Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
San Jose St
Baseball Wins First Game of WAC Season 3-2
2/17/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 16, 2001
FRESNO, Calif. - The Fresno State Bulldogs got their first win of the Western Athletic Conference season against in-state rival San Jose State 3-2, before a crowd of 2,773 at Pete Beiden Field. After pitching a solid seven and two-thirds innings junior Zach Minor (Walnut Creek, Calif.) got the win for the Bulldogs improving his record to 1-1, while San Jose State's Chris Sherman fell to 1-1.
Junior Ruiz got things started for Spartans in the first inning when he hit a solo home run to give San Jose state an early 1-0 lead.
The Bulldogs answered back with three runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Senior right fielder Simon Tafoya (Pittsburg, Calif.) hit the ball off the left field wall for his first triple of the season. One batter later, Brad Harper (Jr., Madera, Calif.) stepped to the plate and hit his second double of the season to score Tafoya from third, tying the score at 1-1. The following batter, Tony Guzman, (Sr., Clovis, Calif.) hit a single to advance Harper to third. Junior Tom Creighton (Weldon, Calif.) singled into the center field gap to score Harper, giving Fresno State a one run lead. Oscar Lopez (Sr., San Diego) drove in the winning run with his fielder's choice to score Guzman, giving the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead.
The Spartans tried to comeback in the top of the eighth when Ryan Brucker's fielder's choice scored Kevin Frandsen, who had reached base on a single, cutting the Fresno State lead to one run, 3-2.
With the winning run at the plate and two outs, Ben Fritz (So., San Jose, Calif.) stepped in to relieve Beau Hintz (Jr., Stockton, Calif.), who had replaced Minor in the top of the eighth, with two outs. Fritz finished off the final San Jose State batter for his second save of the 2001 season.
First pitch for Saturday and Sunday is scheduled for 1 p.m. in the friendly confines of Pete Beiden Field.
