Bulldogs open home series vs. Utah State with 6-1 win

Friday, April 6

Fresno, Calif.

2:30 PM

Fresno State

22-15, 5-2

Utah State

13-20, 3-7

Utah State

Fresno State

Bulldogs open home series vs. Utah State with 6-1 win

4/6/2018 6:20:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Andrew Tomsky / Assistant Director of Communications

FRESNO, Calif. – Danielle East recorded double-digit strikeouts for the fourth time in as many MW games, punching out 10 without issuing a walk, and Vanessa Hernandez had three hits to lead Fresno State to a 6-1 win over Utah State to open a three-game MW series on Friday.

Fresno State (22-15, 5-2) won its fifth consecutive game and improved to 13-5 at home this season, defeating Utah State (13-20, 3-8 MW) for the 41^st time in 55 all-time meetings.

In four MW games pitched East has recorded 49 strikeouts in just 25.2 innings, averaging nearly two strikeouts per inning. She improved to 3-1 with a 2.18 ERA in conference play while tallying her eighth complete game of the season. Among Fresno State's eight hits in the game was a 5^th-inning single from Hayleigh Galvan to extend her hitting streak to 18 straight games, the longest by a Bulldog in more than a decade (watch).

How it Happened
Fresno State left five runners on base over the first two innings but had a two-out rally to get on the scoreboard in the fourth. The first two Bulldogs were retired before Rachel Minogue singled to center and scored on a double by Hernandez (watch). Schuylar Broussard followed with a single through the left side to bring in Hernandez and give the 'Dogs a 2-0 lead (watch).

Utah State left two runners in scoring position in the first and had runners on in the second and third innings before East retired nine consecutive Aggie hitters. The Bulldogs added to their lead in the fifth inning as Hernandez hit her second double of the game to bring in pinch runner Brooke Coates from second (watch). A fielding error moved Hernandez to third and she would score on a ground out. Two batters later Miranda Rohleder singled down the left field line to bring in another run and make the score 5-0 (watch).

The Aggies got their lone run in the sixth inning as Jazmin Clarke had a leadoff single, stole second, moved to third on a bunt, and scored on a passed ball. Savannah McHellon and Galvan drew consecutive walks to start the bottom of the sixth and, after a wild pitch moved the runners to second and third, Minogue drove in pinch runner Aaliyah Cuevas with a sacrifice fly.

Hernandez had her third hit of the game with a single in the bottom of the sixth, and in the seventh East set down the side in order with two strikeouts to finish the win (watch).

Notable

Over the last 28 innings played Fresno State has outscored its opponents 47-4.
The Bulldogs are hitting .388 with a 1.87 team ERA during their five-game winning streak.
With her single on Friday Rohleder, like Galvan, has now reached base in 18 consecutive games.
Fresno State has now had seven different players record a three-hit game this season.
Hernandez is 10-for-16 (.625) with two home runs, four doubles, three walks, and nine RBIs in the last five games with four multi-hit games.
Through seven MW games the Bulldogs are averaging 6.6 runs per game and hitting .314 as a team with a 2.98 team ERA. Galvan is hitting .526 and Minogue is hitting .474 in league games.

What's Next
The second game of the weekend series is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday.

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