Fresno State notebook: Late rally clinches road softball series

With its perfect start in the Mountain West softball race in danger, Fresno State rallied late to beat New Mexico 6-2 Saturday and extend its conference winning streak to eight games.

The Bulldogs (26-9-1, 8-0) trailed 2-1 after five innings in Albuquerque – just their second deficit in conference play.

New Mexico (18-16, 3-5) built its lead in the third, loading the bases with no outs on two walks and a bunt single, then scoring on Michala Erickson’s single and a groundout to short.

Lobos starter Colette Robert held the Bulldogs scoreless after they took a 1-0 lead in the second.

Fresno State finally broke out with a two-out, three-run rally in the sixth. Lindsey Willmon doubled and scored on Morgan Howe’s single down the right-field line.

Bulldogs coach Trisha Ford went for the kill, pulling two offensive switches. Christina Rodriguez was sent in to run for Howe and freshman Dominique Jackson to the plate to pinch-hit for Vanessa Hernandez.

Jackson ripped the first pitch she saw for a monster two-run homer, with the ball pinging off the flag pole beyond center field for a 4-2 lead. It was Jackson’s seventh home run of the season but first against a conference opponent.

The Bulldogs doubled their lead in the seventh, scoring via a wild pitch and Willmon’s RBI single.

Fresno State freshman Kamalani Dung kept her team close, giving up the two runs (both earned) on two hits and five walks. She earned the win, improving to 5-0 after shutting out New Mexico in four of her five innings in the circle. Jill Compton tossed the final two innings for her second save.

Fresno State, No. 23 in the USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll and ranked No. 25 by ESPN.com/USA Softball, goes for the sweep in Sunday’s finale at 11 a.m.

Track and field – Fresno State’s Je’Nia Sears won the women’s long jump at the Baylor Invitational with a leap of 20 feet, 3 3/4 inches. Sears, who set a career best of 20-9 1/4 at last weekend’s Stanford Invitiational, broke the Clyde Hart Stadium record of 19-7 set by Baylor’s LaKadron Ivery last year.

Men’s tennis – Fresno State fell 4-2 at Boise State on Friday to drop to 0-3 in the Mountain West.

This story was originally published April 9, 2016 at 5:28 PM with the headline "Fresno State notebook: Late rally clinches road softball series."