Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
San Jose State*
Comeback Victory Seals Series Sweep For Fresno State
5/14/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 14, 2006
Fresno, Calif. - Fighting from behind for most of the game, the Bulldogs relied on nearly every player on the field to get a 9-8 win in 12 innings against San Jose State. Frank LoNigro had two home runs, Steve Susdorf added a game-tying home run with two outs in the ninth, and Jason Breckley pitched 5.0 innings of shutout relief to set the stage for a walk-off single by Loren Storey in the bottom of the 12th.
Both teams came out slowly, as the Spartans grabbed an early lead in the second inning with an RBI single by Justin Santich-Hughes. San Jose State then moved ahead 2-0 in the third inning, as Chris Williamee hit a leadoff single, and after a Ryan Angel double, Williamee came home on an RBI single from Nick Epidendio.
Fresno State came back in a big way in the fourth inning however. Starter Josh Amberson got the first out of the inning, and after Loren Storey doubled to right to put a runner on, the Spartans got the second out. Even with two outs, Spartans skipper Sam Piraro ordered an intentional walk to Beau Mills, and Christian Vitters came through with an RBI single to put the Bulldogs on the board and kick-start a rally. Nick Moresi singled with a sharp grounder up the middle, scoring another run, and the team added one more with a Brian Lapin RBI single. With Moresi and Lapin on base, Frank LoNigro skied a homer to left field to put the Bulldogs ahead 6-2.
The lead was short-lived for the Bulldogs, as the Spartans had a big inning of their own in the sixth. Donatto Giavonatto led off the inning with a double, and Ben Agatep took a ball in the shoulder to add a second runner. A sacrifice moved over both runners, and three consecutive singles then scored three runs to put the Spartans within one. A groundout to short moved the Bulldogs closer to ending the inning, but a final two-run single by Epidendio put San Jose State ahead 7-6.
Frank LoNigro again provided the answer for the Bulldogs in the bottom half, tying the game by hitting the scoreboard in left field for the second time in the game to lead off the inning and tie the game at 7. San Jose State answered back in the top of the seventh, as singles from Sam Hall and Giovanatto led to a run after a wild pitch and a groundout to second-base. Jason Breckley, who caused the groundout, continued through the inning to allow no further runs in the seventh.
The relief stole the show from there, as Breckley struck out the side in the eighth and setting down the side in order in the ninth to keep the `Dogs close, but Greg Shannon remained as effective, keeping the Bulldogs scoreless through the seventh and eighth inning, and retired LoNigro and Erik Wetzel, bringing the Bulldogs to their last out. That one was enough, though, as Steve Susdorf hit his 12th home run of the year to right field, tying the game at 8 through regulation.
Breckley cruised through both the 10th and 11th innings without trouble, ending his day having pitched 5.0 shutout innings, allowing two hits and no walks and striking out five. San Jose State handed over the keys to closer Steve Jones, who put down the Bulldogs in order in the 11th.
Brandon Burke pitched the 12th for the Bulldogs, making his way through the inning, and Jones returned to pitch the bottom half for the Spartans. Erik Wetzel led off the inning with a chopper up the middle that went over a diving David Pierson. Steve Susdorf set down a perfect sacrifice bunt to move Wetzel to second, and the game ended when Loren Storey slapped his second hit of the day into shallow right-field, and Wetzel beat the throw at the plate to score the game-ending run.
With the sweep, the Bulldogs hold a 0.5 game lead in the WAC race with one series left to play. Fresno State closes out their regular season at Sacramento State, and the second-place Rainbows of Hawai'i play at San Jose State for three games next weekend. Following those series, the Bulldogs return to Beiden Field, where Fresno State hosts the WAC Tournament from May 25-28.
