Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Stanford
Bulldogs Fall To Stanford 6-3
2/26/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 26, 2006
Fresno, Calif. - Fresno State lost the rubber game of a three-game series with Stanford on Sunday. Starter Andy Underwood had his fifth straight start of 7.0 innings or more, and the Bulldogs pounded out eight hits against the Cardinal, but surrendered two home runs as Stanford picked up the win.
The Bulldogs were able to get on the board first on Sunday, taking their first early advantage on the Cardinal, reaching starter Matt Leva for three runs in four innings. The second would look like the most dangerous for Stanford, as Christian Vitters started a Fresno State rally with a single. Ozzie Lewis followed that hit with a solid double to the gap in right, but a big bounce kept Vitters from scoring as the ball hopped over the fence for a ground-rule double. A walk to Frank LoNigro loaded the bases with one out, and a sacrifice from Adam O'Daniel put the `Dogs on the board. The inning ended with no further damage when Steve Susdorf struck out with the bases loaded.
Stanford grabbed the lead in the third, as the bottom of the order came through with two singles to put runners on first and second, and Jim Rapoport doubled to bring in both to take a 2-1 lead. The Bulldogs answered back with some power, as Kent Sakamoto hit a solo home run to center to tie the game, and Adam O'Daniel got his first collegiate hit in the fourth inning by creaming a Matt Leva pitch to the gap for a home run.
Cardinal head coach Mark Marquess, having seen enough of Leva brought in David Stringer from the Bullpen, and Stringer had everything working for him. He struck out the first four Bulldog batters he faced, and ended up with eight strikeouts in a five inning appearance. For Fresno State, Andy Underwood again made a strong appearance, but gave up two solo home runs in the sixth, letting Stanford regain the lead, which they held on to for the rest of the game.
The Cardinal added an insurance run in the eighth inning, but the Bulldogs answered back with a rally of their own, as Beau Mills doubled to lead off the inning, and Christian Vitters walked to put Stringer in his first jam of the night. A perfect sacrifice bunt from Ozzie Lewis gave the Bulldogs two runners in scoring position, but after the pinch hitting heroics of Saturday, Ryan Overland struck out and Jared Halpert grounded out to end the inning in the last chance for the Bulldogs.
Fresno State hosts their first midweek game of the season this week, playing San Francisco on Wednesday in the first of three games with the Dons before welcoming Portland for a three game series over the weekend.
