Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
New Mexico State (Game 1)
Bulldogs Sweep New Mexico State
4/21/2012 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 21, 2012
By Jason Clay
jaclay@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
Game 1 Box Score | Game 2 Box Score
FRESNO, Calif. - Senior pitchers Mackenzie Oakes and Michelle Moses led the Fresno State softball team to the series sweep over New Mexico State by winning both games of Saturday's doubleheader at Bulldog Diamond.
Oakes only allowed four hits in the first game to lead the `Dogs to the 3-1 win and Moses allowed just three hits in the 2-1, game two victory to complete the series sweep. With Hawai'i's loss at Nevada Saturday, Fresno State moves into first place in the WAC standings with a 31-17 overall record and 11-2 mark in the WAC.
"[New Mexico State] handled us pretty good last year, so it was good to see our guys step up and do a good job," head coach Margie Wright said. "I think [both Oakes and Moses] performed well today and it was a good weekend for them."
Sophomore third baseman Vonnie Martin was 4-for-6 on the day with one run scored and two driven in, both of her RBIs coming in the second game 2-1 victory.
"I think she's starting to be a lot more confident," Wright said of Martin's success at the plate. "It takes experience sometimes to get that."
Fresno State opened game one with back-to-back solo home runs in the first inning from Moses and Courtney Moore. It was Moses' 16th home run of the season and the eighth for Moore.
The `Dogs added a run in the sixth on Maria Sio's RBI single to center that scored Vonnie Martin.
After allowing just three hits and no runs in the first six innings, Kelsey Dodd hit a solo home run off of Oakes in the top of the seventh. Oakes retired the next to batters to record her eighth complete game of the season.
She allowed four hits in the game and had three strikeouts against one walk as she improved to 9-4 on the year.
Game two went quiet until the fourth inning when Stesha Brazil and Martin hit back-to-back doubles to give the `Dogs a 1-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, with a no-hitter intact, Tiare Jennings sent a fly ball to the wall in center field. Andrea Ortega was able to make the grab as her back slammed into the wall, keeping the game scoreless and NM State without a hit.
Moses would have her perfect game broken up with two outs in the top of the sixth when Shaleese Javillo singled up the middle.
In the bottom of the seventh, Martin drove in Kaylan Pollard from third on an infield ground out to give Moses an extra insurance run.
That proved to be crucial, as NM State would break up Moses' attempt for a third-straight shutout by scoring one run in the ninth. However, Moses closed out the win to pick up her 20th victory of the season. She struck out six in the game and didn't walk a single batter.
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