Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Nevada*
Bulldogs Fall To Nevada 10-8
4/17/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 17, 2004
Reno, Nev. - The University of Nevada(20-17, 6-5 WAC) baseball team broke open a tie game by scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh and held on for 10-8 victory over Fresno State(16-24, 4-7WAC) in the second game of a three-game Western Athletic Conference series at Peccole Park in Reno, Saturday afternoon. The Wolf Pack have now won a season high six games in a row and have a stretch of scoring in double figures in the last five games for an average of 17 runs per game. Nevada stands at 20-17 overall and 6-5 in WAC play while FS dropped to 16-24 on the season and 4-7 in conference action.
With the game tied at 6-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning the Pack tallied four runs on three hits to go in front 10-6. Right fielder Jacob Butler ledoff the inning with a double off the center field wall to get the rally started and moved to third on a passed ball. The next two Nevada batters hit pop ups to the infield and it looked like Butler might be stranded at third but a wild pitch allowed him to score the go ahead run. Third baseman Joe Mercer followed with a walk and scored on designated hitter Austin Graham's fourth home run of the season. Second baseman Carlos Madrid connected on his fifth home run of the season and Nevada led 10-6.
FS scored a pair of runs in the top of the ninth on two hits. Third baseman Christian Vitters was hit by pitch after the first batter of the inning had been retired. Designated hitter Kent Sakamoto followed with a double and both runners scored on pinch hitter Kyle Wilson's single and FS trailed but just two. Pack reliever Bryan Johnson got the next hitter swinging and the final batter lined out to center fielder Brian Gazerro who made and outstanding play to catch the ball to end the game as the Wolf Pack prevailed 10-8.
Nevada got a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning with two down from Butler to take an early 1-0 lead. The home run extended Butler's hitting streak to a career and team season high 14 games.
FS put together a four run second inning to go in front 4-1. Right fielder Nick Moresi drove in two of the runs with his fifth home run of the season.
The Pack got a single run in the bottom of the second inning when Mercer singled to start the inning and moved to third on first baseman Ben Mummy's double down the left field line. Mercer scored with one down on shortstop Robert Marcial's RBI single to get the Pack within a pair at 4-2. An unearned run in the bottom of the fourth inning and the Pack had closed the gap to one at 4-3. Madrid plated Mercer with the run on a groundout to short.
The Bulldogs got two runs in the top of the fifth on three hits and led 6-3. Left fielder Chase Moore and second baseman Ryan Haag had RBI singles in the inning. The Pack tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth with the first two coming on Butler's second home run of the game and 10th of the season. Mercer later drove in left fielder Chris Gimenez with a double that dropped in just inside the left field line which knotted the game at 6-6. The four-run fourth was to much for the Bulldogs to overcame as Nevada won 10-8.
Nevada reliever Patrick Mason(4-3) pitched a career high six innings to win his fourth of the season. Mason allowed two runs on five hits in his time on the mound. Johnson surrendered two runs on two hits in 1.2 innings but recorded his first save of the season. FS reliever Rudy Quinonez(2-7) was tagged with the loss after allowing a run in his one inning of action.
Butler(3-for-5,3R,3RBI,2HR) had a game high three hits and three RBI to lead Nevada's 13 hit attack. The two home runs hit by Butler were a single game career high and his 10 this season is single season career high. Mercer(2-for-2,3R,RBI), and Graham(2-for-4,R,2RBI) added two hits each. Graham, and Madrid also belted home runs for the Pack. In addition to Butler extending his hit streak to 13 games, catcher Brett Hayes pushed his hit streak to nine games, Mummy's hit streak is now eight games, and Marcial's streak stands at seven games. Madrid and Gazerro extended their hit streaks to five games.
FS had 12 hits in the game and three players center fielder Richie Robnett(2-for-4), Moore(2-for-5,R,RBI), and Moresi(2-for-5,R,2RBI) finished with two hits apiece. Wilson and Moresi had two RBI each. Moresi's two RBI came on his fifth home run of the season.
The series finale is scheduled for Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at Peccole Park in Reno.
