Bulldogs extend MW softball run

Bria Kennedy led off the game with a home run, triggering a three-run rally, and 23rd-ranked Fresno State coasted to a five-inning, 11-1 win at New Mexico on Sunday for a sweep of the Mountain West Conference series.

Kennedy, a senior right fielder from Hanford West, finished with three hits, three RBIs and two runs, and Jill Compton improved to 16-4 with a three-hitter as the Bulldogs improved to 9-0 in conference play and 27-9-1 overall with their seventh run-rule victory of the season.

Fresno State, riding a nine-game conference winning streak for the first time in 12 years, will return home Friday to begin a three-game MW series with Utah State (19-15, 5-4) at 6 p.m.

“Sweeping a series, especially on the road, is tough,” Fresno State coach Trisha Ford said. “I was especially happy with our bats this weekend. Jill did her thing and we backed her with a lot of offense.”

The Bulldogs, who outscored New Mexico 28-8 in three games, knocked out sophomore right-hander Krissy Fortner in the first inning.

Following Kennedy’s homer to center field, her seventh of the season, Malia Rivers and Kierra Willis singled and Lindsey Willmon delivered a two-run single to left for the 3-0 lead.

Fresno State blew it open with a four-run third, featuring singles by Paige Gumz, Willmon and freshman Morgan Howe and two-run singles by Vanessa Hernandez and Kennedy.

Compton, a senior from Arroyo Grande, improved to 7-0 in the conference.

Baseball – The Albuquerque experience, in contrast to softball, continues to be miserable for Fresno State baseball.

The Bulldogs failed to secure a 3-1 lead and lost 7-4 at New Mexico for a MW sweep by the Lobos.

Fresno State is 4-18 against New Mexico since joining the conference in 2013, including a 1-11 mark in Albuquerque.

The Bulldogs (21-12, 9-6) took the 3-1 lead on Austin Guibor’s single, McCarthy Tatum’s ground-rule double and Nick Warren’s two-single in the fourth and Aaron Arruda’s home run in the sixth.

The Lobos answered with a five-run rally in the sixth off freshman right-hander Edgar Gonzalez.

Women’s tennis – Mayar Sherif Ahmed, Sophia Watts and Rana Sherif Ahmed dominated in Nos. 1-2-3 singles as Fresno State swept San Diego State 7-0 at Wathen Tennis Center.

This story was originally published April 10, 2016 at 7:10 PM with the headline "Bulldogs extend MW softball run."