'Dogs best Quakers in extra innings

Friday, March 4

Fullerton, CA

10 AM PT

Fresno State

2-14

University of Pennsylvania

2-4

Fresno State

Penn

Photo by: Samuel Marshall

'Dogs best Quakers in extra innings

3/4/2022 5:26:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

By: Taylor Martinez / Strategic Communications

FULLERTON, Calif. – The Fresno State softball team defeated Penn 8-6 in extra innings on Friday morning, finishing day two of the 2022 Judi Garman Classic.

Sophomores Avery Lawley and Mackenna Steele both recorded multiple hits for the 'Dogs. Lawley went 3-for-3 with one RBI, while Steele went 2-for-2. Fellow sophomore Bailey Williams was the difference-maker for Fresno State with three RBIs, a home run and a stellar catch in the eighth inning to secure the win for the 'Dogs.

Cassidy West and Casey Dixon split time in the circle. The duo totaled 11 strikeouts in the game. Dixon earned her first win of the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Bulldogs jumped out to a lead in the first frame after a leadoff walk and back-to-back singles from Steele and Kacey Hvitved plated two runs.

West recorded six strikeouts through the first three innings to keep the Quakers without a hit.

Fresno State extended its lead to 4-0 in the fourth inning. Steele hit a leadoff single and advanced to second on an error. Alex Wright followed with a drawn walk to put two runners on. Lawley played a run with a single that forced an error for an extra base. Adrianna Noriega laid down a sacrifice bunt to score the second run of the inning.

Penn tied the game in the bottom of the frame with two home runs, scoring four runs for the Quakers.

Dixon took over the circle for Fresno State.

The Bulldogs retook the lead in the sixth after back-to-back walks from Steele and Wright put two runners on, and Williams plated a run with an RBI-ground out.

Penn tied the game in the bottom of the seventh, and the game would head into extra innings at 6-6.

With a runner on second, Steele executed a sacrifice bunt to move the runner to third. Lawley brought the runner in with a base hit. Williams made it a three-run game with her first career home run over the left-field wall.

The Quakers opened the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff single, followed by a sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring positions. Williams made an incredible catch in second to keep the runners at bay. Penn scored one run on a two-out single, but Alesia Denby made the play at short stop on the next play to end the game.

WHAT'S NEXT
Fresno State will be back in action tomorrow, facing LMU at 9:30 a.m. and Cal Poly at 2:30 p.m.

GAME NOTES:

This was the first extra-innings game of the season for the Bulldogs.
Bailey Williams recorded her first home run of the season.
Williams had her first multi-RBI game of the season.
Williams saw time in left field for the first time this season.
Avery Lawley logged her first multi-hit game of the season.
Mackenna Steele recorded her second multi-hit game of the season.
Kacey Hivitved recorded multiple RBIs for the first time this season.
Casey Dixon earned her first win of the season.
Dixon had a season-high four strikeouts.

"Fresno State Athletics: The Pride of the Valley" – The Bulldog Foundation creates championship experiences for Fresno State student-athletes as they strive for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in life. To become a BDF member, please visit bulldogfoundation.org.

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