FULLERTON, Calif. – The Fresno State softball team lost two games – 6-2 to No. 20/20 Oregon and 1-0 to UCF – on the opening day of the 2023 Judi Garman Classic at Cal State Fullerton.
Fresno State (7-7) combined for 11 hits in the competitive contests, which included multi-hit days from Emma Martinez, Alesia Denby, Jamie Hicks and Kennedy Bunker, against two programs nationally ranked or receiving votes in this week's Top 25 polls.
Five pitchers earned time in the circle for the Bulldogs, who will play two more games on Friday and then one more on Saturday to close out the annual tournament.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1 – No. 20/20 Oregon 6, Fresno State 2
Fresno State got on the board first as Emma Martinez led off the game with a single to left field and later came around to score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Bailey Williams.
Oregon answered with a run in the bottom of the initial frame, added four runs in the third and another in the fifth to take a 6-1 lead on Fresno State.
The Bulldogs' Ava Tingey pinch ran in the seventh and scored on a ball put in play by Martinez.
In the circle, Bailey Doherty got the start and allowed two earned runs and three hits in 2.2 innings of work.
Game 2 – UCF 1, Fresno State 0
It was a pitcher's duel in game two with Fresno State's Serayah Neiss and Taylor Gilmore combined to give up just a single earned run and scattered five hits over six innings in the circle.
Offensively, Alesia Denby, Abby Doughty, Bella Rocco, Jamie Hicks and Kennedy Bunker each had hits in the contest at Anderson Family Field.
UCF's lone run came in the second inning on an RBI double to right center field.
NEXT UP
Fresno State will play two more games (Cal Poly at 10 a.m. PT, followed by UCLA at 5 p.m. PT) on Friday during day two of the annual Judi Garman Classic in Southern California played on the campus of Cal State Fullerton.