Softball splits two games to open Bulldog Classic

Friday, February 16

Fresno, Calif.

3:30 PM

Fresno State

4-2

0 (5)

CSU Bakersfield

0-7

CSU Bakersfield

Fresno State

Softball splits two games to open Bulldog Classic

2/16/2018 9:57:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Andrew Tomsky / Assistant Director of Communications

Tournament Central

FRESNO, Calif. – Savannah McHellon smashed two home runs – including a grand slam – to lead the Bulldogs to an 8-0 run rule win over CSU Bakersfield in five innings before the 'Dogs were on the short end of a 2-0 final against UC Davis on the opening day of the Bulldog Classic.

Fresno State (4-3) walked-off in its third consecutive game in the win over CSU Bakersfield, with Katie Castellon again ending the contest with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. After scoring at least five runs in three straight games the Bulldogs were held off the scoreboard against UC Davis as freshman Brooke Yanez allowed just one hit to record a shutout.

How it Happened (CSU Bakersfield game)
After leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, Fresno State plated its first run in the third inning as McHellon hit a one-out solo home run to deep left field. That was the only run Tiffany Kennedy-Cummings needed as, in her first start as a Bulldog, the junior allowed just three hits and tallied seven strikeouts over four scoreless inning.

The 'Dogs would add a six spot in the fourth inning. A hit by pitch and two bunt singles loaded the bases with none out and freshman Hailee Rios earned her first career RBI as she too was hit by a pitch to force in a run. McHellon was the next batter, and she blasted a 1-1 pitch out to right center for her second grand slam as a Bulldog and fourth total home run in three games.

After the grand slam the 'Dogs loaded the bases again on a walk and two more hit batters and Dominique Jackson hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 7-0. In the bottom of the fifth Miranda Rohleder walked and stole second before Castellon hit a single up the middle to walk-off via the run rule.

How it Happened (UC Davis game)
Yanez entered the night cap with a 0.44 ERA on the season, having allowed just one earned run over 16.0 innings in her first two career starts. She matched up with Danielle East, who earned all three Fresno State wins at the Kajikawa Classic and had thrown a shutout against Stanford. Both East and Yanez earned conference pitcher of the week honors last week (Mountain West for East, Big West for Yanez).

The matchup was as advertised as neither pitcher permitted much. McHellon was the only base runner for either team in the first inning, but her two-out single ended up being the 'Dogs only hit of the game. UC Davis was able to load the bases with one out in the top of the second and, on a fielder's choice groundout, Marissa Jauregui brought in a run from third to give the Aggies the lead.

Fresno State got runners into scoring position in the second and fourth innings but could not score. East pitched out of two bases-loaded jams without any runs scoring, but in the top of the seventh UC Davis doubled its lead after Isabella Leon was hit by a pitch and Ashley Lotoszynski's third hit of the game was an RBI double. The Bulldogs drew a pair of walks and a wild pitch put the potential tying runs at second and third with two out in the bottom of the seventh by Yanez coaxed a fly out to end the game.

Notable

McHellon hit four home runs over an eight at-bat stretch over three games, hitting at least one home run in three straight games.
Kennedy-Cummings has totaled 18 strikeouts over her first 9.1 innings pitched as a Bulldog, allowing just eight hits and one unearned run with a .229 opposing batting average.
Fresno State was 11-0 all-time against UC Davis before the loss on Friday. The Bulldogs improved to 8-1 all-time against CSU Bakersfield.
The game against CSU Bakersfield was the fifth game over Fresno State's first six contests of the season that did not end in the standard seven innings.
Friday's announced attendance for the Fresno State games was 1,105, on par with the 1,101 fans the program averaged per game last year to lead all California schools and rank 13^th in NCAA Div. I.
In the early games on Friday, Pacific beat CSU Bakersfield 8-3 and Pacific beat UC Davis 9-6. Over the two games, Pacific first baseman Sydney Lahners went 6-for-6 with 3 home runs, a double, and 7 RBIs.

What's Next
The Bulldog Classic continues on Saturday with five games beginning at 9 a.m. The 'Dogs are scheduled to face Pacific at 5 p.m. and Saint Mary's at 7:30 p.m. The complete schedule can be found on the Tournament Central page.

"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.

Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateSB
Instagram: FresnoStateSoftball
Facebook: FresnoStateSoftball