It took some late game heroics and a brilliant performance out of the bullpen from Alyssa Ramirez, but the Fresno Softball team defeated Cal State Bakersfield 4-3 in 9 innings on the road Tuesday.
With the win, the Bulldogs have now won five straight under Head Coach Charlotte Morgan, improving to 9-7 on the season.
Key Players
Alyssa Ramirez: W, 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, K
Tiara Westbrook: 3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI
Olivia Hill: 1-for-1, 2 R, 3 BB
What happened
The Dogs fell behind early on Tuesday. Two singles and a throwing error in the first inning allowed Bakersfield to score first on Fresno State freshman Alyssa Loza. The Bulldogs got the run right back though. After a one out walk from Olivia Hill, Tiara Westbrook pulled a ball down the left field line for an RBI double to tie the game.
Bakersfield loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the third for second baseman Jillian Sanchez, who singled to right, giving the Roadrunners a 3-1 lead. All three of Loza’s runs were unearned. She struck out four in three innings before Morgan turned it over to Alyssa Ramirez.
Like the second inning, Hill worked a one out walk in the fourth with Westbrook following it up with an RBI double, this time finding the right center gap.
Bakersfield held a 3-2 lead going into the 7th inning, with starter Cedes Saldana looking to close the game out. Rylee Bocchini made that tough for her, pulling out an infield single to lead off the inning. Arianna Aguayo pinch ran for the Bulldog catcher and would score later in the inning on a game-tying triple from senior Natalie Elias.
Like de ja vu, Bocchini led off the ninth with a single. She would advance to second on a sacrifice and to third on a passed ball. Emma Martinez would bring in the go-ahead run on another infield single.
Ramirez was untouchable in relief, retiring 18 of the 20 batters she faced, allowing just one hit in six shutout innings to pick up the win.
What’s next
The Bulldogs road trip continues to Silicon Valley Classic this weekend with a doubleheader (3:00/5:30 p.m.) at St. Mary’s on Saturday, March 7. They will then play two at Santa Clara the next day, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Fresno State returns to Margie Wright Diamond on Friday, March 13th for a three game series as they welcome Utah State to town to begin Mountain West Conference play.
Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo courtesy of Jazmin Alvarado (FSM).
A statement weekend in Stockton for Fresno State softball (8-7) as the Bulldogs swept the Libby Matson tournament, taking two games apiece from Pacific College and UC San Diego.
Lauryn Carranco made a pretty cool memory, throwing a no-hitter on Friday afternoon against the Tritons. The Bulldogs also had five different players homer for the first time in 2026 this weekend.
Key Players
Lauryn Carranco: 2 W, 14 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 6 BB, 16 K
Alyssa Ramirez: 3-run HR / W, 6 IP, 5 H, 2 R (1 ER), 2 K
Emma Martinez: 6-for-15, 3 R, HR, 4 RBI, BB
What happened
Game 1: Fresno State 4, UC San Diego 0
Senior Lauryn Carranco was nearly untouchable Friday, retiring nine of the first 10 batters she faced, including five strikeouts. Her offense backed her up in the fourth inning. With two on and two out, Alyssa Ramirez belted one off the scoreboard over the left-center wall to give Fresno State a 3-0 lead. Jayda Crosby came off the bench to hit a solo shot over the right field wall to provide some insurance, her first career home run.
Carranco continued her excellence into the later inning, without allowing a hit all game. The Clovis Cougar alum struck out 12, including the final three batters to secure the first no hitter of her collegiate career and the shutout for the Bulldogs.
Game 2: Fresno State 5, Pacific 4 (10 innings)
Jamie Hicks homered to lead off the fourth inning on Friday, tying the game at one run apiece. Pacific retook the lead 2-1 in the bottom of the frame with a pair of singles with a sacrifice in between. Emma Martinez tied the game in the fifth with a single to center, scoring Arianna Aguayo. Pacific doubled twice in the fifth and once more in the sixth, scoring a run in each inning to take a 4-2 lead.
With the game on the line in the seventh inning, Alyssa Rebolledo reached with one out on an infield single. Martinez followed with a blast over the left field wall to tie the game. After neither team scored in the eighth or ninth innings, Martinez scored in the 10th thanks to a wild pitch from Pacific.
Alyssa Ramirez pitched six innings in relief, including four consecutive scoreless frames to end the game for the Bulldogs to get the win. Ramirez and Loza struck out seven on the night while allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits and no free passes.
Game 3: Fresno State 5, UC San Diego 4
Like Friday’s game against Pacific, the Bulldogs fell behind early 1-0. Mallory Vancleave doubled to lead off the third inning. Catcher Rylee Bocchini got on thanks to a throwing error from Tritons backstop Lily Hermosillo, advancing Vancleave to third. Bocchini then proceeded to steal second. An errant throw from Hermosillo allowed Vancleave to score.
Vancleave homered to left in the top of the fifth to give Fresno State a 2-1 lead. UCSD took it right back in the bottom frame though. After loading the bases against Bulldog freshman Alyssa Loza, Triton shortstop Marley Espiau tripled into the right center scoring three.
The Bulldogs fought back though. Jamie Hicks tied the game in the sixth, hitting a two-run homer over the left field wall. Olivia Hill led off the top of the seventh with a double over the head of Espiau. She was pinch run for by Kealani Nitta, who would later score the go ahead run on a single from Bocchini.
Loza fought back after a tough fifth inning to pitch seven strong for the Bulldogs and pick up her second win of the season.
Game 4: Fresno State 3, Pacific 0
Lauryn Carranco was excellent again on Saturday, throwing seven shutout innings (122 pitches) against the Tigers, striking out four while allowing just three hits.
Natalie Elias drove in Ava Tingey in the third inning, the only score until the seventh when the Bulldogs added a pair of insurance runs, including RBI knocks from Mallory Vancleave and Emma Martinez.
What’s next
The Bulldogs road trip continues next week with a Tuesday matchup at Cal State Bakersfield (2-17). First pitch is set for 12:30 p.m. in the afternoon. Fans can watch the game on ESPN+.
From there, the Bulldogs will play in the Silicon Valley Classic next weekend with a doubleheader (3:00/5:30 p.m.) at St. Mary’s on Saturday, March 7. They will then play two at Santa Clara the next day, beginning at 10:00 a.m.
Fresno State returns to Margie Wright Diamond on Friday, March 13th for a three game series as they welcome Utah State to town to begin Mountain West Conference play.
Recap written by Al Scott, cover photo courtesy of Fresno State Athletics.
The Charlotte Morgan era for the Fresno State softball program is off to a promising start, going 3-1 in the 2026 Fresno State Kickoff Classic, with wins over both Idaho State and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at Margie Wright on Friday and Idaho State again on Saturday afternoon.
“Overall, I think we did some good things, and then there’s some things that we need to definitely make sure that we’re doing, preparing them better for,” Morgan said. “Obviously game four today tested us. It’s these games that are tough to lose when you give up four runs when you’re one out away.”
Lauryn Carranco and Alyssa Loza allowed just one run on 10 hits over 23 combined innings pitched over the weekend. The latter of which was on the mound for the first time as a collegiate player.
“It’s new, it’s different and she’s just been all in and I’m really proud of the way that she’s come out, in both her starts, because that’s what we’re going to need from her,” Morgan said.
Shortstop Jerzie Liana led the Bulldogs offensively, picking up 7 hits. She and teammate Alyssa Ramirez drove in 5 runs apiece, steadying the middle of the Fresno State lineup.
“She’s very consistent. She’s one player that you’ll never know if she’s having a bad day or great day, very even killed, always locked in,” Morgan said.
Clovis native Lauryn Carranco made her Bulldog debut, one she had been dreaming about since she was little. She did not disappoint. The senior transfer struck out six and managed to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning as part of her five shutout innings performance.
Offensively, the Bulldogs backed Carranco by sending eight to the plate in the first inning, scoring three runs. Shortstop Jerzie Liana went 3-for-3 with a pair of runs scored in her Fresno State debut. Designated hitter Jamie Hicks (3 RBI) delivered a two-run double to mercy rule walk off the Cougars in the fifth inning.
Game 2: Fresno State 9, Idaho State 1 (5 innings)
A pair of hits to lead off the bottom of the second inning from Hicks and Jayda Crosby set up Natalie Elias who brought Jamie Hicks across home plate via a fielder’s choice. The Bengals used three base hits to bring in a run to tie the game in the 3rd inning off of Bulldog freshman Alyssa Loza. It’s all they would get off of her. Loza would go five innings, allowing just a run on five hits in her collegiate debut. She also got her first strikeout.
Fresno State retook the lead in the bottom half of the frame on an RBI single to right from Hicks. The Bulldogs extended the lead to 4-1 with two more runs in the fourth, including an RBI single from Tiara Westbrook.
Alyssa Rebolledo doubled in two runs in the fifth to make it 6-1 before the bases were loaded for Jerzie Liana, who cleared the bases with a walk-off double as Fresno State began its season with back-to-back mercy rule victories.
Game 3: Fresno State 2, Idaho State 0
After a scoreless top half, Natalie Elias and Emma Martinez led off the bottom of the first inning with a pair of infield singles, before advancing into scoring position on a wild pitch. Jerzie Liana and Alyssa Ramirez would bring both in with a pair of grounders. Fresno State found themselves up 2-0 despite not hitting out of the infield.
Two runs was all Lauryn Carranco needed, who was no match for the Bengals offense, striking out five, while allowing just two hits in seven shutout frames to improve Fresno State to 3-0.
Game 4: SIUE 5, Fresno State 4
The Cougars managed to put a couple runners on in the third inning against Alyssa Loza, and a runner on third base in the fourth inning but had nothing to show for it against the freshman. With one out in the bottom of the fourth, Emma Martinez tripled into the right-center gap. Tiara Westbrook followed by doubling to almost the exact same spot, scoring Martinez to get Fresno State on the board.
The Bulldogs scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth but the Cougars responded by scoring five runs off the Fresno State bullpen in the top of the seventh, including 4 runs with two-outs. The Bulldogs went down 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning, dropping the final game of the day.
What’s next
Fresno State will host #25 Washington next weekend at Margie Wright Stadium for a three-game set, with two games on Friday, Feb. 13, beginning at 4 p.m. The series will wrap up on Saturday with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
This series will present a ‘special opportunity’ Morgan said, given that it’s a three-game series just like conference play.
“The one thing that I think we’re still trying to figure out is, like, what is this identity of the team? We can’t be too high and too low, and that’s something that I would like for us to be a little bit better on, because that’s controllable,” Morgan said.
Tournament recap written by Al Scott. Cover photo courtesy of Jazmin Alvarado (FSM).
A new era of Fresno State softball begins this weekend under Charlotte Morgan, who was introduced as the sixth head coach in program history this past June.
Morgan comes to the Valley after spending the last four seasons as the head coach at Cal State University Northridge, leading the Matadors to 109 victories.
Her hiring comes following the departure of former Head Coach Stacy May-Johnson, who left following the 2025 season to take the same role at her alma mater, the University of Iowa. Morgan made it clear at her press conference back in June that they aren’t taking a step back.
“We’re not rebuilding. We’re redefining who we are,” Morgan said. “I want to retire here. I took this job to continue the tradition, the legacy. But get this place, we will break attendance records, we will get back to being that powerhouse where people don’t want to play us.”
Director of Athletics Garrett Klassy with Head Coach Charlotte Morgan (Fresno State Athletics).
The rich history of softball has it amongst the best, if not the best of any sport on the Fresno State campus. The program has won 24 conference championships, 34 NCAA Tournament appearances and a National Championship (1998).
“You should be coming here because of the history and knowing softball. Fresno State Softball is a powerhouse, but you’ve got to embrace that. You’ve got to want that, but also you gotta be able to struggle. I can take criticism, I can take the struggle, but there’s no way I’m going to get defeated by it,” Morgan said.
Prior to her coaching, Morgan was a standout player at the University of Alabama (2007-10) where she was a three-time NFCA All-American, a two-time SEC Player of the Year and was twice named a USA Softball Player of the Year Top 10 finalist.
Morgan pitched in 86 games (65 starts), compiling a 51-12 overall record with a 2.12 ERA for the Crimson Tide. At the plate, she hit .387 with 58 home runs and an SEC career-record 264 RBI.
“She’s the total package – an elite talent, an elite teacher, and an elite competitor,” Director of Athletics Garrett Klassy said. “She understands the game at the highest level. Her deep roots in California, combined with her proven success as a head coach make her the perfect fit for the Valley. She’s a relentless strategist and developer of talent who embraces the expectations and legacy of Fresno State Softball.”
Time to eat
The team has yet to find its identity for the upcoming season but one thing that is sure is made clear by their mantra ‘Let’s eat!’
Photo courtesy of Fresno State Athletics.
“Everything I talk about is staying hungry, you should never settle, you should want to get better in everything you do and I need them to hold me to that too,” Morgan said. “We’re Bulldogs, so it’s like, ‘let’s eat,’ let’s continue to get better.”
Senior outfielder Natalie Elias echoed this and said that this mentality goes beyond the field, from making a concerted effort to cleaning their lockers and picking up trash.
“I feel like we have a lot better intention with everything that we do on and off the field,” Elias said.
Natalie Elias (Fresno State Athletics)
Elias will play a pivotal role, leading an offense that lost a lot of firepower to graduation and the portal. Elias was named All-MW second team in 2025 after hitting .352 over 49 games as the Bulldogs leadoff hitter, a role she’s excited to serve again in 2026.
“My energy is really important at the start of the game. Getting on base is really important, or having a competitive at-bat,” Elias said.
Roster outlook
Elias is one of 13 returners from the 2026 team. Other returning starters include second baseman Emma Martinez, two-way player (3B/P) Alyssa Ramirez and outfielders Alyssa Rebolledo and Kealani Nitta.
Nadia Roundtree, Olivia Hill, Rylee Bocchini, Mallory Vancleave, Mackenna Gieger, Jamie Hicks, Ava Tingey, and Alexa Brunetti also return to the Bulldogs.
As is the case with most coaching transitions in recent years, several players from last year’s team entered the transfer portal following May-Johnson’s departure, including starting catcher Kennedy Bunker (Ole Miss) and Mountain West Pitcher of the Year Serayah Neiss (Iowa).
Photo courtesy of Fresno State Athletics.
The Bulldogs brought in 12 new players, including eight transfers: Leila Dixon (UIC), Larissa Flores (CSUN), Lauryn Carranco (CSUN), Gizella Vargas Sandoval (CSUN), Christal Lopez (CSUB), Tiara Westbrook (CSUN), Lorraine Alo (Portland State), and Giana Quintanar (Fresno City).
She also brought in four freshmen: Arianna Aguayo (Liberty HS), Alyssa Loza (Century HS), Jayda Crosby (California HS) and Makenna Pettey (Yucaipa HS). Loza, Crosby and Pettey were each named to the Softball America Freshman Watch List for 2026.
“I was a little worried about culture (with so many new players) but we’ve come together so nicely as a team. We’ve really bonded and I think we’re going to carry that through the season,” Elias said.
Carranco returns home
The Red Wave will have an entire new pitching staff to watch in 2026, but it won’t be unfamiliar to Morgan, especially with her ace in Carranco, who’s been with her the last three seasons at CSUN.
“I think it was meant to be for us to spend her final season together,” Morgan said. “It’s funny how our stories both began with wanting to be Fresno State Bulldogs and now we are here.”
Carranco went on to have a standout career at Clovis High where she led the Cougars to a 2022 Central Section Division I championship and to the NorCal Regional Division I finals with a state-leading 25 wins, leading the state in victories.
Lauryn Carranco being celebrated by her teammates (Carranco/IG).
The Clovis native was quite impressive in three seasons in a Matadors uniform, earning All-Big West Conference first-team honors in 2023 (also named Freshman Pitcher of the Year) and 2025 and second-team honors in 2024. She is coming off her best season in the circle, pitching to the tune of a 2.77 ERA in 34 appearances (32 starts), including 20 complete games and three shutouts while racking up 113 strikeouts across 189.2 innings.
Carranco’s road to becoming a Bulldog has been a long time coming. Growing up down the road from Fresno State, she had fond memories of attending Bulldog softball games as a kid.
Lauryn Carranco (right) at a Fresno State softball game (Carranco/Instagram)
“I was just ready to come home. I think there is no better way to end my college career. It’s still surreal to me,” Carranco said. “I have to pinch myself when I think about the opportunity to play on the field where I grew up watching games. It’s truly been a dream come true. I’ve felt so much support, not only from my family but from the community. When I’m on the field at Margie Wright Diamond and see those little girls in the stands, it’ll be a full-circle moment for me because I was one of them.”
Lopez, Loza and Ramirez should also see plenty of time in the circle this season.
Coaching staff
Morgan also brings with her a brand new coaching staff, including Recruiting Coordinator Darnell Westbrook, who will also oversee the outfield. Westbrook has been coaching since 2018 at the high school level and for Corona Angels Howard program, one of the top 10 travel softball organizations in the country.
“He brings the energy, he brings the life out of us, he’s someone that we can trust,” Morgan said. “I need someone like him, who’s a little bit more bubbly and outgoing.”
Former Oregon Duck star Ariel Carson comes to Fresno as the Bulldogs new hitting and infield coach. She finished her collegiate career with a .306 batting average, 173 hits, 159 RBIs, 47 stolen bases, and 44 home runs in 217 games in a Ducks uniform. Following her playing career, Carson transitioned to becoming the Director of Player Development and Analytics last season.
Mariah Mazon joins the staff as the Director of Player Development. Mazon was a three-time All-American at Oregon State, where she pitched under Fresno State legend Laura Berg before playing in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League.
The last piece to the puzzle was former Fresno State catcher Kelcey Carrasco, a member of the 2021 MW championship team.
“I wanted someone who understands what it means to be a Fresno State Bulldog and knows how to win. We want our program to represent the Valley, and Kelcey’s heart and soul are rooted here,” Morgan said.
Before joining the Bulldogs’ staff, Carrasco served as head coach of the Cen Cal Dirtdogs from 2022 to 2025. She also spent the 2022-23 season as an assistant coach at Fresno City College, helping lead the Rams to a CVC Championship while being named part of the CVC Coaching Staff of the Year.
The coaching staff is rounded out by assistants Brayden McIntosh, and former players Lauren Almeida and Keahlilele Mattson.
Schedule
The Bulldogs host Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (2/6 at 3 p.m. and 2/7 at 3 p.m.) and Idaho State (2/6 at 5 p.m. and 2/7 at 1 p.m.) this weekend to kick off the 2026 season.
Fresno State will welcome #25 Washington the following weekend (2/13-14) for three games. The Bulldogs will then compete in the Mary Nutter Classic (2/19-21), facing #1 Texas Tech, California, Cal Baptist and #10 UCLA.
They will finish the month of February facing UC San Diego and the University of Pacific for two games each (2/27-28). Fresno State will play at CSU Bakersfield on March 3 before playing Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara (two games each) in the Silicon Valley Classic (3/7-8).
The Bulldogs will begin Mountain West play on March 13 as they welcome Utah State to Margie Wright Diamond. This will be the first three of 25 conference games. The Bulldogs will also host Stanford for a midweek matchup with #17 Stanford on April 15.
The Mountain West Championship this season takes place in Reno, Nevada from May 6-9.
Story written by Al Scott, cover photo courtesy of Fresno State Athletics.
