Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Louisiana Tech
Baseball Sweeps Louisiana Tech, Win 11th Straight
3/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 24, 2002
RUSTON, La. - Fresno State (17-12, 5-1 WAC) sqeaked out another win, holding off Louisiana Tech (13-14, 1-6 WAC) 3-2. FS pitching came through once more as senior RHP Zach Minor (Walnut Creek, Calif.) pitched 6.1 shutout innings to pick up his fourth win of the season.
Minor allowed just two hits and struck out five while walking three. LaTech was held hitless through five innings for the second day in a row.
Sophomore third baseman Casey McGehee (Santa Cruz, Calif.) provided the offensive spark, cranking out his second homer of the series to put FS on the board in the fourth inning.
Fresno State upped its lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by senior outfielder Tobey Riday-White (Berkeley, Calif.) that scored senior designated hitter Jared Walker (Gardnerville, Nev.).
Louisiana Tech would rally in the seventh inning, however, loading the bases with one out off Minor. LaTech reached runners on a error, single and a walk, which would knock Minor out of the game in favor of freshman RHP Sean Ruthven (Alpharetta, Ga.).
"That was the third time this season I was brought on a bases loaded situation, so I was really trying to get them to ground out," said Ruthven.
Fortunately for Ruthven and the Bulldogs, LaTech hitters Jody Wood and Wade Robinson chased a couple of Ruthven curveballs and the threat was over with back-to-back strikeouts.
Ruthven would run into trouble the very next inning, though, hitting three batters to load the bases with two outs. LaTech pinch-hitter Kyle Humphries singled up the middle to drive in two and cut the lead to 3-2.
This would bring in FS saves leader sophomore LHP Mike Hernandez (Fresno, Calif.).
Hernandez cut LaTech's eighth inning rally with a grounder to first and pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to collect his fifth save of the season.
Fresno State extended its streak to 11 games with the win and will head to Houston for games against nationally ranked foes Houston and Rice. FS will be in action next against Houston on Tuesday, March 26 at 5 p.m. for a game.
