Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Washington
Baseball Outslugs Washington 13-9
2/23/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 23, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State (5-7) once again spotted Washington (4-2) with an early lead, but was able to come back and pull out a 13-9 victory. The Huskies scored six runs in the first two innings to build a 6-0 lead, but the Bulldogs battled back to snap their two-game losing streak.
"I thought we did a good job to come back. We were down five runs yesterday and couldn't come back and six today. When you take out one of your best pitchers it looks a little bit gloomy, but the team came back," said Bennett.
Junior pitcher Ben Fritz suffered his shortest outing of the season going only two innings while giving up six runs on seven hits.
Prior to today, Fritz had pitched at least eight innings in each of his first three starts including two complete games.
After falling 6-0 in the top of the second, the Bulldogs got four runs of their own in the second, sparked by a three-run homer by senior catcher Brad Harper (Madera, Calif.) to straight away center field.
Harper, who came into the ballgame batting a team-low .111, went 2-for-3 on the day with four RBIs and two runs scored.
"Harper's home run was a real big blow and got us back in the ballgame. We were scrappy and stayed with it and Pierce's home run towards the end was big too," said Bennett.
Junior transfer first baseman Brian Pierce (Fresno, Calif.) would seal the deal with a three-run blast in the eighth inning. It was Pierce's first homer of the season and first as a Bulldog.
Fresno State would get strong relief pitching from seniors RHP Francisco Nieves (Oakland, Calif.) and RHP Zach Minor (Walnut Creek, Calif.). They combined for seven innings allowing only three runs and striking out five batters.
Minor picked up his first win of the season, pitching the final three innings and not allowing a run while striking out two.
Senior outfielder Tobey Riday-White (Berkeley, Calif.), who had gone 1-for-7 in his last two games, went 2-for-3 with three runs scored on the day.
Washington starter RHP Clay Johnson was ruffed up going four innings allowing eight runs on eight hits. He would get a no-decision.
Huskie RHP Will Fenton suffered his first loss of the season pitching 1.1 innings in relief. He gave up two unearned runs on three hits. The Bulldogs scored the go-ahead run off Fenton in the seventh inning on a wild pitch.
Fresno State and Washington wrap up their series tomorrow at 1 p.m.
