Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Stanford
Fresno State Evens Stanford Series With 7-5 Win
2/25/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 25, 2006
Fresno, Calif. - Using 17 different position players, the Bulldogs put the pieces together to fashion a comeback win Saturday over Stanford. Freshman Erik Wetzel was 2-4 with two RBI, and both Ryan Overland and Chase Moore were perfect in pinch-hit appearances, driving in four runs in the late innings to pace the Bulldogs to the win.
Stanford got on the board early, as Eddie Romero retired his first two batters, but gave up three consecutive singles to the Cardinal 3-4-5 hitters to fall behind 1-0 early in the game. Steve Susdorf led off the game with a hit, but Stanford starter Matt Manship regained control of the early innings, retiring the next three batters in order and moving through the next three innings giving up only one more hit, a double to Beau Mills in the fourth.
One run at a time was the way that Stanford increased their lead early. Michael Taylor lead off the fourth inning with a walk, and scored on a single from Chris Lewis after moving to second on a wild pitch to get their only run of that inning. The Cardinal moved ahead 3-0 in the fifth when left fielder Ryan Seawell hit a liner to left that just curled over the wall, the only home run of the entire game.
The Bulldogs began to come back in the second half of the game. Manship, who had allowed only two hits to that point, gave up his third hit to Jared Halpert who doubled to give the Bulldogs a runner as part of a perfect day for Fresno State pinch-hitters. Freshman Erik Wetzel drove in the first of his two RBI in that inning, sending a single to left field to bring in Halpert and get the Bulldogs on the board.
Stanford gained back the ground in the sixth, again piecing together one run off of Romero, starting with a one-out double by Brent Milleville followed by a single from Cord Phelps. Fresno State came all the way back in the bottom half of the inning however with a huge two out rally. Matt Manship retired the first two batters of the inning, but after walking Beau Mills, he was taken out by Stanford coach Mark Marquess despite throwing only 71 pitches and giving up four hits. The Bulldogs were able to capitalize on the Cardinal bullpen from that point, earning a walk and a single to load the bases against Sean Ratliff before Marquess went back to the bullpen for Nolan Gallagher. Gallagher did not fare any better, as a high chopper from Ozzie Lewis scored a run while keeping the bases juiced, and Ryan Overland brought the team all the way back with a two-run double as the second straight pinch-hitter.
The tie didn't last for long, as a leadoff walk and a sacrifice gave Stanford a runner in scoring position with one out, and the Cardinal put together their fifth one-run inning with a single by Chris Minaker to move back ahead 5-4. Jason Breckley came in from the bullpen to take care of the rest of the inning, and the Cardinal would create no further damage.
One night after nearly reaching reliever Jeremy Bleich, the Bulldogs put together a full rally against the Stanford closer. Coming in to begin the eighth inning, Bleich struck out Beau Mills but beaned Christian Vitters to give the Bulldogs the tying runner, and a ground ball to Chris Lewis was fumbled and thrown into the dugout, putting the tying and winning runs into scoring position. The fourth pinch hitter of the game, Chase Moore, was just as successful in that position as the previous three, taking a Bleich offering up the middle to put the Bulldogs ahead 6-5. Pinch runner Nick Moresi moved over to second on a bunt from Ryan Overland, and scored as Wetzel drove in his second run with a double just over the head of a leaping Cord Phelps.
Breckley retired the side in the ninth in order to get the win in relief. The Bulldogs attempt to win their fourth straight series Sunday at 1:05 p.m., with Andy Underwood taking the mound for Fresno State.
