Fresno State Athletics
No. 21 Baseball To Wrap Up Regular Season This Weekend
5/18/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 18, 2000
FRESNO, Calif. - The 2000 WAC baseball championship will be on the line this weekend when No. 21 (USA Today Baseball Weekly) Fresno State (39-17, 17-10) travels to San Jose State (34-19, 17-10) for a season-ending three-game series at Municipal Stadium. Both teams enter the weekend set tied atop the conference standings with identical 17-10 records, while No. 25 Rice is a half-game back at 16-10. Game times this weekend are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and all three games can be heard on KMJ-580 AM.
The winner of the conference race will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The NCAA will air the baseball championship selection show on Monday (noon on ESPN) and the 'Dogs are looking for their first tournament invite since 1997. The Bulldogs, who can clinch their first 40-win season since 1997 with one victory this weekend, are looking to avenge the Spartans' three-game sweep at Pete Beiden Field from April 28-30.
San Jose State is coming off three losses last weekend at Rice. The Spartans are hitting .279 as a team and have outscored their opponents 307-240 this year. Junior Ruiz continues to lead the Spartans with a .379 batting average. Ruiz also has scored 40 runs, clubbed 17 doubles and driven in 39 runs. The San Jose State pitching staff has been solid all season, posting a 3.89 ERA and limiting foes to a .278 batting average. The starting rotation of Chris Key (10-2, 3.21 ERA), Joey Baker (6-7, 3.91) and Tim Adinolfi (7-2, 2.77) has combined for a 23-11 record and a 3.32 ERA.
Right-hander Shawn Hannah (Sr., Clovis, Calif.) is scheduled to start Friday's opener. Hannah, who has not lost a starting assignment since Jan. 29, will bring a 7-2 record and 3.29 ERA into the contest. The Spartans will counter with Key, a left-hander. Reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week Tom Graham (Sr., Modesto, Calif.) is slated to take the hill on Saturday for the 'Dogs. Graham is 7-5 with a 4.74 ERA in 18 appearances and 17 starts this year. San Jose State will send Baker to the mound to oppose Graham. Fresno State head coach Bob Bennett has yet to name a starter for Sunday's finale. Adinolfi, a southpaw, will start Sunday's finale for the Spartans.
The Bulldogs hold a commanding lead in the all-time series that dates back to the 1951 season, 112-51. The 163 meetings are the most against any opponent in Fresno State baseball history. San Jose State has won three consecutive games in the all-time series after the three-game sweep in April. The in-state rivals have met six times in the postseason and Fresno State holds a 4-2 edge in those matchups.
