Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Lipscomb
Benny Makes History
3/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 28, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - Mike Batesole got the best birthday present a head coach could ask for as the Fresno State baseball team swept Lipscomb in Saturday's doubleheader. The Bulldogs snapped their five game losing streaking after beating Lipscomb 13-11 and 10-0. The `Dogs lead the series 2-1 and improve to 12-10 on the season.
Derek Benny rewrote history in game two of the doubleheader after facing only 27 batters in nine innings. The freshman from Roseville, Calif., was the first Bulldog pitcher to throw a complete game in 2009.
"It is the best game I have seen a pitcher throw ever," said Catcher Danny Grubb. "We have had a lot of great pitchers come through here like (Justin) Wilson and (Tanner) Scheppers, but his performance was the best I have seen."
Game One: Fresno State 13, Lipscomb 11
Lipscomb jumped ahead early in the first inning scoring two runs and taking a 2-0 lead.
Leadoff batter Brennan Gowens started the inning with a walk. Kenny Wise battled through a long at bat and reached base after getting hit by a pitch and Gowens advanced to second. Sophomore Danny Muno reached on a fielder's choice advancing Gowens to third and Wise was tagged out at second.
Third baseman Tom Mendonca singled to left field as Gowens scored the `Dogs first run and trailed 2-1. Mendonca extended his hitting streak to seven games. Mendonca went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs.
Freshman Josh Poytress made his second start of the season on the mound. The lefty struck out three in three innings of work.
The Bisons extended their lead to 3-1 after scoring a run in the third inning.
The Bulldog offense exploded in the fourth inning scoring 11 runs and taking a 12-3 lead. Senior Gavin Hedstrom started the rally by reaching base after getting hit by a pitch. Designated hitter Jordan Ribera walked and Hedstrom advanced to second. Right fielder Steve Detwiler reached on an error as Hedstrom scored and Ribera advanced to second base.
Trent Garrison loaded the bases after getting walked and Dane McLaughlin pinch ran for Garrison. Gowens emptied the bases with a single to right field and the Bison right fielder lost the ball and slipped as Gowens advanced to second.
Muno continued the rally by hitting a double down the left field line driving in Gowens. Mendonca reached after getting hit by a pitch. The next at bat Alan Ahmady reached after getting hit by a pitch to load the bases for the second time in the inning.
Hedstrom singled up the middle driving in two more Bulldog runners and extending his hitting streak to seven games. The next batter, Ribera, drilled the ball over the right center wall for a two-run home run, his second home run of the season.
Dusty Robinson pinch hit for McLaughlin and reached base after getting hit by the pitch. He then stole second base and reached third base on an error. Robinson scored on a wild pitch.
The Bulldogs came close to tying the single inning record for most runs scored after 11 bulldogs crossed home plate in the fourth inning. The record stands at 12 runs in a single inning set in 1983 against Cal Poly.
Lipscomb answered with four runs in the fifth inning and one run in the sixth inning, but still trailed the Fresno State, 12-8.
Left fielder Robinson launched the ball to home plate and Jake Johnson tagged the runner out to keep the Bisons from scoring and retiring the side.
Matt Morse came out of the bullpen for the `Dogs and sat down the Lipscomb batters in order in the seventh inning.
The Bisons narrowed the `Dogs lead by scoring one run in the eighth inning.
Mendonca launched a long ball over the left center wall for his ninth home run of the season extending the Bulldogs lead to 13-8 in the bottom of the eighth inning. The junior needs six more home runs to tie the career home run record at Fresno State.
Lipscomb's Antonio Butler hit a solo home run in the top of the ninth inning to bring the Bison within four runs. The Bisons scored two more runs in the top of the ninth inning.
Junior Sean Bonesteele earned his first save of the season as the Bulldogs beat Lipscomb 13-11.
Game Two: Fresno State 10, Lipscomb 0
The `Dogs infield opened game two of the doubleheader against Lipscomb by turning their 18th double play of the season. Freshman Derek Benny struck out the Bison batter to retire the first inning.
Sophomore Danny Muno walked to open in the bottom of the first inning. In his first at bat of the game Tom Mendonca launched a two-run home to right field giving the Bulldogs the 2-0 lead. Mendonca now has 10 home runs on the season and needs five more to tie the all-time home run record.
Benny sat down the Lipscomb batters in order in three innings in a row. The freshman sat down a consecutive 10 batters in his third start of the season. Benny struck out a career-high eight batters in a career-high nine innings earning his first shutout of the season.
"Everything felt good today, especially when you have the defense behind you making all the plays for us," said Benny. "No errors was big for us. Getting ground balls and defense making plays was huge."
It is the first time in 42 years that a Bulldog pitcher faced the minimum of 27 batters. Benny threw a complete game improving his ERA to 3.41 and has an overall record of 2-1.
"Good for him, he pitched a good game and Danny (Grubb) called a great game for him," said Batesole. "We played well for him and brought him home in the eighth and ninth innings. We played some good defense and we made the routine plays. Ahmady and Detwiler both made great plays."
In the bottom of the third inning, Brennan Gowens singled to right field. Senior Gavin Hedstrom singled to center field advancing Gowens to third base. Hedstrom extended his hitting streak to eight games. Muno hit a sacrifice bunt advancing Hedstrom to second base and allowing Gowens to score increasing the `Dogs lead to 3-0.
The Bulldog defense retired the top of the fifth inning with their second double play of the game.
The Bulldogs increased their lead in the bottom of the seventh inning to 6-0. Senior Danny Grubb started the inning by getting walked and advanced to second on a passed ball. Gowens grounded out and Grubb advanced to third base. Grubb scored on a wild pitch.
Hedstrom walked. Muno grounded out and Hedstrom advanced to second base. Mendonca doubled to right field driving in Hedstrom. Mendonca crossed home plate on the play on two throwing errors.
In the bottom of the eighth inning the Bulldogs added four runs and extended their lead to 10-0. Gowens was hit by a pitch. Hedstrom walked advancing Gowens to second base. Hedstrom and Gowens advanced on a wild pitch to third and second base. Muno walked to load the bases. Ahmady singled up the middle driving in Gowens and Hedstrom as Muno advanced to third base.
Kenny Wise pinch hit for Allgrove and singled right field allowing Muno and Ahmady to cross home plate giving them the Bulldogs the 10-0 win.
The Bulldogs conclude the four-game series against Lipscomb on Sunday, March 29 at 1:05 p.m. The game can be heard live on KMJ 580 or followed on gobulldogs.com.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The `Dogs host the Lipscomb Bisons, a 2008 NCAA Tournament qualifier in a four game series March 27-29. The `Dogs and Bisons play a single game Friday at 6:05 pm, a doubleheader Saturday at 2:05 pm and a single game Sunday at 1:05 pm. It's Wells Fargo Take a Kid to a Game Weekend. All youth 8th grade and under receive FREE admission when accompanied by a paid adult all weekend long! All Junior Bulldog Kids Club members can run the bases after the game Sunday afternoon. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Bulldog Ticket Office, calling 278-DOGS or online at gobulldogs.com.
