Pitcher’s duel goes to the Broncos, 2-1 in eight innings, to open series in Boise

Friday, April 27

Boise, Idaho

3:00 PM PT

Fresno State

29-17, 12-4

2 (8)

Boise State

33-13, 11-5

Fresno State

Boise State

Pitcher’s duel goes to the Broncos, 2-1 in eight innings, to open series in Boise

4/27/2018 7:48:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Andrew Tomsky / Assistant Director of Communications

BOISE, Idaho – Danielle East held the highest scoring team in NCAA Div. I to just two runs, including only one run over the first seven innings of the game, but the Bulldogs fell to Boise State, 2-1, in eight innings in the series opener on Friday.

The Broncos entered the game leading the nation scoring 7.11 runs per game this season, but East allowed just six hits and no walks in the game. She tossed six shutout innings after the Broncos took an early lead, setting down 11 straight batters to send the game into extra innings, but the 'Dogs left 11 runners on base.

Fresno State (29-17, 12-4 MW) had its lead over the Broncos atop the MW standings cut to one game as Boise State (33-13, 11-5 MW) won its sixth straight contest. Fresno State had base runners in all but one inning but pushed just one run across in the fifth.

How it Happened
The Bulldogs loaded the bases with one out in the first on a walk and two hit batters but Gianna Mancha got a pop out and strikeout to strand three. In the home half, Boise State got a leadoff double from Madison Anthony and scored her with a bunt and sacrifice fly.

After the Bulldogs had the bases loaded Mancha went on to retire 11 of the next 13 batters, with the only base runners coming on a pair of two-out hits. East kept the Broncos at bay with some nice defensive plays to end the bottom of the third (watch) and the fourth (watch).

In the fifth inning, Kaitlyn Jennings drew a leadoff walk and reached second on a sacrifice bunt. Katie Castellon hit a grounder up the middle that was snared by the shortstop to get the out at first but Jennings kept running and was able to score all the way from second to tie the game (watch).

After Jennings scored, Hayleigh Galvan had a single and Rachel Minogue doubled to right center but Galvan was thrown out at the plate to end the inning. East hit the leadoff batter in the fifth inning but went on to retire 11 straight into extra innings.

The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the seventh on two walks and a hit batter but the Broncos got a strikeout to end the inning. In the eighth, Vanessa Hernandez had a leadoff single and the 'Dogs had runners on second and third with two out for Jennings, who hit a deep drive to left center that was tracked down on the run by left fielder Jessica McKay to end the inning.

East retired the first two batters in the last of the eighth, but the Broncos then had two singles to put runners on the corners. Kora Wade followed with a liner down the third base line that deflected off the glove of Schuylar Broussard on a dive and enabled the winning run to score from third.

Notable

In addition to leading the nation in scoring the Broncos were also the NCAA Div. I leader hitting .360 as a team and East held them to 6-for-25 (.240) hitting in the game.
Bulldog batters were hit by a pitch four times in the game, marking the 11^th time this season the steam has been hit multiple times. The 'Dogs rank second in NCAA Div. I with 60 hit-by-pitches this season.
The game was the 19^th Fresno State game of the season that was not completed in seven innings. It was the fourth extra-inning game of the year.
Fresno State recorded its 22^nd error-free game of the season.

What's Next
Game two of the weekend series takes place at 3 p.m. Pacific time on Saturday.

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