Courtesy of Fresno State Athletics –
SAN DIEGO – The No. 3-seeded Fresno State softball team (36-18) remains in the winner’s bracket of the 2025 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Softball Championship after posting their second shutout of the tournament with a 3-0 victory over No. 2 seed San Diego State at SDSU Softball Stadium on Thursday night.
The Bulldogs are the only unranked team to defeat the Aztecs at home this season.
Left-handed pitcher Serayah Neiss delivered another dominant performance in the circle, tossing her second consecutive complete-game shutout.
Fresno State was outhit 9-7 in the game. Alyssa Orr led the ‘Dogs at the plate going 2-for-3. Taryn Irigoyen had the lone RBI of the night.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Both teams recorded two hits through the first two innings, but neither managed to score, keeping the game tied at 0-0 heading into the third.
Fresno State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the inning. Natalie Elias singled down the right-field line, and Kennedy Bunker followed with a double to center, putting runners on second and third. Taryn Irigoyen then delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, allowing Elias to beat the tag at home and score the game’s first run.
SDSU looked to respond in the bottom of the frame, putting two runners on with one out after back-to-back singles. A wild pitch during the next at-bat moved both into scoring position, but Neiss and the defense escaped the jam by retiring the next two batters with a flyout and a strikeout.
The Bulldogs extended their lead in the fourth inning. Madison Rey sparked the offense with a one-out single, and after a flyout, Emma Martinez kept the inning alive with a two-out single. Marissa Montelongo then lifted a popup to left-center, but a miscommunication between the Aztecs’ outfielders allowed the ball to drop, bringing in two runs. The Aztecs made a pitching change to Cece Cellura to get the final out.
In the bottom half, SDSU threatened again with two hits and one out, but Neiss and the defense stranded both runners, ending the inning with back-to-back flyouts. Fresno State carried a 3-0 lead through four innings.
Cellura and the SDSU defense retired six straight Fresno State batters to keep the Aztecs in the game.
The Aztecs created another scoring opportunity in the bottom of the sixth. A leadoff double followed by a walk put two runners on with no outs. A fielder’s choice erased the runner at second, but SDSU still had runners on the corners with one out. The defense got the job done as the next two batters were retired on an infield popup and a flyout to end the inning.
Fresno State took a 3-0 lead into the seventh inning. Two errors allowed the Bulldogs to get two runners on base, but they’d be left stranded.
With just three outs separating the Bulldogs from their second shutout of the tournament, Neiss and the defense went to work. The leadoff batter grounded out back to Neiss, and although the next batter reached on a single, she was erased on a fielder’s choice. With two outs, Neiss sealed the win with a strikeout.
UP NEXT
No. 3 Fresno State will face No. 1 Nevada tomorrow at Noon PT. The winner of the matchup will advance to the final on Saturday, while the loser will play in an elimination game at 6 p.m. against the winner of the game between No. 2 SDSU and No. 4 Boise State.
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