by SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Strong pitching and clutch hitting continued for Fresno State on Sunday as the Bulldogs completed a dominant three-game sweep of San Jose State and won their 10th consecutive game in a 7-0 victory in the series finale in Santa Clara.
In a series between the top two teams in the Mountain West standings, Fresno State (27-15, 10-2 MW) outscored San Jose State (25-14, 9-5 MW) 19-2 over the three games with two shutout wins. The Spartans only scored in one of 21 innings in the series.
Danielle East picked up her second win of the series on Sunday, allowing just three hits and striking out seven over 5.2 innings before Samantha Mejia, who had a complete-game win on Saturday, recorded the last four outs to complete the sweep. Hayleigh Galvan (Cherokee) was 3-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBIs and Vanessa Hernandez was 2-for-4 with a homer and 3 RBIs to lead the red-hot Bulldogs offensively.
How it Happened
In similar fashion to Friday’s meeting between East and SJSU ace Madison Aurin, the game was a pitcher’s duel from the start. The Bulldogs got the first two hitters aboard in the first but didn’t score and were set down in order in the second and third. East was able to strand two SJSU base runners in each of the first three innings as the game was scoreless.
In the top of the fourth Katie Castellon drew a leadoff walk. With one away Galvan singled to center and the runners moved up to second and third on a Spartan fielding error. Aurin got the second out but Hernandez followed with a single to left to bring in two runs.
East stranded two more base runners in the fifth inning, and in the sixth the Bulldogs tacked on three more runs. Savannah McHellon drew a one-out walk and Galvan followed with a long home run out to center field. Two batters later Hernandez launched a solo homer of her own just inside the left field foul pole.
San Jose State threated in the bottom of the sixth as the Spartans drew a pair of walks and were hit by a pitch to load the bases with two out but Mejia got a groundout to leave three runners aboard. The ‘Dogs added two insurance runs in the seventh as Kaitlyn Jennings singled and two SJSU fielding errors loaded the bases ahead of Galvan, who brought in two with a single through the left side.
What’s Next
Fresno State is back home next week hosting San Diego State. Game times are set for 6 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. Saturday, and noon Sunday at Margie Wright Diamond.
