Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Miami (Oh)
Fister, Bulldogs Grab Seventh Straight
3/13/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 13, 2006
Fresno, Calif. - Senior Doug Fister held a no-hitter through five innings of play, and four players had two hits as Fresno State won their first game in the 2006 Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic by a total of 7-3 over Miami (OH). The Bulldogs continue tournament play tomorrow with a 7 p.m. matchup against Gonzaga.
Despite a top performance from the team's ace, early miscues started the night for Fresno State. The Red Hawks put the first run on the board in the second inning, when two errors and a fielder's choice allowed a run to score despite no batters reaching by a hit. Fresno State broke a scoring drought in the second inning as well, as leadoff singles from Christian Vitters and Brian Lapin gave the Bulldogs runners, and two tough groundouts allowed the runners to move twice to tie the game.
The Bulldogs took the lead in the third inning. Steve Susdorf started out the frame with a double just over first base, and after being pushed to third on a bunt by Loren Storey, Susdorf scored on a wild pitch from starter Connor Graham.
Graham was beset by some of the same bad luck that had hit Fister early in the game, as the Bulldogs broke out in the fourth inning. After retiring the first batter, catcher Danny Grubb was walked, and Adam O'Daniel and Erik Wetzel both singled to load the bases with the top of the order coming up. Graham was able to get Susdorf to ground out with the infield drawn in, but first baseman Jon Franzese's throw sailed wide of the plate, allowing two runs to score. After another groundout, two more runs scored off of Kent Sakamoto's double to left, giving the Bulldogs a 6-1 lead.
Graham would finish his first start of the season having pitched 6.0 innings, allowing just two earned runs and matching Doug Fister's strike total with nine on the night. Fister's no-hit bid was foiled in the sixth, also in non-traditional fashion. The bases were loaded when a hit off the handle floated just over a leaping Kent Sakamoto at first base, bringing in two unearned runs to get Miami within striking distance. Christian Vitters added a solo home run in the seventh to put the Bulldogs back ahead by four, and Holden Sprague finished the job from the bullpen, striking out three and allowing no runs.
Miami won their first game of the day, taking a 4-1 win over Gonzaga behind another strong pitching performance, as Sam Shorts pitched 7.2 innings, giving up six hits and one run while striking out five. Geoff Orr was 3-for-5 in that game, with a double and a run scored.
Washington State cruised in their first game of the tournament, beating Bucknell 7-1. Travis Coulter led the Cougars from the plate, batting 2-for-4, scoring two runs and stealing two bases on the night.
The opening game of the tournament was taken by Binghamton 4-1 over Lafayette. The Bearcats got the better of two solid pitching performances, as Scott Diamond allowed three hits over five innings, and two more Bearcat relievers combined for four innings of one-hit relief, outdeuling Lafayette starter Matt Revelle, who pitched 7.2 innings, allowing two earned runs and giving up just four hits.
The tournament continues tomorrow, with Bucknell facing Lafayette in the first game at a new scheduled time, 11 a.m., followed by Washington State and Binghamton at 3 p.m. before a battle between the Bulldogs, Gonzaga and Fresno State at 7 p.m.
