Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
San Jose St
Fresno State Holds Off San Jose State
3/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 9, 2002
FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State (7-12, 1-1 WAC) snapped its four-game losing with a 7-6 win against San Jose State (13-6, 1-1 WAC) 7-6. The Bulldogs came back from a 5-3 deficit and held off a ninth inning rally by the Spartans for the victory.
"We were a little more aggressive tonight at the plate and that's what we got to be. When you're not you have a tendency to be laid back and that's when mistakes start to occur," said Coach Bennett.
The Bulldogs held on to a 3-1 lead through four innings, getting one in the first and two in the second. Sophomore outfielder Christian Hallaian (Clovis, Calif.) doubled to straight away center in the second inning to drive home junior designated hitter Brian Pierce (Fresno, Calif.). Junior outfielder Joey Myers (Fresno, Calif.) added another run with a sacrifice fly.
Senior RHP Zach Minor (Walnut Creek, Calif.) seemed to be in cruise control until the fifth inning when the Spartans gained the lead, scoring three in the inning. Minor would go 4.1 innings allowing four runs and striking out four. He got a no-decision.
SJSU second baseman Gabe Lopez, who was a third-team preseason All-American, doubled in two runs in the fifth inning. That would knock Minor out of the game and bring in sophomore LHP Mike Hernandez (Fresno, Calif.) who would retire the side.
The Spartans, however, got to Hernandez in the next inning off an Adam Shorsher homer to left field. A ground out and a walk later and Hernandez would check out in favor of senior RHP Francisco Nieves (Oakland, Calif.). Nieves quieted the storm and held San Jose State scoreless for the next 1.2 innings.
In the seventh inning the Bulldog bats came alive, scoring three runs and gaining the 7-5 edge. Freshman Brandon Esparza (Gilroy, Calif.) came off the bench to pinch hit and tied the game at 5-5 with two outs in the inning.
Later sophomore third baseman Casey McGehee (Aptos, Calif.), who had solo homered an inning ealier, doubled to leftcenter to drive in two more and give the Bulldogs a 7-5 cushion.
"I was getting pitches I could handle. The [San Jose State pitcher] was putting pitches down the plate and I made sure I put the bat on it. It feels good to get the 'W'. We put together nine solid innings," said McGehee.
That would set the stage for freshman RHP Sean Ruthven for the save. After getting through an easy eighth inning, the Spartans made some two-out noise in the ninth.
Spartan outfielder Dino Quintero doubled an 0-2 pitch down the left field line and then Lopez singled him in to cut the Bulldog lead to 7-6. Sophomore shortstop Chris Patrick (Fresno, Calif.) made sure the rally would go no further, snagging a line drive up high for the third out.
"I was a little nervous, but when [Patrick] caught it I was relieved. It made it a little more interesting than it needed to be," said Ruthven.
Ruthven picked up his second save of the season in the process while Nieves picked up his first win of the season.
Fresno State and San Jose State will wrap up their series tomorrow at 1 p.m.
