Bulldogs back alone in first place with a 5-2 win at Boise State

Sunday, April 29

Boise, Idaho

10:00 AM PT

Fresno State

30-18, 13-5

Boise State

34-14, 12-6

Fresno State

Boise State

Bulldogs back alone in first place with a 5-2 win at Boise State

4/29/2018 5:04:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Andrew Tomsky / Assistant Director of Communications

BOISE, Idaho – For the second time in the last three days freshman Danielle East confounded the highest scoring team in the nation, going the distance without allowing an earned run, and the 'Dogs got homers from Katie Castellon and Hayleigh Galvan to record a 5-2 win in the series finale at Boise State.

Fresno State (30-18, 13-5 MW) reclaimed sole possession of first place in the Mountain West after Boise State (34-14, 12-6 MW) had forged a tie atop the standings with a win on Saturday. Fresno State controls its own destiny in the fight for a conference title with six games remaining in the regular season.

The Bulldogs claimed their 30^th win of the year on Sunday as the program has now recorded 37 consecutive 30-win seasons. After a tough-luck 2-1 loss in eight innings on Friday, East was able to pitch around some uncharacteristic errors by the Bulldogs to allow just two unearned runs. She held the Broncos hitless (0-for-13) with runners in scoring position and allowed just one hit in 17 Boise state at-bats with runners on base.

Castellon was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs and Galvan was 2-for-2 with a homer, a double, and two walks. Miranda Rohleder also had two hits for the Bulldogs while Vanessa Hernandez and Chase LeeHong also drove in runs for the Bulldogs, who hit 5-for-15 in the game with runners on base.

How it Happened
The 'Dogs left a runner at second in the first inning but in the second Savannah McHellon had a leadoff walk and pinch runner Brooke Coates reached third on a sacrifice and interference and scored on LeeHong's RBI single (watch). In the third, Castellon led off with her seventh home run of the year (watch). The 'Dogs then loaded the bases with a double and two walks but could not add to the lead.

The Broncos led off both the first and second innings with doubles but East stranded runners on third both times, getting a strikeout to end the first (watch) and getting out of the second in part thanks to a great sliding catch by LeeHong (watch). Boise State capitalized on a pair of Bulldog fielding errors to tie the game in the bottom of the third, getting the leadoff hitter aboard on an error before scoring on a wild pitch and scoring again on a second error with two out.

In the fourth inning the 'Dogs quickly regained the lead as Rohleder had a one-out double and scored on an RBI single from Castellon (watch). Fresno State would load the bases again and scored one more run on a walk from Vanessa Hernandez. The 'Dogs scored their fifth run in the top of the sixth as Galvan hit her eighth homer of the year on a deep fly ball to right center (watch).

In the sixth inning, the first two Broncos reached on errors and a bunt moved them to 2^nd and 3^rd but East got a lineout (watch) and a ground out to end the inning. Boise State brought the tying run to the plate again in the seventh with a walk and a two-out double but East got a groundout to end the game (watch).

Notable

In her two starts against Boise State, which entered the week leading NCAA Div. in scoring (7.11 runs per game) and batting average (.360), East allowed just four runs (two earned) over 14.2 innings. She permitted just 11 hits and walked only two batters with a 0.95 ERA and .220 opposing batting average.
Boise State reliever Micaela Leal was 7-0 with a 1.72 ERA but the 'Dogs scored two runs against her on Sunday as she took her first loss of the year.
Fresno State hitters drew eight walks in the game, the fourth time the team has had eight walks in MW play.
By virtue of winning the series the Broncos own the tiebreaker with Fresno State in a two-way tie, but Sunday's win gave the 'Dogs the advantage in the event of a three-way tie with San Jose State. The Bulldogs went 4-2 against them while BSU was 3-3 and SJSU was 2-4 in the matchups between the three teams

What's Next
Fresno State plays its final home games of the season next week hosting UNLV for a three-game series. Next Sunday's game will be Senior Day as the five Bulldog seniors will be honored prior to first pitch.

"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.

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