Bulldogs wrap up nonconference play in Santa Barbara

Wednesday, April 19

Santa Barbara, Calif.

3 p.m. PT

Fresno State

UC Santa Barbara

Bulldogs wrap up nonconference play in Santa Barbara

4/18/2017 1:07:00 PM | Softball

Fresno State Game Notes (PDF)MW Weekly Release (PDF)

Fresno State Softball takes on UCSB on Wednesday at 3 p.m. PT at Campus Diamond

By: Jason Kelm / Communications Assistant

Fresno State (25-17, 5-6 MW) at UCSB (24-20, 5-4 Big West)
Santa Barbara, Calif. – Campus Diamond

Game 43: Wednesday, April 19 – 3 p.m. PT
- TV: None
- Radio: None
- Live Stats: Click Here

Bulldogs WRAP UP NONCONFERECE PLAY IN SANTA BARBARA
The Fresno State softball team wraps up nonconference play at UC Santa Barbara on Wednesday at 3 p.m. PT at Campus Diamond. The Bulldogs will then finish up their schedule with two home and two road Mountain West series.

The Bulldogs (25-17, 5-6 MW) own the all-time series 64-12 against UCSB (24-20, 5-4 Big West). The last time the two teams met, the Bulldogs came out ahead 7-2 in 2015, but their last matchup in Santa Barbara went the way of the Gauchos in a 5-2 victory in 2013.

Fresno State is 20-11 in nonconference games this season, including 5-1 against the Big West. The Bulldogs currently have an RPI of 46, while the Gauchos sit at 96. The 'Dogs are 7-6 vs. teams with an RPI between 51-100, while UCSB is 1-6 versus top 50 RPI teams. Among similar opponents, Fresno State and the Gauchos are both 9-6.

BULLDOG BITES HEADING INTO THE WEEK
- Fresno State has a MW-best RPI of 46. The Bulldogs are 7-6 vs. teams with an RPI between 51-100.
- UC Santa Barbara has an RPI of 96. The Gauchos are 1-6 vs. top 50 RPI teams.
- Fresno State is 20-11 in nonconference games this year, including 5-1 vs. Big West.
- Fresno State is 64-12 all-time against UCSB and has won six of the last seven meetings.
- Fresno State defeated UCSB 7-2 in their last meeting on Feb. 27, 2015, in Fresno.
- Fresno State fell to UCSB 5-2 in their last Santa Barbara meeting in Feb. 2013.
- Fresno State leads the MW in runs (230), RBIs (211), triples (13) and walks (151). The Bulldogs rank third in home runs (32) and total bases (485).
- Fresno State pitchers rank third in the MW in ERA (3.23) and strikeouts (198).
- Fresno State sophomore outfielder Morgan Howe ranks second in the MW in on-base percentage (.512) and third in batting average (.426). She has struck out just 12 times and is tied for the team lead with 12 multi-hit games.
- Fresno State sophomore pitcher Kamalani Dung leads the MW with six shutouts, most recently blanking Santa Clara last Thursday. She also leads the MW with 156.0 innings pitched, ranks second in wins (16), third in strikeouts (135), fourth in opposing batting average (.215) and fifth in ERA (2.24).
- Fresno State senior outfielder Kierra Willis leads the MW with 29 walks this season and owns Fresno State's all-time walks record with 119.
- Willis is climbing Fresno State's record books in multiple career categories, including batting average, runs, triples, home runs, slugging percentage and RBIs.
- Fresno State junior utility Savannah McHellon ranks fourth in the MW with eight home runs and fifth in RBIs (35).
- Fresno State senior infielder Malia Rivers leads the team with 10 stolen bases and shares the team lead with 12 multi-hit games. She ranks second on the team with a .349 batting average.
- Rivers ranks fourth in program history with 40 career stolen bases and is just outside the top 10 in career batting average (.342).
- Fresno State senior utility Lindsey Willmon ranks seventh in the MW with 29 runs and has the third-best career slugging percentage (.568) in Fresno State history.
- Fresno State sophomore Vanessa Hernandez ranks sixth in the MW with 10 doubles and leads the team with 16 extra-base hits.
- Fresno State is 3-5 in true road games this season.
- Fresno State is 13-1 when scoring in the first inning.
- Fresno State is 13-4 when the Bulldogs score first.
- Fresno State is 17-2 when scoring five runs or more.

ABOUT THE GAUCHOS (24-20, 5-4 Big West)
UC Santa Barbara is under the direction of 10th-year head coach Brie Galicinao. Last weekend, the Gauchos took two of three games from conference opponent CSUN and are also entering their final nonconference matchup of the year.

Offensively, UCSB is led by sophomore infielder Sierra Altmeyer, who leads the team with a .406 batting average, nine home runs and 30 RBIs under her belt this year. Junior outfielder Jessica Johnston has added productive support, hitting .364 with four home runs and 20 RBIs.

The Gaucho pitching staff is led by sophomore Veronika Gulvin, who has gone 17-9 with a 2.73 ERA this year, including four shutouts. She has notched 71 strikeouts in 159.0 innings pitched.

2017 BULLDOG RANKINGS (USA Today/NFCA)
Preseason – #24
Feb. 14 - #21
Feb. 21 - RV
Feb. 28 - NR
March 7 - NR
March 14 - RV
March 21 - RV
March 28 - NR
April 4 - NR
April 11 - NR
April 18 - NR

2017 FRESNO STATE
RPI RANKINGS
March 20 - 30
March 27 - 33
April 3 - 40
April 10 - 42
April 17 - 46

MOUNTAIN WEST RPI RANKINGS (4/10/17)
46 - Fresno State
48 - San Diego State
62 - Utah State
70 - San Jose State
74 - Colorado State
94 - Boise State
100 - Nevada
127 - UNLV
141 - New Mexico

2017 BULLDOGS IN NONCONFERENCE (20-11)
A-Sun - 1-1
Big 12 - 0-1
Big Sky - 2-0
Big Ten - 4-2
Big West - 5-1
Pac-12 - 3-4
SEC - 0-1
WAC - 1-0
WCC - 4-1

2017 BULLDOGS VS RANKED TEAMS
#9 Oregon (L, 4-1 – 2/10/17)
#12 Minnesota (L, 9-2 – 2/24/17)
#8 Washington (L, 5-1 – 3/4/17)
#25 BYU (W, 6-1 – 3/10/17)
#25 BYU (L, 8-6 – 3/11/17)

BULLDOGS SHUT OUT SANTA CLARA, DROP TWO AT CAL
Fresno State began its spring break with a 2-0 shutout at Santa Clara last Thursday. Sophomore pitcher Kamalani Dung recorded her MW-best sixth shutout of the year and allowed just one hit in the game.

Last Friday at Cal, the Bulldogs fell victim to the mercy rule for the first time of the year when the Bears came out ahead 8-0 in five innings. On Saturday, the Bulldogs held a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh until Cal came through and scored two runs to complete the sweep with a 2-1 victory.

BULLDOGS GET SWEPT BY UTAH STATE IN DOUBLEHEADER
Fresno State fell to Utah State 1-0 and 7-4 in a MW doubleheader on April 7, marking the first time since 2012 that the Bulldogs were swept in a conference series. Howe and Willis each recorded home runs in the second game of the day.

BULLDOGS DROP MW SERIES TO NEVADA
Fresno State defeated Nevada with a convincing 9-1 victory in six innings last Friday, but fell 8-4 on Saturday and 7-4 on Sunday. Willmon hit a walk-off three-run home run on Friday and McHellon hit her own three-run home run in the game and added a solo shot on Saturday. Willis became Fresno State's all-time walks leader in the series.

BULLDOGS OUTLAST PACIFIC, 5-4
McHellon hit a three-run home run in the first inning and earned her fifth victory in the circle, while sophomore Kamalani Dung closed out the last two innings to notch her second save of the year on March 29.

The Bulldogs saw five different players get a hit and score a run, while the team walked seven times.

FRESNO STATE TAKES SECOND MW SERIES, DEFEATS BOISE STATE
The Bulldogs won a MW series with Friday and Saturday wins for the second time of the season after defeating Boise State 9-0 in five innings on March 24 and 8-2 on March 25. Fresno State couldn't complete the sweep, falling 2-1 in nine innings on March 26.

Over the three-game span, the Bulldogs were walked 24 times, while the Broncos took only three free passes. Fresno State had three home runs, including two grand slams (McHellon and Hernandez) and an inside-the-park home run. Pitching was a highlight for the 'Dogs, allowing only two earned runs and 12 hits over 21 innings and striking out 17.

On March 24, the Bulldogs hit grand slams in the first and second innings, the first time in program history that Fresno State has hit grand slams in consecutive innings.

BULLDOGS RALLY TO DEFEAT BAKERSFIELD, 13-11
Fresno State was down by seven in the first inning and came back to defeat the Roadrunners on March 21, using four pitchers and needing a grand slam from Howe in the process. Senior Malia Rivers had a career-high four hits in the game while junior transfer Sarah Santana earned the victory in her first appearance of the season.

BULLDOGS WIN FIRST MW SERIES OF THE SEASON
Fresno State defeated San Diego State in two out of three games in its first MW series of the year March 17-19. The Bulldogs recorded double-digit hits in each game.

On March 17, Fresno State won 10-7, hitting four home runs in the process. On March 18, the Bulldogs won 7-6 in a back-and-forth game that saw three lead changes. On March 19, Fresno State fell 6-3 while the Bulldogs sent three pitchers into the circle.

The Bulldogs and Aztecs were picked to finish first and second, respectively, in the MW Preseason Coaches' Poll.

FRESNO STATE INVITATIONAL
Fresno State went 4-1 in the Fresno State Invitational March 10-12 with wins against No. 25 BYU (6-1), Oregon State (4-1, 6-2) and Sacramento State (5-2). The Bulldogs fell to No. 25 BYU 8-6 in eight innings.

Over the weekend, McHellon went 2-0 with a 0.91 ERA and notched her first save of the season. She struck out five batters in her three appearances while allowing eight hits and three walks in 15.1 innings. At the plate, McHellon had four hits, including a double, and drove in five runs.

Willis hit her second and third home runs of the season and drove in five runs as well. Hernandez knocked her second ball over the fence and notched four RBIs, while Rivers had a team-high seven hits over the five games, recording five runs and five RBIs.

JUDI GARMAN CLASSIC
Fresno State went 3-2 at the Judi Garman Classic March 2-4 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 on March 2 and notched her career-high ninth victory against Indiana on March 3.

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.