of Fame Dinner

Three former Rams softball players were inducted into the Women’s Softball Hall of Fame during a ceremony at the Pardini’s Banquet on Jan. 21.

Surrounded by family and friends, Steve Uyeda, Erica Vollweiler and Nettie Cervantes Nishikawa were inducted at the inaugural event.

.Uyeda started the program 1983 and was the only other softball head coach, other than Rhonda Williams, present. He coached the softball team for 12 years, during which his teams had an overall record 325-240-1 and 143-76-1 in conference games.

His teams had a playoff record of 14-10 and averaged 26 wins per season.

Uyeda said he received news about his induction a few weeks before Christmas.

“I had no inkling of what it would be like,” he said. “I was thinking about the size of the classroom, but to see the people that are here tonight; it’s like a reunion. It has to be one of the greatest days of my life.”

The second nominee, Erica Vollweiler, played for FCC from 1997 to 1998 and left a mark as one of the most dominant players of softball at the college. During her time, Vollweiler won back-to-back conference championships and was a conference MVP in her sophomore year. She was All-Conference both years. Vollweiler has also been named one of the top 25 athletes of all time at Fresno City College.

Vollweiler said she felt “complete shock,” but was honored and grateful to be one of the first players inducted to the FCC softball hall of fame.

The last nominee, Nettie Cervantes Nishikawa, played for two years when Uyeda was coach.  As a pitcher, Cervantes won 19 games and had a 1.23 ERA with 181 strikeouts and only 72 walks. She also fielded her position with .978 percent with three errors in 134 chances. Cervantes also served as as a pitchers and outfielders assistant coach for nine years under Rhonda Williams.

In his induction speech, Uyeda spoke about how valuable Nishikawa was to his team. He recalled a weekend tournament during which he relied almost entirely on Nishikawa and kept asking her to pitch. He said the team didn’t have much depth at the time but won every time  Nishikawa went up to pitch.  Uyeda said, “It was routine for Nettie to throw five and six games in a weekend.”

Nishikawa said she was surprised when she got the call from coach Rhonda Williams about the induction into the FCC women’s softball hall of fame.

“It took a long time for me to sink it in, I guess because I understand Erica and Steve,” she said. “I just had a hard time believing I was even being considered. I was very surprised, very happy and excited.”

The induction event devoted time to celebrating how well connected everyone in the softball program is, from Uyeda coaching Nishikawa who later became an assistant coach under Williams and Vollweiler’s coach.

The connection continues to the present.  Vollweiler coaches the Sanger High School softball team which often plays against Uyeda’s team at San Joaquin Memorial high school.

”I hated it; it’s always to the seventh inning,” Vollweiler said. “I mean he’s a great coach, and it’s intimidating to coach against him.”