CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. – Bethune-Cookman's Jessica Alaan and Joslynn Davis each tallied two hits Saturday morning as the Wildcats fell in a thriller to Fresno State, 6-4 in the opening game of day three action as part of the 2025 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic at Big League Dreams Complex. For the Cats, it was their fifth game in three days in California.
 
Facing off against her former side from the 2022 season, Fresno State left-hander Hannah Ortega earned the start in the pitcher's circle for the Bulldogs, while Halyne Gonzalez got the nod from B-CU Head Coach Laura Watten in the opposite dugout.
 
Fresno State (7-5) jumped out to an early lead, scoring two runs in the first inning and adding three more in the second to build a 5-0 advantage. Natalie Elias sparked the offense, going 2-for-4 with two runs scored, while Madison Rey drove in a pair of runs to lead Fresno State's nine-hit attack.
 
Bulldogs First baseman Lauren Almeida and left fielder Taryn Irigoyen each contributed RBI singles in the first inning to gain the initial 2-0 lead. The second inning saw Fresno State widen its advantage, highlighted by Kiara Sipe's RBI single and Rey's two-run base hit that chased Gonzalez after just 1.1 innings in the circle.
 
Bethune-Cookman (4-13) refused to go quietly, mounting a comeback with three runs in the fourth inning.
 
The Maroon and Gold rally began with singles coming from left fielder Emma Bradley-Tse and second baseman Jessica Alaan – who, along with third baseman Shanai Owens, missed the opening day due to classroom obligations as student-athletes back on the Daytona Beach campus – followed by a series of Fresno State miscues. The Bulldogs committed four errors in the game, including two costly ones in the fourth that allowed B-CU to plate three unearned runs.
 
The Wildcats run of the contest came in the top of the fourth when Alaan scored from second on an error charged to Almeida at first. The deficit became just 4-3 when Owens stole second, forcing an errant throw from Fresno State catcher Kennedy Bunker past the glove of second baseman Marissa Montelongo and into the outfield, allowing the speedy Kendall Macauley and Owens to score on the play, respectively.
 
Bethune-Cookman added another unearned run in the fifth when Joslynn Davis scored on an error following her single, cutting the deficit to 5-4. Davis finished with a strong performance, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and her fifth stolen base of the season.
 
Fresno State secured an insurance run in the sixth inning when pinch hitter Kealani Nitta singled and eventually scored on a passed ball, extending the lead to the final margin of 6-4.
 
B-CU threatened once again in the top of the seventh, as Aysiah Gonzalez – who leads the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) in hit by pitch opportunities at the dish, was hit by a pitch for the fifth time on the year, this one from Fresno Stater reliever Faith Jordan. Davis followed with her second hit of the day, as pinch runner India Stokes made her way to third on the play courtesy the fourth error of the game by the Bulldogs. However, Jordan would get the shut down the threat sitting down the next three batters in order.
 
Ortega (1-0) earned her first win of the season for the Bulldogs, allowing no earned runs in three-plus innings of work. Jordan closed out the final 2.1 innings to record her first save, working around three hits.
 
Gonzalez (3-9) took the loss for Bethune-Cookman, surrendering five earned runs on six hits. Alyssa Lopez provided strong relief, yielding just one unearned run over 4.2 innings while scattering three hits.
 
The Cats offense was paced by mirror 2-for-4 outings at the plat from Alaan and Davis.
 
B-CU steps back on the diamond Friday, Feb. 28, as the Cats take on Butler at the MIH Games in Madeira Beach, Florida. First pitch is slated for 11 a.m.
 
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