JUDI GARMAN CLASSIC
March 1-3, 2024 • Fullerton, Calif. • Anderson Family Field
Watch: ESPN+ (only vs. CSUF)
Live Stats: BulldogsLive.com
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateSB
SCHEDULE
Friday: vs Weber State, 5:30 p.m.
Saturday: vs. Long Beach State, 12:30 p.m.
vs. CSU Fullerton, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday: vs. DePaul, 11:15 p.m.
FRESNO, Calif. — The Fresno State softball team will attempt to keep its hot streak alive at the Judi Garman Classic hosted by CSU Fullerton, March 1-3.
The Bulldogs (11-4) will face Weber State (8-7), CSU Fullerton (10-7) and DePaul (3-11) over the weekend.
OFF THE BAT
Fresno State is off to its best start to a season since 2020.
Fresno State has won six straight games, the longest streak since 2021.
Kennedy Bunker was named the Mountain West Player of the Week.
The Bulldogs' offense has outscored its opponents 73-49.
Fresno State has six players batting above .300.
The Bulldogs' bullpen has limited opposing batters to a .242 batting average.
Head Coach Stacy May-Johnson enters her third season at the helm of the program, with assistant coaches Whitney Arion and Shelby Miller alongside.
The Bulldogs return 15 players including Preseason All-Mountain West selections Keahilele Mattson and Taylor Gilmore.
Fresno State added 11 newcomers including four Division I transfers.
Fresno State was picked to finish fourth in the MW preseason poll.
Fresno State finished the 2023 season with an overall record of 23-31 (10-12 MW), finishing fifth in MW play.
SIZING UP THE COMPETITION
Weber State is 8-7 this season. The Wildcats have a winning streak of their own, they've won five straight. Weber State has notable wins over Northwestern and Utah State.
Three Wildcats are batting over .300. Weber State has been outscored by opponents 69-66. The bullpen owns an average ERA of 4.89, led by Cali McCraw who has an ERA of 2.73 this season.
Long Beach State is 2-14 this season. The Bulldogs defeated the Beach last weekend 6-2 at the Mary Nutter.
CSUF is 10-7 this season, 5-1 at home. The Titans have notable wins over then-No. 5 Tennessee, Arizona State and Michigan.
CSUF is outscoring its opponents 80-52 this season. Four Titans are batting over .300, led by Megan Delgadillo who owns an impressive batting average of .508 with 30 hits. The bullpen has an average ERA of 2.69, led by Haley Rainey who has a 2.57 ERA.
DePaul is 3-11 this season. The Blue Demons have won their last two contests. Two players are batting above .300. The bullpen owns an average ERA of 4.58.
LAST WEEK
Fresno State went 5-0 last week. The Bulldogs posted wins over Sacramento State, Hawai'i, No. 25/20 Mississippi State, Long Beach State and Cal Poly. The Bulldogs' outscored opponents 27-7 on the week.
BUNKER NAMED MW PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Kennedy Bunker led the Bulldogs to a 5-0 week, starting all five games at catcher, recording a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.
Bunker had a dominant week at the plate for Fresno State. She led the team with a .533 batting average (8-for-15), .800 slugging percentage and a .563 on-base percentage.
The Simi Valley, Calif. native tallied three RBIs and didn't have a single strikeout. She recorded at least one hit in all five games, while producing multiple hits in three. Bunker hit her first home run of the season in the 3-2 victory over Cal Poly.
This marks the first MW honor of her career.
DEATH. TAXES. ELIAS GETS A HIT.
Sophomore Natalie Elias has been a major addition to the Bulldogs offense this season, transferring in from Cal Baptist. Elias has become the team's go-to leadoff hitter.
Elias has recorded a hit in 10 consecutive games, the longest streak on the team. She owns a .383 batting average with 18 hits this season. The Purceville, Va. Native has had five games this season with multiple hits.
THE DEALIN' DUO
Senior Taylor Gilmore and sophomore Serayah Neiss have been a one-two punch for the Bulldogs in the circle this season.
Gilmore owns a 6-2 record, with three saves and two complete games. She owns a 1.77 ERA. The Broomfield, Colo. native has dished 42 strikeouts in 51.0 innings.
Neiss has a 4-1 record with one save. She owns a 2.12 ERA. The Newberg, Ore. native has pitched 35.0 innings for the Bulldogs this season.
MATTSON MAKING HER MARK
Keahilele Mattson has etched her name in the program's record book. Mattson currently sits at No. 3 in career all-time slugging percentage with a .603, and No. 8 in career home runs with 27.
PRESEASON POLL
The 2024 MW predicted order of finish, voted on by the league's nine head coaches, had the Bulldogs picked to finish fourth after receiving 41 points. San Diego State was picked to finish first with 64 points and eight first-place votes, followed by Boise State with 57 points and one first-place vote, and Colorado State rounded out the top three with 46 points.
PRESEASON ALL-MW SELECTIONS
Fresno State earned a pair of preseason selections in left fielder Keahilele Mattson and right-handed pitcher Taylor Gilmore.
Mattson, a two-time All-Mountain West selection, has started all 151 games of her career at Fresno State. The senior owns a .343 career batting average and a .603 career slugging percentage.
The Alta Loma, Calif., native had a breakout freshman season in 2021, she was named the MW Player of the Year and MW Co-Freshman of the Year, the first player to receive both honors in the same season. She was a 2021 NFCA All-Region Second Team honoree. Mattson was a MW First Team selection in both 2021 and 2023. Last season, Mattson led the Bulldogs in hits (66), RBIs (32) and on-base percentage (.435).
Gilmore joined the Bulldogs last season after spending four seasons at Colorado State. She made an immediate impact in the circle, pitching a team-high 136.1 innings with 10 starts. The Broomfield, Colo., native finished the season with a 3.18 ERA. Gilmore dished 86 strikeouts, pitched two complete games and recorded one save.