Bulldogs complete sweep of New Mexico with 4-0 shutout

Sunday, April 28

Fresno, Calif.

11 A.M. PT

Fresno State

33-15, 11-7

New Mexico

12-35, 3-15

New Mexico

Fresno State

Bulldogs complete sweep of New Mexico with 4-0 shutout

4/28/2019 3:14:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Andrew Tomsky / Assistant Director of Communications

FRESNO, Calif. – For the second time in three games in the series Hailey Dolcini tallied nine strikeouts in a complete game effort as she led the Bulldogs to a 4-0 shutout of New Mexico in the series finale on Sunday at Margie Wright Diamond.

In two starts in the series Dolcini allowed just one unearned run, posting a 0.00 ERA while allowing only six hits and striking out 18 in just 12.0 innings pitched. Fresno State (33-15, 11-7 MW) swept its second consecutive MW series and has won four straight series overall. The 'Dogs have won 11 of their last 13 league games and outscored New Mexico (12-35, 3-15 MW) 18-2 in a dominant home sweep.

Schuylar Broussard had a two-run home run on Sunday and has now hit five homers over the last seven games. McKenzie Wilson posted her second three-hit game of the series and tripled for the second consecutive day while going 3-for-3 and recording her 31^st stolen base of the season on Sunday. Vanessa Hernandez also had a triple and went 2-for-3 in the finale.

How it Happened
The 'Dogs had a single and a walk in the first inning but the game was scoreless through two. In the top of the third Dolcini retired the first two batters but the Lobos would load the bases with a single and two walks. After a seven-pitch battle Dolcini struck out Lauren Wilmert to strand the runners.

Fresno State would put up two runs in the bottom of the third, scoring the first as Vanessa M. Hernandez drew a leadoff walk and came home on Wilson's third triple of the year. Two batters later Hayleigh Galvan dropped a single into right field to bring in Wilson (watch).

Dolcini set New Mexico down in order in the top of the fourth and in the bottom half the senior Hernandez hit a one-out triple down the left field line and Broussard followed with a two-run blast to center field that just cleared the glove of Lobo centerfielder D'Andra DeFlora's leap at the wall (watch). The freshman Hernandez followed with a double and Wilson had an infield single as the 'Dogs hit for the cycle in the inning but were held to two runs.

That was more than enough for Dolcini, who allowed just two singles and one walk over the last four innings of the game and had two strikeouts in the seventh to complete her sixth complete game shutout of the season (watch).

Notable

Wilson has now reached base in 16 consecutive games and is on an eight-game hitting streak. In four games this week she hit .571 with a home run, two triples, eight RBIs and two runs scored with a .600 on-base percentage.
Wilson's 31 stolen bases this season are the third most by a Bulldog in program history and just three shy of the single season record of 34, set by Brenna Moss in 2013 and matched in 2014.
Broussard has reached base in 15 consecutive games, hitting .382 with five homers and two doubles during the stretch.
Dolcini is 10-1 with a 0.68 ERA in home games this year, allowing just seven earned runs with 74 strikeouts in 71.2 innings pitched.
Fresno State's 20 home wins this year are tied for the most since 2015. The last time a Fresno State team had more than 20 home wins was 2012, when that team finished 24-8 at home.
Fresno State improved to 28-0 this season when scoring first.
The Bulldogs are 18-4 over their last 22 games overall.

Quotable
Head Coach Linda Garza
On how the team has won four straight MW series…
"What you're starting to see is the pitching staff settle in and making better pitchers. Our ERAs have significantly dropped in conference and we play solid defense. Our offense has started coming through especially over the last nine games. It's just a testament to the work ethic that we have. Sometimes it's going to come easy and sometimes you have to work for it. Yesterday we really had to work to get a win and today we still had to have a great pitching performance to allow our bats to have some time to get going. I'm proud of what we're doing."

On how the team can finish out the rest of the regular season strong in two more MW series…
"Freshmen aren't freshmen anymore. Sophomores aren't sophomores anymore. We need people to play with experience and our upperclassmen need to enjoy every minute they have out here. We do a great job playing here at Margie Wright Diamond and are still having 30-wins season and it's a testament to the MW with how competitive this conference is right now. I'm proud to be coaching in it; it's made things a little more difficult but the team that comes out on top and the teams that get to go to the NCAA Tournament are going to be prepared for NCAA play. We're going to do everything we can to finish these next six games and put ourselves in a position that we can be there."

Up Next
Fresno State plays its final road games of the regular season with a series at San Diego State next Friday-Sunday. The 'Dogs will close the regular season hosting Boise State for three games May 9-11.

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