Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
San Jose St
Baseball Takes Series From San Jose State
3/10/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 10, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State (8-12, 2-1 WAC) took its first series of the season, defeating San Jose State (14-7, 1-2 WAC) 5-2 Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs got a complete game gem from junior RHP Ben Fritz (San Jose, Calif.) to open its WAC schedule on the positive side.
"The last two games we've been more aggressive and today we were more relaxed and played much better. Ben pitched a good ballgame and that always helps. He was solid the whole way through," said Coach Bennett.
Fritz allowed only two runs, both on solo homers, on four hits and struck out six batters while walking just one.
"I felt good out there and real comfortable and everything flowed. When my defense is playing the way they did today, it gives me a lot of confidence on the mound. I know I don't have to punch everybody out," said Fritz.
The bottom of the order did most of the damage offensively for the Bulldogs. Junior second baseman T.J. Boyd (Kingsburg, Calif.), sophomore outfielder Christian Hallaian (Fresno, Calif.), senior catcher Brad Harper (Madera, Calif.) and junior outfielder Joey Myers (Fresno, Calif.) went a combined 8-for-12 with four runs scored and three RBIs on the day.
The Bulldogs did not allow a first-inning run for the first time since the Long Beach State game Feb. 26. FS built its own 3-1 lead through the first five innings and upped it to 4-1 going into the seventh.
The run in the first came on a single by freshman first baseman Brandon Esparza (Gilroy, Calif.) that drove in senior outfielder Tobey Riday-White (Berkeley, Calif.). Esparza batted .375 in the series with a home run and three RBIs.
In the fourth inning FS got two more on a single by Hallaian that scored Myers. Hallaian would then score on a wild pitch later in the inning for the second run.
Fresno State manufactured another run in the sixth inning on a sacrifice fly by Myers. Boyd would put the finishing touch with a solo jack in the eighth inning to give FS the 5-2 lead. It was Boyd's first homer as a Bulldog.
Boyd went 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI on the day.
"Coach Bennett told me to be more aggressive at the plate and I think I carried that over into the game. Fortunately, I was getting good pitches to hit and I was able to be aggressive on them," said Boyd.
The two San Jose State runs came in the fifth and seventh innings off solo homers by desginated hitter Hector Zamora and catcher Adam Shorsher.
Fresno State will be in action the next six days as it hosts the 24th annual Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic. The Bulldogs will face Gonzaga tomorrow at 7 p.m.
