FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State softball team lost two close games in a midweek home doubleheader – 5-3 in nine innings in game one and 2-1 in game two – with the San Jose State Spartans on Wednesday at Margie Wright Diamond.
Fresno State (16-23, 5-6 Mountain West) and San Jose State (19-21, 7-7 MW) battled into extra innings in the first game of the day, and then faced off in another tightly-contested showdown in the nightcap.
Fresno State freshman second baseman Emma Martinez was 3-for-3 in game two and finished 4-for-7 in the doubleheader with her second triple of the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1 – San Jose State 5, Fresno State 3 [9]
In the first game of the doubleheader, Fresno State took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth after Bella Rocco and Kennedy Bunker drew walks to get on base.
The Bulldogs' designated player Vanessa M. Hernandez capitalized with a two-run double to drive in Keira Carrillo, who had pinch run for Rocco, and Bunker.
San Jose State regained the lead after two one-run innings in the fifth and sixth frames, but the 'Dogs forced extra innings with a run in the seventh on a RBI grounder by Keahilele Mattson, which plated Taryn Irigoyen from third base.
After a clean eighth, SJSU scored a pair in the top of the ninth on Reina Zermeno's two-run double and the Spartans closed out the 5-3 win with a three-up, three down bottom of ninth.
Game 2 – San Jose State 2, Fresno State 1
SJSU struck first in game two with two runs in the fourth inning.
In the fifth, Emma Martinez ripped a two-out triple and then scored moments later on Juliana Wilson's RBI double to put the Bulldogs on the board, but Fresno State didn't get any closer while scattering eight hits and stranding nine runners on base over the course of the one-run game.
NOTES
Game one was Fresno State's fourth extra inning game of the season (2-2 record) and second of nine innings or longer this season (1-1 record).
Game two was Fresno State's 13th one-run game this season (5-8 record).
Defensively, Alesia Denby shined at shortstop for the Bulldogs with 11 defensive assists in the twin bill, including some big time grabs on hard hit balls on the left side of the infield.
Kennedy Bunker, Alesia Denby, Keahilele Mattson and Bella Rocco each made their 38th and 39th starts of the season for Fresno State (every game of 2023 season).
In the circle, senior Taylor Gilmore made her ninth start of the season in game one, while freshman Serayah Neiss earned her 17th start of the season in game two.
NEXT UP
Fresno State hits the road for a two-game series at Utah State on Saturday and Sunday with both games starting at 11 a.m. PT.