FRESNO STATE (33-18, 13-9 MW) vs. BOISE STATE (33-21, 13-9 MW)
May 9 • 11:30 a.m. PT • Boise, Id. • Dona Larsen Park
COVERAGE:
Listen: Bulldog Sports Network
Watch: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: BulldogsLive.com
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateSB
THE MATCHUP
All-Time: Fresno State leads 31-15
Last Meeting: Fresno State 5, Boise State 2
Current Streak: FS, W1
FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State softball team will open the 2024 Mountain West Championship as the No. 4 seed facing No. 5 Boise State on Thursday, May 9 at 11:30 a.m. PT.
OFF THE BAT
Fresno State enters the tournament with an overall record of 33-18 (13-9 MW).
Fresno State won the regular season series against Boise State, taking two of the three games.
Fresno State is batting .313 as a team.
Seven Bulldogs are batting over .300 in Sophia Medellin (.377), Natalie Elias (.356), Kennedy Bunker (.356), Keahilele Mattson (.321), Alyssa Ramirez (.306), Emma Martinez (.301) and Lauren Almeida (.301).
Medellin leads the Bulldogs at the plate, batting .377 with 61 hits and 39 RBIs.
Medellin earned 2024 All-MW First Team honors.
The bullpen owns an average ERA of 2.94.
Taylor Gilmore leads the Bulldogs in the circle with a 2.51 ERA, 19 wins and 137 strikeouts.
Gilmore was named the 2024 MW Pitcher of the Year.
Serayah Neiss earned 2024 All-MW second team honors.
TOURNAMENT
San Diego State earned the No. 1 seed after claiming the regular season title. With the top two seeds earning a first-round bye, the Aztecs will face the winner of the game between the Broncos and the Bulldogs.
UNLV is the No. 2 seed and will play the winner of No. 3 Nevada and No. 6 Colorado State.
The Wolf Pack vs. Rams matchup will kick off the tournament at 9 a.m. PT on Thursday, May 9, followed by the Bulldogs and the championship host Broncos at 11:30 a.m. PT. The Rebels and the winner of game one will take the field at approximately 3 p.m. PT followed by the Aztecs going head-to-head with the winner of the second game.
Day two consists of three games, the first beginning at 11 a.m. PT. The next two games will begin at approximately 1 and 4 p.m. PT.
The championship matchup is set to start at Noon MT with an if necessary, game scheduled for 12:30 p.m. PT.
LAST TIME VS. THE BRONCOS
Fresno State took the first game of the series 3-2. Boise State evened the series in game two, taking the win 10-5. The Bulldogs won the rubber match 5-2.
Sophomore Alyssa Ramirez led the 'Dogs at the plate through the series, going 5-for-9.
Senior Taylor Gilmore logged two wins against Boise State. She had a 3.50 ERA through the series with 16 strikeouts. She recorded a career-high 10 strikeouts in the first game of the series.
GILMORE HEADLINES ALL-MW HONORS WITH PITCHER OF THE YEAR NOD
Fresno State garnered Mountain West Pitcher of the Year honors along with two All-MW first team picks and one second team selection.
The Bulldogs' ace Taylor Gilmore was named the 2024 Pitcher of the Year and earned All-MW first team honors.
Senior Sophia Medellin was named an All-MW first team selection and sophomore Serayah Neiss represented the Bulldogs on the All-MW second team roster.
Gilmore logged a 3.04 ERA during conference play. In 80.2 innings of work in the circle for Fresno State, she recorded 66 strikeouts. Gilmore logged a 9-2 record with one save and three complete games. The Broomfield, Colo. native earned MW Pitcher of the Week once during the season.
Medellin led the Bulldogs at the plate through conference play with a .370 batting average. The senior recorded a team-high 27 hits to go along with 16 RBIs. She chalked seven doubles, two home runs and a triple. Medellin owned a .575 slugging percentage. The Santa Clarita, Calif. native started all 22 games at first base for Fresno State and logged a perfect fielding percentage.
Neiss had a 2.88 ERA in the circle during conference play. In 68 innings, she recorded 54 strikeouts. Neiss logged four wins and four saves. The Newberg, Ore. limited opposing batters to a .243 batting average.
SCORE FIRST, WIN.
Fresno State is 24-4 this season when scoring first.
PORTAL PRODUCTION
Two out of the Bulldogs' top five hitters are transfers.
Sophia Medellin (Cal) leads the team at the plate with a .377 batting average, 61 hits and 39 RBIs. Natalie Elias (CBU) owns a .354 batting average with team-high 62 hits.
MATTSON MAKING HER MARK
Keahilele Mattson has etched her name in the program's record book. Mattson's career slugging percentage of .571 ranks No. 5 in program history. She ranks No. 6 in career home runs with 29, tied with Jamie Southern (2002-05).
Since joining the Bulldogs in 2021, Mattson has started 202 games in left field for the Bulldogs.