Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
21-4
UC Davis
15-12
Dolcini, Broussard propel No. 25 Fresno State to 3-2 victory over UC Davis
3/8/2020 6:00:00 PM | Softball
FRESNO, Calif. – The No. 25 Fresno State softball team finished the 2020 Bulldog Classic with a 5-0 record after defeating UC Davis 3-2 on Sunday afternoon at Margie Wright Diamond. The victory improved the 'Dogs record to 21-4 and a perfect 15-0 on its home diamond.
Junior right-handed pitcher Hailey Dolcini had a dominant performance in the circle pitching a complete game with 14 strikeouts, one shy of her career-high. Dolcini may have saved her best for last on Sunday, closing an impressive weekend with a 3-0 record and a save over 13.0 innings of work in four appearances. The junior allowed just two earned runs on eight hits, and struck out 18 batters in the Bulldog Classic.
Although the Bulldogs' offense was limited to two hits on Sunday, their second-lowest hit total of the season, senior Schuylar Broussard crushed a three-run home run in the fourth that proved to be all Dolcini needed to carry the Bulldogs to victory.
"It was a gritty weekend of softball," head coach Linda Garza said. "Our team has been tested in many areas this preseason. I'm happy with where we are and I'm eager to start conference play."
How it happenedÂ
After two walks and a hit by pitch loaded the bases for the Aggies in the top of the first, Dolcini got out of the inning unscathed with three strikeouts.
UC Davis drew a leadoff walk, again in the second. Dolcini and the defense would retire the next two batters, but the walk ultimately cost the 'Dogs one of their two runs allowed as a two-out double brought home the first run of the game.
Aggies' pitcher Katie Kibby kept the Bulldogs' offense quiet through the first three innings, retiring nine-straight batters heading into the bottom of the fourth. That streak ended when Kaitlyn Jennings drew a leadoff walk, becoming the Bulldogs' first base runner of the game. Miranda Rohleder got on base behind her after being hit by a pitch. Broussard, hitting in the clean-up spot, worked a 10-pitch at-bat and found her pitch, slugging a no-doubter over the left-field wall, giving the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead. The only offense Fresno State could produce throughout the remainder of the game was a lead-off double from Hayleigh Galvan in the sixth, which was one of two hits on the day for the 'Dogs.
Dolcini struck out six of the final nine UC Davis batters over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to earn her 10th win of the season. A solo home run in the top of the seventh with one out was smacked by Aggies' catcher Riley Siegel, but Dolcini would deny a comeback finishing the game with her 13th and 14th strikeouts of the game.
What's next
Fresno State will open Mountain West play on the road against Boise State, March 13-15.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Dolcini, Hailey (10-1)
L: Kibby, Katie (7-5)
Batting:
2B: Rojas, Alyse 1 ; Kisling, Sommer 1
HR: Leon, Isabella 1
RBI: Rojas, Alyse 1 ; Leon, Isabella 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Leon, Isabella 1 ; Starks, Sarah 1
SB: Rojas, Alyse 1
HBP: Siegel, Riley 1
Batting:
2B: Galvan, Hayleigh 1
HR: Broussard, Schuylar 1
RBI: Broussard, Schuylar 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Jennings, Kaitlyn 1 ; Rohleder, Miranda 1 ; Broussard, Schuylar 1
HBP: Rohleder, Miranda 1
