Courtesy of Fresno State Athletics –
SAN DIEGO – The No. 3-seeded Fresno State softball team (37-18) defeated top-seeded Nevada, 5-2, in the semifinals of the 2025 Credit Union 1 Mountain West Softball Championship on Friday afternoon at SDSU Softball Stadium.
The Bulldogs will play in the championship game for the first time in program history.
MW Pitcher of the Year Serayah Neiss dealt her third complete game of the tournament, dishing seven strikeouts. Neiss improves to 20-5 on the season, the most wins by a pitcher in a single season since Hailey Dolicini in 2022 (22).
Seniors Taryn Irigoyen and Marissa Montelongo led the Bulldogs at the plate with two hits apiece. Irigoyen added one RBI with a solo home run. Kennedy Bunker and Natalie Elias also added an RBI in the contest.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Nevada struck first in the bottom of the first inning with a solo home run from MW Player of the Year Aaliyah Jenkins.
Fresno State took the lead in the third inning. Montelongo led off with a double down the left-field line. In the next at-bat, Elias laid down a bunt, and two errors by the Wolf Pack’s defense allowed both Montelongo and Elias to score. Irigoyen then made it a 3-1 game by launching a solo home run over the left-field wall.
Nevada’s pitcher Ainsley Berlingeri and the defense only allowed one base runner for Fresno State through the next three innings.
The Wolf Pack cut the deficit to one in the bottom of the fifth. After the leadoff batter was retired, a double to center put a runner in scoring position, who then scored on an RBI single to left field.
Holding a 3-2 lead entering the seventh inning, the Bulldogs looked to add insurance runs. Jamie Hicks came in as a pinch hitter and battled back from a 0-2 count to draw a leadoff walk. Ava Tingey entered as a pinch runner and moved to second on Emma Martinez’s sacrifice bunt. Montelongo followed with a single down the left-field line, advancing to second on the throw. With runners on second and third, Elias hit a sacrifice fly to score Tingey. Kennedy Bunker then belted an RBI double to left-center field, extending the Bulldogs’ lead to 5-2 heading into the bottom half of the inning.
Nevada opened the inning with an infield single and the runner was moved to second with a sacrifice bunt. The next batter was retired with a flyout to center field. With one out between the Bulldogs and a championship appearance, the MW Pitcher of the Year dealt her seventh strikeout of the game.
NOTABLE
- Fresno State will play in the championship game for the first time in program history.
- Fresno State’s 37 wins this season is the most in a season since 2021 (37).
- Fresno State has won seven straight games.
- Serayah Neiss improves to 20-5 on the season, the most wins in a single season since Hailey Dolcini in 2021 (22).
- In tournament play, Neiss has pitched three complete games, is 3-0 with two shutouts, owns a 0.67 ERA with 14 strikeouts.
- Taryn Irigoyen leads the Bulldogs through the tournament at the plate, batting a .444 with four hits and two RBIs.
- Irigoyen recorded her 11th game with multiple hits this season.
- Marissa Montelongo recorded her sixth game with multiple hits this season.
- Kennedy Bunker has reached base in 11 straight games.
UP NEXT
Fresno State will face the winner of the elimination game between No. 1 Nevada and No. 2 San Diego State tomorrow at noon PT.
The Bulldogs just need one win tomorrow to secure the championship and clinch their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2021. If Fresno State drops the first game, a winner-take-all final will be played at 2:30 p.m.
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