GAME 1: New Mexico at Fresno State (March 31, 2023 – 6 p.m. PT)
GAME 2: New Mexico at Fresno State (April 1, 2023 – 12 p.m. PT)
GAME 3: New Mexico at Fresno State (April 2, 2023 – 11 a.m. PT)
LOCATION: Fresno, Calif. (Margie Wright Diamond)
TV/WEB: Mountain West Network (Game 1 & 3) & CW59 (Game 3)
RADIO: Bulldog Sports Network – 1130 AM (Matt Norville & Greg Krikorian)
LIVE STATS: BulldogsLive.com
FIRST PITCH
The Fresno State softball team hosts the New Mexico Lobos for a three-game series, which starts on Friday night at 6 p.m. PT
Fresno State (12-19, 1-2 Mountain West) enters the holiday weekend series with New Mexico (16-18, 3-3 MW) having won four of its last seven games, including its conference opener 6-3 at San Diego State last Friday.
On Saturday, Fresno State Athletics will honor alumnae teams from 1983, 1993, 2003 and 2013, and Hall of Fame coach Margie Wright will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Fresno State head coach Stacy May-Johnson is in her second season leading the Bulldogs' program.
Fresno State enters the series leading its all-time series with New Mexico, 52-9.
BULLDOG BONES
Fresno State's Keahilele Mattson leads the team with a .366 batting average and a .459 on base percentage as a starter in all 31 games.
Fresno State's Juliana Wilson sports a .328 batting average and has homered five of the Bulldogs' last seven games.
Fresno State's Alesia Denby is batting .271 and leads the Bulldogs with six home runs, 20 RBIs, five doubles and three triples entering the weekend.
Fresno State freshman catcher Kennedy Bunker has caught all 31 games for the 'Dogs and has 15 RBIs with six doubles and eight runs scored in her debut season in a Bulldog uniform.
Four Bulldogs – Mattson, Denby, Bunker and Bella Rocco – enter the series having played and started in all 31 of Fresno State's games this season.
13 of Fresno State's first 31 games this season were decided by two or fewer runs, including 10 by a single run (4-6 in one-run games).
IN THE CIRCLE
In 2023, Fresno State has pitched by committee as all of the Bulldogs' pitchers have registered less than 70 innings so far this season with just one complete game (Shelbi Denman).
Taylor Gilmore leads the squad with a 3.23 ERA in 27 appearances (five starts).
Serayah Neiss has recorded a team-high 51 strikeouts over the course of 59.1 innings of work in 20 appearances (15 starts).
Shelbi Denman is 5-3 on the season with a 4.02 ERA in 18 appearances (seven starts).
Hannah Ortega owns a 4.15 ERA in 28.2 innings 16 appearances (two starts).
BULLDOGS EARN ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM HONORS
2023 Fresno State Invitational
Most Outstanding Player & All-Tournament Team: Alesia Denby
All-Tournament Team: Juliana Wilson
All-Tournament Team: Emma Martinez
All-Tournament Team: Taylor Gilmore
2023 Bulldog Classic
Most Outstanding Pitcher & All-Tournament Team: Taylor Gilmore
All-Tournament Team: Abby Doughty
'DOGS PICKED TO FINISH FIFTH
The Fresno State softball team was picked to tie for fifth in the 2023 Mountain West softball regular season, as voted by the league's nine head coaches.
Boise State was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the 2023 MW softball regular season title.
Boise State tallied 61 points and five of the nine first-place votes. San Diego State was a tight second place with 60 points and the remaining four first-place votes.
UNLV was voted third with 48 points, Colorado State in fourth with 36 points, Fresno State, Nevada, and San José State all tied for fifth with 25 points each, New Mexico in eighth with 23 points and to round out the MW preseason poll was Utah State in ninth with 21 points.