Fresno State Athletics
Wonderdogs Travel the Road Not Taken
6/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 19, 2008
OMAHA - Sitting in a hotel lobby in downtown Omaha are dozens of family and friends of the Fresno State baseball team.
Their beloved Bulldogs, nicknamed "Wonderdogs" at the 2008 College World Series, are just nine innings from reaching the NCAA championship series.
The Dogs are 2-0 in the College World Series and sitting atop Bracket 2. Fresno State will play either North Carolina, which the Dogs beat 5-3 Tuesday evening, or LSU. Those two schools play tonight. A victory over either team puts Fresno State in the championship series.
Looking back at what the Dogs have accomplished during their amazing NCAA tournament run, one has to appreciate the road they have taken to not only get to Omaha, but advance this far.
Most know the Dogs are on the road for the sixth straight week. That's one accomplishment.
Secondly, the Dogs earned wins over nationally ranked teams rated No. 2 (North Carolina), No. 3 (Arizona State), No. 5 (Rice), No. 6 (San Diego) and No. 11 (Long Beach State).
As champions of the Western Athletic Conference, the Bulldogs had to beat conference champions from the ACC, Conference USA, Pac-10, Big West and West Coast Conferences.
On top of that, the Bulldogs had to beat the conference pitchers of the year from four of those conferences. The Dogs beat North Carolina's Adam Warren, who had a career record of 22-1 entering Tuesday's game.
Fresno State beat USD star pitcher Josh Romanski who was 9-0 this season before the Dogs beat them and he had only one loss in two seasons.
The Dogs played in tough venues, winning the Long Beach Regional and at Arizona State's Packard Stadium, where the Sun Devils were 38-3 at home this season before the Bulldogs rolled into Tempe.
Prior to the NCAA tournament, the Bulldogs were in Ruston, La., where they won the WAC tournament, and the week before that were on the road at Sacramento State to finish the regular season before that.
The crowd for Tuesday's game at Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium was 23,314, the largest to ever watch a Bulldog game. For its two games at the CWS, Fresno State has played in front of a total of 41,422 fans.
Omaha has been the home to the College World Series since 1950, and baseball fans from all over America make an annual pilgrimage each June for this event.
Nearly 1,000 members of the media are in Omaha to cover the event and all of the game will be televised by ESPN/ESPN2.
Quote of the NCAA Tournament
"We came here 18 innings from Omaha and we are still 18 innings from Omaha," head coach Mike Batesole to his team after No. 3 Arizona State beat the Dogs 12-4 in the opening game of the Tempe Super Regional. The Dogs won the next two games to beat Arizona State 2-1 and earn the school's first appearance in the College World Series since 1991.
Dogs Spend Off Days with Children and Family
Because of the schedule, Fresno State had Wednesday and Thursday off. While trying to stay sharp with practices each day, most of the team members have used the time to share their College World Series' experiences with family and friends. The team also visted the Omaha Children's Hospital on Wednesday morning, signing autographs and taking photos with the patients and their families.
CWS World Series Tickets Available
Bulldog fans wanting to purchase tickets for Fresno State's next College World Series game can do so by calling the Bulldog Ticket Office (559) 278-DOGS by 4:30 p.m. PT Thursday, June 19.
Red Wave Rolls East
Many more Bulldog fans are heading into Omaha on Thursday and Friday for the big match-up Friday night at Rosenblatt Stadium. Head football coach Pat Hill is among those who have caught the Wonderdogs bug and he arrives Thursday night.
Bulldog Shop Has CWS Gear
Fans get become a part of the College World Series experience by getting their Bulldog baseball gear at the Bulldog Shop on the corner of Cedar and Barstow across the street from Fresno State's campus.
2008 College World Series Results and Schedule
Saturday, June 14
Stanford 16, No. 4 Florida State 5
Georgia 7, No. 1 Miami (Fla.) 4
Sunday, June 15
Fresno State 17, No. 6 Rice 5
No. 2 North Carolina 8, No. 7 LSU 4
Monday, June 16
No. 1 Miami (Fla.) 7, No. 4 Florida State 5 (FSU Eliminated)
No. 8 Georgia 4, Stanford 2
Tuesday, June 17
No. 7 LSU 6, No. 6 Rice 5 (Rice Eliminated)
Fresno State 5, No. 2 North Carolina 3
Wednesday, June 18
Stanford 8, No. 1 Miami (Fla.) 3 (Miami Eliminated)
Thursday, June 19
No. 7 LSU vs. No. 2 North Carolina, 4 p.m. PT (Loser Eliminated)
Friday, June 19
No. 8 Georgia vs. Stanford, 1 p.m. PT(ESPN2)
Fresno State vs. winner of LSU vs. North Carolina, 4 p.m. PT (ESPN)
Join the State - Fresno State! The Bulldog baseball team continues play in the College World Series Friday at 4 p.m. PT against either LSU or North Carolina. All Fresno State games from the CWS can be heard in the Valley on KMJ Radio and seen nationally on ESPN/ESPN2.
