Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Bucknell
Fresno State Opens Week With Win
3/12/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 12, 2006
Fresno, Calif. - Playing seven games in seven days, the Bulldogs got started on the right foot with a left hander, junior Eddie Romero. Romero extended his team-best scoreless innings streak, striking out a season-best eight batters through seven innings on the way to a 3-1 win. The Bulldogs begin tournament play tomorrow against Miami (Ohio) at 7 p.m.
Both teams were bringing a top pitcher, as Romero entered the night with four wins on the season, and Matt Curry entered Sunday with a 2.45 ERA despite taking two losses on the year for the Bison. Fresno State got on the board first, however, as Christian Vitters hit his fifth home run of the season to get the scoring started with a 1-0 lead in the second inning. Both pitchers remained in control early, as Romero allowed only two hits through five innings, and Curry kept the `Dogs at one run.
Fresno State finally broke through in the bottom half of the fifth inning. Brian Lapin started the inning with a chopper through the left side to give the Bulldogs a runner from the top of the order. Loren Storey added a second single, and a third consecutive single loaded the bases for the Bulldogs with no one out. Beau Mills drove in the first run of the inning with a groundout deep into the hole at second, and Vitters came within inches of breaking the game wide open, but Bucknell Ryan Gryskevicz made a spectacular diving catch at the warning track to limit the damage to a sacrifice fly.
Romero proceeded through two more uneventful innings before Junior Brandon Miller came in to the game in his first appearance of the year. Miller lived up to his performances through the past two years, setting down the side in order to bring up the end of the game.
Bucknell did not go quietly into the end of the night. Closer Jason Breckley retired the first two batters of the inning in quick succession, but cleanup hitter Jason Buursma singled to start a late rally from the Bison. A walk and a second single loaded the bases for Bucknell in the ninth, and a single from Brad Duvall brought in one run, but third baseman Ed Rubbo was gunned down at the plate by center fielder Loren Storey who made a one-hop throw to Danny Grubb who made the tag for the final out.
Fresno State begins Pepsi/Johnny Quik action tomorrow evening at 7 p.m., when the Bulldogs face the Red Hawks of Miami (Ohio). Bucknell also will be playing in the tournament, starting with a 1 p.m. game against Washington State on Monday.
