Bulldogs host Fresno State Invitational in final games before MW play

Friday, March 10

Fresno, Calif.

2:30 p.m. PT

Fresno State

#25 BYU

Bulldogs host Fresno State Invitational in final games before MW play

3/8/2017 10:42:00 AM | Softball

Fresno State Game Notes (PDF)MW Standings and Results (PDF)MW Stats (PDF)

The four-team, three-day tournament begins Friday at Margie Wright Diamond

By: Jason Kelm / Communications Assistant

FRESNO, Calif. – The Bulldog softball team competes in its final tournament before Mountain West play begins when the Fresno State Invitational kicks off at Margie Wright Diamond on Friday. The Bulldogs (13-8) welcome No. 25 BYU (11-6), Oregon State (13-5) and Sacramento State (4-7-1) and are scheduled to play in five games over the weekend.

All-Tournament tickets start at $14 for adults and $10 for youth/seniors, while single-game tickets start at $7 for adults and $5 for youth/seniors.

FULL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
PROMOTIONS SCHEDULE
PURCHASE TICKETS ONLINE

Friday, March 10
Game 22: #25 BYU (2:30 p.m. PT) – LIVE STATS/790 AM ESPN2
Game 23: Oregon State (5:30 p.m. PT) – LIVE STATS/790 AM ESPN2

Saturday, March 11
Game 24: #25 BYU (3:30 p.m. PT) – LIVE STATS/790 AM ESPN2
Game 25: Oregon State (6 p.m. PT) – LIVE STATS/790 AM ESPN2

Sunday, March 12
Game 26: Sacramento State (11:30 a.m. PT) – LIVE STATS/790 AM ESPN2

BULLDOG BITES HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND
- Fresno State's 13 wins are tied for the most in the MW.
- Fresno State is 3-0 in extra-inning games, most recently defeating Long Beach State, 4-2, in eight innings.
- Fresno State is 6-0 when the Bulldogs score in the first inning.
- Fresno State is 7-1 when the Bulldogs score first and 6-7 when their opponent scores first.
- Offensively, Fresno State leads the MW with 123 runs scored, 110 RBIs and nine triples. The Bulldogs rank eighth in the nation in triples per game (0.43).
- Fresno State pitchers rank second in the MW with 101 strikeouts.
- Fresno State ranks second in the MW in home runs (15), doubles (25) and total bases (244).
- Fresno State ranks third in the MW in runs per game (5.86) and fourth in slugging percentage (.438).
- Sophomore pitcher Kamalani Dung leads the MW and ranks seventh in the nation with four shutouts. Among MW members, Dung is second in wins (9), third in strikeouts (62) and opposing batting average (.192) and sixth in ERA (1.75).
- Junior utility Savannah McHellon is second in the MW with four home runs and ranks fourth in walks (11), seventh in slugging percentage (.633) and eighth in RBIs (15).
- Sophomore outfielder Vanessa Hernandez ranks second in the MW in doubles (6), fifth in RBIs (17) and sixth in runs scored (15).
- Sophomore outfielder Morgan Howe ranks seventh in the MW in batting average (.422) and on-base percentage (.491) and eighth RBIs (15).
- Senior Kierra Willis' nine walks this season place her fourth on the Fresno State all-time walks list. She is 16 walks away from securing the program record.

ABOUT THE No. 25 COUGARS (11-6)
Series: Fresno State leads 9-5
Last meeting: BYU 6, Fresno State 3 (3/18/16 – San Diego, Calif.)
Last Fresno State win: Fresno State 5, BYU 4 (3/1/13 – San Diego, Calif.)

No. 25 BYU is under the direction of 15th-year head coach Gordon Eakin and comes to Fresno State on a four-game winning streak. The Cougars have played a tough schedule thus far, going 2-4 against ranked teams and going in and out of the NFCA Top 25 throughout the season.

Most recently, BYU went 4-1 at the San Diego Classic, defeating San Diego State, Miami (Ohio), Detroit Mercy and Boston University, while falling to McNeese State.

As a team, the Cougars are batting .308 with a 3.50 ERA. Senior McKenna Bull, BYU's career strikeout leader, leads the pitching staff. This season, she is 9-1 with a 1.68 ERA, including three shutouts. Offensively, the Cougars are led by sophomore Libby Sugg (.364 BA, 4 HR, 17 RBI) and senior Ashley Thompson (.314 BA, 4 HR, 14 RBI).

ABOUT THE BEAVERS (13-5)
Series: Fresno State leads 20-7-1
Last meeting: Fresno State 6, Oregon State 6 (3/6/16 – Fullerton, Calif.)
Last Fresno State win: Fresno State 6, Oregon State 0 (3/13/04 – Fresno, Calif.)
Last Oregon State win: Oregon State 16, Fresno State 12 (2/28/15 – Fresno, Calif.)

Oregon State is under the direction of fifth-year head coach, and former Bulldog standout, Laura Berg. The Beavers come to Fresno State on a five-game winning streak. Last weekend at the San Diego Classic, Oregon State defeated Miami (Ohio), UC Davis, McNeese State, Detroit Mercy and San Diego.

As a team, the Beavers are batting .327 with a 3.32 ERA. The team has seen its best pitching production come from senior Taylor Cotton (5-1, 1.34 ERA), most recently being named the Pac-12 Pitcher of the Week after she pitched her first career no-hitter against Miami (Ohio).

Offensively, Oregon State has six players with multiple home runs and ranks 16th in the nation with 6.78 runs per game.

ABOUT THE HORNETS (4-7)
Series: Fresno State leads 34-11
Last meeting: Fresno State 10, Sacramento State 2 (2/21/16 – Fresno, Calif.)
Last Sacramento State win: Sacramento State 3, Fresno State 0 (3/16/13 – Sacramento, Calif.)

Sacramento State is under the direction of fourth-year head coach Lori Perez. Most recently, the Hornets tied with Seton Hall, 2-2, on Tuesday and play against Nevada in a doubleheader on Wednesday.

As of Tuesday night, the Hornets were batting .214 with a 3.54 ERA. Most of the team's pitching has come from senior Taylor Tessier (0-3, 3.97 ERA) and junior Celina Matthias (2-3, 4.48 ERA), while sophomore Sydney Rasmussen has provided the offense with a .346 batting average, three home runs and six RBIs.

2017 BULLDOG RANKINGS (USA Today/NFCA)
Preseason - #24
Feb. 14 - #21
Feb. 21 - RV
Feb. 28 – NR
March 7 - NR

2017 BULLDOGS VERSUS OTHER CONFERENCES
A-Sun - 1-1
Big 12 - 0-1
Big Sky - 1-0
Big Ten - 4-2
Big West - 5-1
Pac-12 - 1-2
SEC - 0-1
WCC - 1-0

JUDI GARMAN CLASSIC
Fresno State went 3-2 at the Judi Garman Classic last week with wins against Long Beach State (4-2), Iowa (11-7) and Indiana (4-3). The Bulldogs fell to No. 8 Washington (5-1) and Northwestern (5-3).

Over the weekend, Dung went 2-1 with a 1.98 ERA and picked up her first save of the season. She struck out a season-high 10 batters against LBSU last Thursday and notched her career-high ninth victory against Indiana on Friday.

The Bulldogs' extra-inning game against LBSU was their third of the season and in their victory over Iowa, scored in double digits for the fifth time this year.

Against Northwestern, freshman Schuylar Broussard hit her first collegiate home run, while sophomore Vanessa Hernandez knocked her first one out this year.

Junior Savannah McHellon's home run against Washington was the only hit for the Bulldogs in the competition.

BULLDOG CLASSIC
Fresno State went 4-2 in the Bulldog Classic Feb. 23-26 with wins against Cal Poly (3-2), UC Davis (3-0, 7-3) and Idaho State (11-6). The Bulldogs fell to now-No. 10 and undefeated Minnesota (9-2) and Cal Poly (2-0).

Over the weekend, Dung went 2-1 with a 0.95 ERA, a .215 opposing batting average and notched 12 strikeouts in 22.0 innings pitched. She came close to a perfect game in Feb. 25's contest against UC Davis, as the first 14 batters were retired and she allowed only two hits with no walks in her fourth shutout of the season.

The Bulldogs' competition on Feb. 23 against Cal Poly went into extra innings and Castellon notched her first walk-off double in the 3-2 victory over eight innings.

Freshman Maddi Hackbarth hit her first collegiate grand slam on Feb. 23 against Idaho State, the first grand slam for a Bulldog since Dominique Jackson on April 30, 2016, and the 10th at home since 1991.

Freshman pitcher Samantha Mejia notched the complete-game victory on Feb. 26 against UC Davis in her first collegiate start. She allowed two earned runs on eight hits with three strikeouts.

PUERTO VALLARTA COLLEGE CHALLENGE
Fresno State participated in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge in Mexico Feb. 23-25, going 2-3 in the tournament and landing three players on the all-tournament team: Dung, Rohleder and Willis. The Bulldogs defeated Florida Gulf Coast, 9-0, and Cal State Fullerton, 12-11, while falling to Mississippi State, 4-1, FGCU, 4-3, and Texas Tech, 9-6.

The Bulldogs played in their first extra-innings game of the season against Cal State Fullerton, defeating the Titans on a walk-off double by Hernandez in the eighth.

Dung went 2-2 over the weekend, including her first collegiate no-hitter against FGCU on Feb. 24, and held opponents to a .208 batting average. Dung, who became the 21st Bulldog pitcher to throw a no-hitter and the first since Jill Compton on March 6, 2015, notched the 73rd in program history. She walked three and struck out six in the game.

Rohleder hit .429 (6-for-14) with four RBIs, five runs scored and three walks, while Willis went 5-for-10 (.500) from the plate with seven walks, three runs and an RBI.

ASU KAJIKAWA CLASSIC
Fresno State began its season with a 4-1 record at the Arizona State Kajikawa Classic Feb. 10-12. The Bulldogs shut out Indiana, 2-0, and Purdue, 4-0, and defeated Stanford 24-8. The 'Dogs' first loss came to now-No. 4 Oregon, 4-1.

The Bulldogs broke the program record for RBIs in a game with 23 against Stanford and tied the records for runs (24) and total bases (40). Rohleder had a stellar showing in the game, going 5-for-5 and coming a double short of hitting for the cycle. She also scored five runs and knocked in three.

Dung went 3-0 and recorded the first two shutouts of her career in the tournament, while holding opponents to a .155 batting average and notching 15 strikeouts in 17.0 innings.

McHellon was named Mountain West Player of the Week following the tournament after hitting .615 (8-for-13) with two home runs, eight RBIs and a 1.154 slugging percentage.

COVERAGE
Fresno State Athletics strives to meet the needs of Bulldog fans around the country by providing several outlets to follow the 'Dogs' 2017 journey. Stay up-to-date with the latest news via Twitter (@FresnoStateSB), Facebook (Fresno State Softball), Instagram (@fresnostatesoftball) and Snapchat (FSAthletics). A full recap and final results can be found at GoBulldogs.com following each competition.

Select Bulldog home games will also be broadcast live on 790 AM ESPN2 Radio, as well as streamed live on the Mountain West Network.

MARGIE WRIGHT DIAMOND SEASON TICKETS
Fans can purchase season tickets starting at $65 for general admission ($39 for youth/seniors), along with the option to reserve either upper ($78) or lower ($130) deck seating. Tickets can be purchased in person at the Bulldog Ticket Office, online at GoBulldogs.com or over the phone at 559-278-3647.

MARGIE WRIGHT DIAMOND MINI PLANS
Fans can purchase 6-, 8- and 10-game flex plans beginning at $54, $64 and $70, respectively.

MARGIE WRIGHT DIAMOND SINGLE-GAME TICKETS
Single-game tickets start at $7 for adults and $5 for youth/seniors.

"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.