Fresno State swept Idaho State in a Thursday afternoon doubleheader on day one of the 2023 Fresno State Invitational, presented by Axis Hotel Group.
FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State softball team swept the Idaho State Bengals by scores of 8-3 and 10-4 on Thursday afternoon in the first two games of the 2023 Fresno State Invitational, presented by Axis Hotel Group, at Margie Wright Diamond.
Fresno State (7-5) dialed in its attack mode with an impressive day at the plate to win its second and third straight games against Idaho State (4-9), who the Bulldogs also beat 10-0 in run-rule fashion on Sunday.
Alesia Denby and Keahilele Mattson each went yard twice in the doubleheader for the Bulldogs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1 – Fresno State 8, Idaho State 3
Fresno State got on the board first with three runs in the fourth inning and never trailed in the 8-3 victory over Idaho State.
The Bulldogs' Emma Martinez (3-for-4, double, 2 runs) and Alesia Denby (2-for-3, home run, double, three RBIs, walk) combined to 5-for-7 in the game to set the table and tone for the offense.
In the circle, Shelbi Denman improved to 3-0 this season with a solid five-inning outing for the Bulldogs in game one.
Denman registered three strikeouts and allowed just two runs, two hits and two walks in the contest.
Game 2 – Fresno State 10, Idaho State 4
Denby and Mattson hit back-to-back solo home runs in the opening inning to give the Bulldogs an early 2-0 lead over the Bengals.
Idaho State answered with three runs in the second, sparked by Kate Hogan's two-out, two-run triple off the chain link fence in center field. ISU added one more run when the next batter – Angelica Cano – drove in Hogan with a RBI single back up the middle.
Mattson tied the game in third with another solo home run to ignite a four-run frame, which also included a two-run homer by Jamie Hicks and a RBI single by Kennedy Bunker, for a 6-3 lead.
The Bulldogs added a run in the fourth and three more in the sixth en route to the 10-4 victory.
Mattson finished a double shy of the circle with two home runs, an RBI triple and a single for a 4-for-4 performance with three RBIs and three runs scored.
Taylor Gilmore (2-0) earned her second win of the season and Denman closed out the final 1.1 innings for her first save of the year.