FRESNO, Calif. — The final games of the official non-conference schedule for Saint Mary's Softball took place on Tuesday afternoon at the home of Fresno State. The Gaels and Bulldogs met up for a doubleheader that went into the evening, and Saint Mary's escaped with a win and some confidence heading into Saturday's conference opener. After falling 2-0 in game one, the Gaels offense came alive in game two and helped secure a 6-0 win and a doubleheader split against the Bulldogs. Saint Mary's is now 12-18 with the split.
 
Game 1: Fresno State 2, Saint Mary's 0
 
THE DIFFERENCE
The turning point in the ballgame occurred in the bottom of the sixth inning, with both teams seemingly deadlocked in a scoreless tie. With one away, Sofia Earle walked a hitter, who then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt, adding a second out. A bouncing ball up the middle off the bat of a Bulldogs pinch hitter was fielded at short for an infield single, but the runner who moved to third was caught in between third and home. The Gaels had a rundown for a brief moment, but it ended after a bad throw forced the runner back to third. Unable to end the inning, the very next batter lined a triple to right field to score both runners and put the Bulldogs up 2-0, a lead they would not relinquish.
 
EARLY CHANCES
Saint Mary's had some opportunities earlier in the game to make noise, but were spoiled in part due to the weather. With winds gusting straight in from centerfield, any ball in the air was being knocked down. That came into effect in the third inning when Sasa Koria led off with a double to center that would have left the yard under normal circumstances. The ball landed on the warning track but fooled the centerfield for Fresno State, as she was at the wall thinking the ball had gone over the fence. The Gaels would not advance Koria after the double. In the first inning, Koria was hit by the first pitch of the game, and then Marissa Nishihara singled her to second. With two on and nobody out, the Gaels left both runners stranded in scoring position.
 
Game 2: Saint Mary's 6, Fresno State 0
 
COUNT ON CABRAL
Lindsay Cabral had a great game during game two of the doubleheader, leading the Saint Mary's offense to a much-needed outburst in game two. She drove in the final three runs of the game for the Gaels, all in different ways. In the first inning, she capped off a four-run inning for SMC with a double that brought home Ellen Ebbers. In the top of the third, Cabral drove in Alex Casas on a sacrifice fly out to centerfield making it 5-0 Gaels. She came through again in the top of the fifth with a fielder's choice that scored Indya Smith to close out the scoring for the Gaels. The three-run performance from the freshman is a new career-best.
 
SETTING THE TABLE
Things got going quickly for the Gaels offense in game two, with Sasa Koria again reaching base to begin the game, this time with a single to center. With one away, she moved to second on a base hit from Jenavee Amador. After an interference call got Koria out, the inning was in jeopardy, but four runs would come across with two outs. Smith drove home the first run on a single to right field that gave the Gaels the early lead. They added onto it when Ellen Ebbers drove home two a single to left field, making it 3-0, and then the double from Cabral capped off the inning.
 
SCOTT IS SPECTACULAR
The Gaels received a shutout performance in the circle in game two, but it did not come from Sofia Earle. Kayla Scott held the Bulldogs scoreless across seven innings of work for her first shutout of the 2022 season, limiting the Fresno State offense to just four hits and one walk. Perhaps most impressive, she blanked Fresno State without recording a strikeout, using 14 groundouts and six fly outs to her advantage. There weren't many situations with runners on base against Scott, but she held the Bulldogs to 1-7 at the plate when they put runners aboard.
 
UP NEXT
Conference play begins for Saint Mary's on Saturday afternoon as the Gaels start a three-game series against San Diego. The Gaels and Toreros will play two on Saturday at noon, and then play the third game of the series on Sunday afternoon. Saint Mary's finished fourth in the conference standings and will look to take advantage of USD, who enters this game struggling, having lost seven in a row before a win over UC San Diego in their last game.