Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Pepperdine
Baseball Team Rallies Late For Victory
2/5/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 5, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State jumped to an early lead for the second consecutive game, gave it up and rallied in the eighth inning to pull out an exciting 7-6 victory against Pepperdine Saturday afternoon at Pete Beiden Field.
The Bulldogs plated three runs in the first inning, as the first six hitters reached base safely. Pepperdine starter Noah Lowry lasted only five hitters before being relieved by Steve Schenewerk. The Bulldogs added a run in the third for a 4-0 lead.
However, the Pepperdine bats came alive in the top of the sixth, as Wave first baseman Jared Pitney chased Fresno State starter Shawn Hannah (Sr., Clovis, Calif.) with a two-out triple that plated two runs. Pepperdine scored three more runs off a pair of Bulldog relievers in the seventh to take its first lead of the afternoon.
Bulldog catcher Brad Harper (So., Madera, Calif.) had a clutch two-out single that plated two in the bottom of the seventh, but Pepperdine tied the game in its half of the eighth with another run off Hans Smith (Sr., Central Point, Ore.).
Second baseman Tom Creighton (So., Weldon, Calif.) led off the Bulldog half of the eighth with a single, advanced to second on shortstop Josh Labandeira's (Jr., Porterville, Calif.) sacrifice bunt and scored on Anthony Acevedo's (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif.) one-out single to left field to give Fresno State a 7-6 lead heading to the ninth inning.
Mike Hernandez (Fr., Fresno, Calif.), who relieved Smith in the eighth, struck out the first two hitters of the ninth. Hernandez, making only his second appearance at the collegiate level, then allowed a single by Pepperdine shortstop Tony Garcia before inducing Pitney into a pop out to second base to end the thriller. Hernandez (1-0) picked up his first career victory.
"This was a big win for Mike and the team," Fresno State head coach Bob Bennett said. "With young players, you never quite know what to expect. Mike showed us what he could do today. I knew he could get the job done. He went after an All-American in Dane Sardinha and struck him out with overpowering stuff."
Bennett said the team had several players step up in the face of pressure during the game.
"Anthony's single sure was a clutch hit," Bennett said. "Creighton had a clutch hit and so did Harper. We had a lot of people contribute to this win today. We looked bad at times, but so did they early on. I am very proud of these players. A lot of teams would have thrown in the towel after falling behind the way we did."
Fresno State pounded out 12 hits - all singles - in the victory. The Bulldogs first three hitters were a combined 8-for-12 with four runs scored and two RBIs. Creighton paced the attack by going 3-for-3 with a walk and two runs scored. Acevedo was 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and Labandeira added a pair of safeties.
Hannah held the Waves scoreless through 5.2 innings before surrendering the triple to Pitney and earned a no decision. He scattered eight hits and struck out three.
The three-game series concludes Sunday afternoon at Beiden Field. Left-hander Beau Hintz (So., Stockton, Calif.) will oppose Pepperdine junior right-hander Jay Adams. Hintz will make his third career start and his first start of 2000. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
