Box Score April 1, 2008
Fresno State 4, UC Davis 0
Fresno State 6, UC Davis 2
DAVIS, Calif. - Senior Jenna Cervantes rapped out five base hits with five RBI while freshman southpaw Morgan Melloh fired 10.2 shutout innings en route to a pair of wins as 10th-ranked Fresno State swept UC Davis in a non-conference women's softball doubleheader at La Rue Field Tuesday. The Bulldogs posted a 4-0 win in the opener then picked up a 6-2 victory in the nightcap.
The Aggies, playing their sixth straight game against a nationally ranked opponent, fall to 15-24 for the year. Fresno State has now won 12 straight and 24 of its last 26, improving to a 34-5 overall ledger.
For UC Davis, senior Ashley Johnson hit 1-for-3 in each end of the doubleheader, including a solo shot in Game 2. Junior outfielder Trish Paine batted 2-for-3 with a stolen base in the nightcap for the Aggies.
Cervantes hit 3-for-4 in the opener and 2-for-4 with a three-run homer to kick off the second game for Fresno State. Right fielder Andrea Ortega collected two hits in each game, while senior left fielder Ashley White hit a combined 4-for-6 in the two contests. On the mound, Melloh threw a three-hit shutout with eight strikeouts in Game 1, then added a win in relief of starter Nicole Angene during Game 2. Melloh entered the game in the fourth inning, allowing just two hits and fanning five in her 3.2-inning Game 2 stint.
The Bulldogs did their offensive work in the third and fifth innings of the first game. Cervantes and Ortega had RBI singles in the third to craft a 2-0 lead, then Cervantes had one of four singles in the Fresno fifth to aid in two more runs. UC Davis had all three of its Game 1 hits in the bottom of the fifth as Erin Emde, Johnson and Jenny Corbett singled in succession to load the bases. However, Mellow struck out back-to-back Aggies to end the rally and preserve her 12th shutout of the year.
In Game 2, Fresno State exploded early with a five-run first inning. Catcher Caitlin Stiglich drilled a double to left field to drive in leadoff hitter Ashley Perkins, then senior Aja Scheuber punched a single through the hole to plate a second run. Cervantes supplied the big hit of the inning two batters later, slamming a home run to left that scored Stiglich and Scheuber.
Cervantes extended the lead in the third as her double to the left-center gap drove in a sixth run. Aggie second baseman Julie Stauder led off the third inning then later scored to cut the deficit to 6-1, then Johnson's solo shot in the fourth trimmed the Bulldog lead to 6-2. Angene then walked Tracy Dean and Alex Holmes, putting the UC Davis' potential tying run on deck. But Fresno summoned Melloh, who promptly retired the side.
The Aggies threatened again in the fifth inning as right fielder Michelle Espiritu and Paine opened the frame with consecutive singles. However, Espiritu was put out on a failed double-steal attempt, then Melloh settled down to retire the final eight batters of the game.
UC Davis returns to action for a Big West Conference road series at Pacific starting on Saturday.
GAME 1
| Fresno State (33-5) | 002 | 020 | 0 | - | 4 | 14 | 0 |
| UC Davis (15-23) | 000 | 000 | 0 | - | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Morgan Mellow and Caitlin Stiglich. Jessica Hancock and Deanna Menapace, Ashley Johnson (5). Win - Mellow (22-3). Loss - Hancock (10-4). Save - none. Hitters - FSU: Haley Perkins 2x4, RBI; Haley Gilleland 1x5; Caitlin Stiglich 1x3; Aja Scheuber 1x3; Ashley White 3x4; Andrew Ortega 2x4; Jenna Cervantes 3x4, RBI; Nicole Angene 1x4.
GAME 2
| Fresno State (34-5) | 501 | 000 | 0 | - | 6 | 11 | 1 |
| UC Davis (15-24) | 001 | 100 | 0 | - | 2 | 5 | 1 |
Nicole Angene, Morgan Mellow (4) and Caitlin Stiglich. Alex Holmes and Deanna Menapace. Win - Mellow (22-4). Loss - Holmes (5-10). Save - none. Hitters - FSU: Haley Perkins 1x4; Haley Gilleland 2x2, 3B; Caitlin Stiglich 2x4, 2B, RBI; Aja Scheuber 1x4, RBI; Andrea Ortega 2x4; Jenna Cervantes 2x4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI; Ashley White 1x2.
