FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State softball team delivered a resilient 4-3 walk-off win over the Maine Black Bears to close the 2023 Bulldog Classic on Monday at Margie Wright Diamond.
Fresno State (8-13) rallied for three runs in the bottom of the seventh – sparked by back-to-back extra base hits by Taryn Irigoyen and Abby Doughty, who later scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch.
The Bulldogs next play at Cal on Wednesday and then head to play at LMU for a three-game series in Los Angeles.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After Maine plated three runs in the second, the Bulldogs scored once in the bottom half of the frame to pull within two.
Fresno State's Serayah Neiss and Taylor Gilmore didn't allow another run the rest of the way to set the stage for the comeback.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Irigoyen ripped an RBI double into the left centerfield gap to drive in pinch runner Alyssa Rebolledo, who was in for Kennedy Bunker, who had been hit by a pitch to spark the rally.
Doughty then crushed an RBI triple to tie the game at 3-3 and scored the winning run on a wild pitch moments later for the 4-3 win.
In the circle, Neiss finished with six strikeouts in five innings of work and Gilmore produced two scoreless innings in relief to earn her third victory of the 2023 season.
2023 Bulldog Classic All-Tournament Selections
Most Outstanding Player:
Ashley Donaldson, UCSB
Most Outstanding Pitcher:
Taylor Gilmore, Fresno State
All-Tournament Team:
Abby Doughty, Fresno State
Taylor Gilmore, Fresno State
Grace McGouldrick, Maine
Jillian Taylor, New Mexico State
Ashley Donaldson, UCSB
Madelyn McNally, UCSB
Camryn Snyder, UCSB
Lauren Almeida, Utah Tech
Ashtyn Bauerle, Utah Tech