Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Lafayette
Fresno State Closes Out Perfect Week With 12th Straight Win
3/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 19, 2006
Fresno, Calif. - Ending the week in fitting fashion, the final game of the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic included a 45 minute rain delay and finished well after midnight, but Fresno State and Lafayette played a tight game, won by Gavin Hedstrom with a ninth-inning single to put Fresno State over the top 10-9. Six games were played on Saturday in two locations to finish the tournament with just one cancellation.
The Bulldogs opened up the game quickly, taking a three-run lead in the first inning following a two-run Beau Mills homer, and after Lafayette put a run on the board in the second, another Bulldog home run from Frank LoNigro moved Fresno State ahead 4-1.
A short but fierce downpour forced the action to a halt in the third inning, but the game resumed after 45 minutes. Fresno State added another run in the bottom half of the third, but Lafayette added five runs in the fourth inning, putting together a rally against Fresno State starter Tanner Scheppers.
The two teams continued to trade leads deep into the night. Fresno State held onto a 9-8 lead until the top of the ninth, when Kevin Leasure singled to start a rally, and came around to tie the game after Lafayette right-fielder Mike Raible doubled for the second time in the night.
Fresno State answered back in the bottom half, as Brian Lapin drew a leadoff walk, and after Frank LoNigro singled to put runners on the corners, third baseman Gavin Hedstrom dropped a single down the right field line to bring home the winning run, extending the Bulldogs' winning streak to twelve.
Befitting a perfect 6-0 tournament, the Bulldogs placed five players on the All-Tournament team. Starting pitchers Doug Fister and Andy Underwood were both selected, joining infielders Christian Vitters and Kent Sakamoto as well as catcher Frank LoNigro as Fresno State representatives. Jared Prince of Washington State was named the tournament MVP.
