LOS ANGELES – The Fresno State softball team lost a pair of one-run games – 2-1 and 4-3 – in a road doubleheader at the Loyola Marymount Lions on Friday afternoon at Smith Field.
Fresno State (8-16) put itself in position and made some big plays, but came up short in the final scores while battling throughout the twin bill at LMU (13-14).
The Bulldogs and Lions will wrap up the three-game series on Saturday at 10 a.m. PT on the WCC Network.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1 – Loyola Marymount (LMU) 2, Fresno State 1
Fresno State scattered three hits in the opening game of the three-game road series in Southern California as Keahilele Mattson, Juliana Wilson and Shaunessy Cardwell each registered singles.
But the Bulldogs couldn't overcome giving up runs in the second and third innings despite Abby Doughty scoring a run in the fifth and a bases loaded situation in the seventh.
In the circle, Hannah Ortega and Taylor Gilmore each threw scoreless outings in relief of Serayah Neiss, who struck out four batters and only allowed the two runs in her 11th start of the season.
Game 2 – Loyola Marymount (LMU) 4, Fresno State 3
With two outs in the top of the first, Alesia Denby was hit by a pitch and later scored on an RBI single to left field by Abby Doughty.
The Bulldogs scored twice more in the opening frame to take a 3-0 lead on the Lions.
LMU clawed its way back, scored four runs over the first four innings and then held on for the one-run win.
Shelbi Denman made her sixth start of the season and tossed a season-high seven strikeouts – two more than her Bulldog debut, when she had five strikeouts in Fresno State's 8-4 win over Montana on Feb. 11.
UP NEXT
Fresno State will finish up the three-game series at LMU with a single game on Saturday and then travel to play at Sacramento State on Tuesday before opening Mountain West play at San Diego State with a three-game set from March 24-26 on the Montezuma Mesa.