Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Cal Poly
Fresno State Loses Season Opener To Cal Poly 6-3
1/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Jan. 27, 2006
San Luis Obispo, Calif. - Fresno State opened up quickly, taking advantage of two Cal Poly errors in the first inning to grab a 2-0 lead, but the lead vanished in the third inning when Mustang first baseman Jimmy Van Ostrand hit a grand slam, helping pace Cal Poly to a 6-3 win on Friday night in the season opener for both teams.
A solid crowd from Cal Poly, here to see one of the last three January series in collegiate baseball, was quieted early when a liner to center by Steve Susdorf came off of the glove of center fielder Grant Desme to open the game. The Bulldogs made the most of the opportunity, as Loren Storey hit a bunt single, and Kent Sakamoto reached on an error on the second straight bunt for the Bulldogs. Nick Moresi then came through for the Bulldogs, singling to left to score both Storey and Susdorf.
The Bulldogs continued to hold the lead as starter Doug Fister threw two hitless innings, but the Mustangs loaded the bases, and Jimmy Van Ostrand cleared them with a grand slam to left, giving the Mustangs a 4-2 lead. The team scored two more the following inning after a pair of wild pitches from Doug Fister let runners score. Fister settled down to close out the inning, but the damage was done as Cal Poly opened a 6-2 lead.
Fresno State clawed a little bit closer in the seventh inning as Steve Susdorf doubled over the head of Desme in center to begin the inning, and scored when Kent Sakmoto hit a double off of the wall in left. The Bulldogs were unable to rally any further in the inning, and Cal Poly kept the lead.
Rocky Roquet entered the game in the ninth, holding on for the save. Cal Poly starter Gary Daley picked up the win, pitching 6.1 innings, giving up three runs on eight hits while striking out eight. Fresno State starter did him one better in the strikeout total, picking up nine Ks in the loss.
The series continues tomorrow, when southpaw Eddie Romero takes the mound against Cal Poly's Bud Norris in a Saturday matinee beginning at 1 p.m. The game can be heard in Fresno and in San Luis Obispo on KMJ 580.
