Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Louisiana Tech*
Underwood Outlasted In Ruston; Bulldogs Lose 1-0
4/15/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 15, 2006
Ruston, La. - A long weekend in Louisiana ended with another very tight ballgame, as Fresno State fell in a third one-run ballgame 1-0. Louisiana Tech freshman Jericho Jones hit a solo home run in the sixth inning, which would prove to be the difference between two stellar outings from the opposing starters, Fresno State's Andy Underwood and Louisiana Tech's Matt Lacy.
Both pitchers threw complete games in what turned out to be a clinic in pitching in the series finale. In what had already been a tight series, with the two previous games being 5-4 affairs both ending in extra innings, the Saturday contest turned out to be just as close. Underwood finished the game having thrown 8.0 innings, allowing six hits while striking out six and giving up no runs, while Lacy through 9 innings, allowing eight hits, no runs, two walks and four strikeouts.
Fresno State had some opportunities to take the lead early, particularly in the third inning, as Brian Lapin was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. After Danny Grubb laid down a bunt to move Lapin over, a single up the middle by Erik Wetzel put runners on the corners with one out. Lacy responded by striking out Steve Susdorf, though, and a force out at second on a ground ball from Loren Storey ended the inning.
Andy Underwood made only one mistake pitching, as Louisiana Tech only had a runner reach third base once during the game, but with two outs in the sixth inning, freshman Jericho Jones took a 1-0 offering from Underwood and pulled it over the short fence at 315 in left field to put Louisiana Tech in the lead.
The Bulldogs had one final shot in the ninth inning, as Kent Sakamoto led off the inning with a single to center field, and Beau Mills completed a perfect day at the plate with his fourth hit to put runners on first and second. Christian Vitters grounded into a double play however, and Lacy closed out the shutout by striking out Ozzie Lewis with Sakamoto left on third to end the game.
Fresno State continues their WAC travel schedule next week, as the Bulldogs face San Jose State for three games in San Jose. That series begins next Friday at 6 p.m.
