Fresno State Athletics
`Dogs Power Their Way to a Sweep
2/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball
By: Kimberly Fisher
kimfisher@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
Game 1 Box Score.
Game 2 Box Score.
PALM SPRINGS, Calif.- The Bulldog softball team scored a total of 24 runs in two games on Sunday to pick up a pair of wins over Oklahoma State (16-4) and Loyola Marymount (8-0) on Sunday for the final day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
"It was a great weekend," head coach Trisha Ford said. "We had different people up and down our lineup that contributed. It's exciting as a coach to see players like Bria Kennedy step up when her number is called, and there were several examples of that this weekend. It's still early in the season but I like this team, I really like this team."
Jill Compton threw a complete game against Oklahoma State (3-8) in the first game of the day, leaving the Cowgirls without a hit for the first three innings and accumulating three strikeouts against the first nine batters faced. Compton improves to a 6-3 record on the season with a combined total of 69 strikeouts in the 66.1 innings pitched for the `Dogs.
Bria Kennedy scored first for Fresno State after reaching on a left field double to start the third inning. The two-run inning was continued with Michelle Solomon driving in Brenna Moss to give Fresno State a 2-0 lead heading into the top of the fourth.
For the remaining four innings of the game, the Bulldogs posted at least one hit including a run scored by Kennedy in the fourth, an RBI by Paige Gumz in the fifth, and a pair of hits from Whitney Smith and Brenna Moss in the sixth to put the `Dogs up 6-1.
The `Dogs had their most successful inning of the weekend in the seventh against Oklahoma State, posting 10 runs on nine hits including seven singles and two home runs. Kierra Willis and Alyssa Villalpando both hit their second home run of the weekend in the same inning to tack on four additional runs for the Fresno State and lead the `Dogs to a 16-4 victory over the Cowgirls.
Hannah Harris (4-0) made her first start and third appearance of the weekend against Loyola Marymount in the `Dogs final game at the Mary Nutter Classic. Harris led the Bulldogs to a 8-0 victory over the Lions in five innings with three strikeouts in the 22 batters faced.
The first run of the game was scored by Fresno State's Solomon with a sacrifice fly ball to score Moss in the top of the first. The `Dogs struck again in the fourth inning with a walk drawn by Malia Rivers with the bases loaded that gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.
The `Dogs run ruled Loyola Marymount in the fifth inning after scoring six runs on two hits. Rivers cleared the bases with a shot to centerfield that scored four runs as the result of a Lion fielding error, helping the second baseman to her 10th hit of the weekend at the Mary Nutter Classic.
Six Bulldogs posted a .400 or above batting average over the five-game weekend slate including Willis (.563), Villalpando (.550), Rivers (.526), Moss (.455), Gumz (.412) and Kennedy (.400).
Bulldog softball will host the second tournament of the season at Margie Wright Diamond next weekend, starting on Friday, Feb. 21. The `Dogs will host UC Santa Barbara, Rutgers, Oregon State and Saint Mary's for the first-annual Fresno State Louisville Slugger Bash.
"Be Bold!" - The official home of Fresno State Softball is 790 AM ESPN2 The Deuce. For ticket information contact the Bulldog Ticket Office at 559-278-3647 or log on to www.gobulldogs.com.
