Photo by: Keith Kountz
Fresno State Baseball: Q&A with Aaron Arruda
3/20/2017 7:28:00 AM | Baseball
By: Savannah Stoeckle
Communications Student Assistant
With the 2017 Fresno State baseball season well underway, GoBulldogs.com took time to chat with Fresno State baseball junior infielder Aaron Arruda to see what being a Bulldog means to him.
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The Fresno native from Buchanan High School helped lead the Bears to a TRAC conference championship title in 2013.
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As a sophomore last spring, Arruda earned First-Team All-Mountain West honors appearing in 54 games, starting 41 games at first base and six games at designated hitter. The sophomore finished the season with a .320 batting average and totaled 62 hits, including 15 doubles and a team-high 11 home runs. Arruda also led the team in RBIs (44) and total bases (110) and finished the 2016 season on a 17-game on-base streak.
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Arruda has started all 19 games at first base for the Bulldogs this spring smacking a team-best 32 hits, including five doubles, two triples, and has a team-leading three home runs in 85 at-bats. He also leads the club with 19 RBI's and ranks second on the team hitting .376 from the plate.
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Arruda opened up about his hometown roots, the expectations he has of the 2017 season and the experiences he has had while in a Bulldog uniform.
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Q: Being from Fresno, has it always been a goal of yours to be a Bulldog?
Arruda: "Yes it has. Being from Fresno, I have always watched all of the games and followed the teams. With Korby Batesole being a really close friend and his dad being the head coach, I had always wanted to come here. After the 2008 national championship, that is when I really wanted to come here and play for excellence."
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Q: How does it feel to get to play along side your younger brother, JT Arruda, at the collegiate level?
Arruda: "We have never played together on the same team growing up, in any sport. Being in college and being on the same team for the first time is a really cool experience. We also live together, so that is something cool to share with him too. It is really great to get to play baseball with him at this level."
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Q: Zach Ashford, Korby Batesole, Ross Dodds, and yourself all came out of Buchanan High School, what is it like to get to move forward with them from being Bears to Bulldogs?
Arruda: "It is different knowing that you go to college and your buddies from your high school team are going with you. It doesn't usually happen like that, but it is pretty cool that we got to do that and continue playing together at Fresno State."
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Q: How does it feel to be carrying on the number 27 jersey legacy here at Fresno State?
Arruda: "It is pretty cool now, an honor really. Before that, I had never really thought about it, it was just another number to wear. I didn't want to think about it in that way."
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Q: You hit a team-high 11 home runs in your sophomore season as a Bulldog, and have already knocked three this year, how do you plan to keep the hits rolling into this season?
Arruda: "I plan to stay focused and just go game by game. You can't really try to hit home runs, you just have to go at-bat by at-bat and see what happens when you're up there."
Q: What do you expect from yourself and from your team on the diamond this season?
Arruda: "From my team, I expect us to get to Regionals, that is what our goal has been all year. We have had some setbacks to start the year, but in the last three or four games we have made some steps in the right direction. From me, it would be to just play well and help the team out."
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Q: Do you have any pregame superstitions or rituals?
Arruda: "No superstations, but I do have to wear wrist tape and an arm sleeve. Both wrists have to be taped with an arm sleeve over the tape."
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Q: Which of your past or present teammates has been your biggest influence during your time as a Bulldog? Why?
Arruda: "Recently graduated player Kevin Viers. He has been one of my closest friends since I have been here. His junior year was my freshman year, he kind of took me under his wing and taught me everything that Coach Batesole had to say. He was always that guy that mellows me out. Last year, when I wasn't hitting well, we would and go hit in the barn and he would try to just mellow me out a bit and get some practice in. He knew my full potential so he always helped me to take strides in that direction."
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Q: Which opponent are you most excited to face this season? Why?
Arruda: "New Mexico. We all want to beat them this year."
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Q: What is the ultimate goal you would like to help your team accomplish by the conclusion of the season?
Arruda: "We want to win the Mountain West and host the Mountain West tournament. We want to go to Regionals, and win a Regional, make it to Super Regionals, and win a Super Regional."
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Quick Hitters
Favorite MLB Team: Oakland A's
Favorite Food: Doghouse or El Pueblito (Mexican Restaurant)
Favorite NFL Team: Oakland Raiders
Favorite Hobby: Beating JT Arruda and Ross Dodds at Call of Duty
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter: @Fresno StateBSB
Instagram:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthleticsÂ
Communications Student Assistant
With the 2017 Fresno State baseball season well underway, GoBulldogs.com took time to chat with Fresno State baseball junior infielder Aaron Arruda to see what being a Bulldog means to him.
Â
The Fresno native from Buchanan High School helped lead the Bears to a TRAC conference championship title in 2013.
Â
As a sophomore last spring, Arruda earned First-Team All-Mountain West honors appearing in 54 games, starting 41 games at first base and six games at designated hitter. The sophomore finished the season with a .320 batting average and totaled 62 hits, including 15 doubles and a team-high 11 home runs. Arruda also led the team in RBIs (44) and total bases (110) and finished the 2016 season on a 17-game on-base streak.
Â
Arruda has started all 19 games at first base for the Bulldogs this spring smacking a team-best 32 hits, including five doubles, two triples, and has a team-leading three home runs in 85 at-bats. He also leads the club with 19 RBI's and ranks second on the team hitting .376 from the plate.
Â
Arruda opened up about his hometown roots, the expectations he has of the 2017 season and the experiences he has had while in a Bulldog uniform.
Â
Q: Being from Fresno, has it always been a goal of yours to be a Bulldog?
Arruda: "Yes it has. Being from Fresno, I have always watched all of the games and followed the teams. With Korby Batesole being a really close friend and his dad being the head coach, I had always wanted to come here. After the 2008 national championship, that is when I really wanted to come here and play for excellence."
Â
Q: How does it feel to get to play along side your younger brother, JT Arruda, at the collegiate level?
Arruda: "We have never played together on the same team growing up, in any sport. Being in college and being on the same team for the first time is a really cool experience. We also live together, so that is something cool to share with him too. It is really great to get to play baseball with him at this level."
Â
Q: Zach Ashford, Korby Batesole, Ross Dodds, and yourself all came out of Buchanan High School, what is it like to get to move forward with them from being Bears to Bulldogs?
Arruda: "It is different knowing that you go to college and your buddies from your high school team are going with you. It doesn't usually happen like that, but it is pretty cool that we got to do that and continue playing together at Fresno State."
Â
Q: How does it feel to be carrying on the number 27 jersey legacy here at Fresno State?
Arruda: "It is pretty cool now, an honor really. Before that, I had never really thought about it, it was just another number to wear. I didn't want to think about it in that way."
Â
Q: You hit a team-high 11 home runs in your sophomore season as a Bulldog, and have already knocked three this year, how do you plan to keep the hits rolling into this season?
Arruda: "I plan to stay focused and just go game by game. You can't really try to hit home runs, you just have to go at-bat by at-bat and see what happens when you're up there."
Q: What do you expect from yourself and from your team on the diamond this season?
Arruda: "From my team, I expect us to get to Regionals, that is what our goal has been all year. We have had some setbacks to start the year, but in the last three or four games we have made some steps in the right direction. From me, it would be to just play well and help the team out."
Â
Q: Do you have any pregame superstitions or rituals?
Arruda: "No superstations, but I do have to wear wrist tape and an arm sleeve. Both wrists have to be taped with an arm sleeve over the tape."
Â
Q: Which of your past or present teammates has been your biggest influence during your time as a Bulldog? Why?
Arruda: "Recently graduated player Kevin Viers. He has been one of my closest friends since I have been here. His junior year was my freshman year, he kind of took me under his wing and taught me everything that Coach Batesole had to say. He was always that guy that mellows me out. Last year, when I wasn't hitting well, we would and go hit in the barn and he would try to just mellow me out a bit and get some practice in. He knew my full potential so he always helped me to take strides in that direction."
Â
Q: Which opponent are you most excited to face this season? Why?
Arruda: "New Mexico. We all want to beat them this year."
Â
Q: What is the ultimate goal you would like to help your team accomplish by the conclusion of the season?
Arruda: "We want to win the Mountain West and host the Mountain West tournament. We want to go to Regionals, and win a Regional, make it to Super Regionals, and win a Super Regional."
Â
Quick Hitters
Favorite MLB Team: Oakland A's
Favorite Food: Doghouse or El Pueblito (Mexican Restaurant)
Favorite NFL Team: Oakland Raiders
Favorite Hobby: Beating JT Arruda and Ross Dodds at Call of Duty
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter: @Fresno StateBSB
Instagram:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthleticsÂ
Players Mentioned
Infield
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Outfield
/ Baseball
Infield
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Catcher
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Infield
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