Fresno State wins league opener with slugfest

Fresno State smashed its way through the Mountain West Conference opener, clobbering San Diego State for four home runs en route to a 10-7 comeback win at Aztec Diamond on Friday.

Vanessa Hernandez homered twice, with her two-run dinger in the top of the seventh to give the Bulldogs (17-9, 1-0) their third straight win.

The Aztecs (16-10, 0-1) took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Bulldogs leveled the score in the top of the third via Morgan Howe’s two-run homer and Kierra Willis’ RBI triple. Fresno State tacked on four more in the next inning on Miranda Rohleder’s one-run double and Lindsey Willmon’s three-run home run.

With her two home runs, Hernandez is tied for the team lead (4) with Savannah McHellon. It was the third homer this season for Willmon, and second for Rohleder.

Rohleder, Willis and Wilmon each went 3-for-4 at the plate and scored twice.

Fresno State starter Kamalani Dung went the distance to improve to 12-5 in the circle. She gave up seven runs (three earned) on seven hits, and also had four walks and seven strikeouts.

The Bulldogs and Aztecs will resume action at 4 p.m. Saturday.

This story was originally published March 17, 2017 at 8:57 PM with the headline "Fresno State wins league opener with slugfest."