Fresno State Athletics
Friday, March 30
Albuquerque, N.M.
5:00 PM PT
Fresno State
18-15, 3-2
14
at
4 (5)
New Mexico
9-25, 2-5
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Fresno State
0
0
7
5
2
14
11
1
New Mexico
1
3
0
0
0
4
5
0
Bulldogs slug their way to a 14-4 run-rule win at New Mexico
3/30/2018 8:12:00 PM | Softball
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M – After trailing 4-0 through two innings, Fresno State scored seven runs in the third inning and five in the fourth, sending 19 hitters to the plate over the two innings en route to a 14-4 win over New Mexico in five innings on Friday night.
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Katie Castellon had her first career two-home run game, adding a double and going 3-for-4 with six RBIs. Vanessa Hernandez had a home run and a double as well and drove in four runs as the Bulldogs had a season-high 14 runs.
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Samantha Mejia was fantastic in relief again for Fresno State (18-15, 3-2 MW) as she allowed just two hits and no runs over four innings of work. She has thrown eight scoreless innings and allowed just two hits over two appearances in MW play. New Mexico (9-25, 2-5 MW) starter Alexis Ruel started the game and later reentered and was tagged with 10 earned runs over four total innings.
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How it Happened
New Mexico got on the board quickly in the first inning with a leadoff walk, sacrifice bunt, and an RBI single from Chelsea Johnson. In the second, the Lobos loaded the bases on two infield singles and a walk and scored three times on a bases-loaded walk and a 2-run single from Johnson but left the bases loaded.
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Ruel set down the 'Dogs in order in each of the first two innings but in the third the visitors batted around while tallying seven runs. Fresno State loaded the bases on a single and two walks to start the inning and scored two on a Miranda Rohleder RBI single (watch). Castellon followed with an opposite field 3-run shot to right center (watch) and, with two away, Rachel Minogue singled and Hernandez hit a long homer to center (watch). Â
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The Lobos were able to load the bases again with two out in the third and nearly had a grand slam but Kaitlyn Jennings tracked down a long fly ball to end the inning. Fresno State batted around for the second consecutive inning in the fourth, scoring five times and hitting for the cycle in the inning as Castellon homered again (watch), Hayleigh Galvan had an RBI triple (watch), and Hernandez had a 2-run double.
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Mejia pitched a scoreless bottom of the fourth and the Bulldogs added two more runs in the fifth inning on a Castellon RBI double (watch) and an RBI single from Savannah McHellon. Mejia retired the side in order in the bottom fifth to finish the win via the run rule (watch).
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Notable
The rubber game of the series will begin at 11 a.m. Pacific time on Saturday.
"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:Â @FresnoStateSB
Instagram:Â FresnoStateSoftball
Facebook:Â FresnoStateSoftball
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Katie Castellon had her first career two-home run game, adding a double and going 3-for-4 with six RBIs. Vanessa Hernandez had a home run and a double as well and drove in four runs as the Bulldogs had a season-high 14 runs.
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Samantha Mejia was fantastic in relief again for Fresno State (18-15, 3-2 MW) as she allowed just two hits and no runs over four innings of work. She has thrown eight scoreless innings and allowed just two hits over two appearances in MW play. New Mexico (9-25, 2-5 MW) starter Alexis Ruel started the game and later reentered and was tagged with 10 earned runs over four total innings.
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How it Happened
New Mexico got on the board quickly in the first inning with a leadoff walk, sacrifice bunt, and an RBI single from Chelsea Johnson. In the second, the Lobos loaded the bases on two infield singles and a walk and scored three times on a bases-loaded walk and a 2-run single from Johnson but left the bases loaded.
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Ruel set down the 'Dogs in order in each of the first two innings but in the third the visitors batted around while tallying seven runs. Fresno State loaded the bases on a single and two walks to start the inning and scored two on a Miranda Rohleder RBI single (watch). Castellon followed with an opposite field 3-run shot to right center (watch) and, with two away, Rachel Minogue singled and Hernandez hit a long homer to center (watch). Â
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The Lobos were able to load the bases again with two out in the third and nearly had a grand slam but Kaitlyn Jennings tracked down a long fly ball to end the inning. Fresno State batted around for the second consecutive inning in the fourth, scoring five times and hitting for the cycle in the inning as Castellon homered again (watch), Hayleigh Galvan had an RBI triple (watch), and Hernandez had a 2-run double.
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Mejia pitched a scoreless bottom of the fourth and the Bulldogs added two more runs in the fifth inning on a Castellon RBI double (watch) and an RBI single from Savannah McHellon. Mejia retired the side in order in the bottom fifth to finish the win via the run rule (watch).
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Notable
- Castellon recorded a team season-high six RBIs, the most for a Bulldog since Lindsey Willmon drove in nine runs against Boise State in 2016.
- Castellon had Fresno State's third two-homer game of the year. McHellon recorded the other two.
- Fresno State hit for the cycle in the fifth inning with a home run followed by a single, triple, and double. The 'Dogs also had two walks in the inning.
- With her triple Galvan extended her team season-long hitting streak to 14 straight games. Rohleder has now reached base in 14 consecutive games with a single on Friday.
- Bulldog hitters have drawn 13 walks and only struck out three times through the first two games of the series.
- Friday's game was the 14th Fresno State game this season that was not completed in seven innings. The team has now played 11 games this year that were ended prior to the seventh inning via the 8-run rule.
The rubber game of the series will begin at 11 a.m. Pacific time on Saturday.
"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:Â @FresnoStateSB
Instagram:Â FresnoStateSoftball
Facebook:Â FresnoStateSoftball
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Mejia, Samantha (4-4)
L: FORTNER, Krissy (2-6)
Batting:
2B: Castellon, Katie 1 ; Hernandez, Vanessa 1
3B: Galvan, Hayleigh 1
HR: Castellon, Katie 2 ; Hernandez, Vanessa 1
RBI: Rohleder, Miranda 2 ; Castellon, Katie 6 ; McHellon, Savannah 1 ; Galvan, Hayleigh 1 ; Hernandez, Vanessa 4
Base Running:
RUNS: Rohleder, Miranda 2 ; Castellon, Katie 3 ; McHellon, Savannah 1 ; Galvan, Hayleigh 1 ; Minogue, Rachel 2 ; Hernandez, Vanessa 1 ; Broussard, Schuylar 1 ; Brown, Keala 1 ; Jennings, Kaitlyn 2
SB: Rohleder, Miranda 1
Batting:
RBI: O'GRADY, Cameryn 1 ; JOHNSON, Chelsea 3
SH: TOWNES, Sydney 1
Base Running:
RUNS: O'GRADY, Cameryn 1 ; HALLEEN, Kasey 1 ; BRODERICK, Sydney 1 ; WILBON, Aleyah 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
3
H
3
RBI
6
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
4
R
2
H
1
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
IF
/ Softball
C/OF
/ SoftballOF
/ Softball
OF
/ SoftballDP/RHP
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
IF
/ SoftballIF
/ Softball
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