Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Nevada
Baseball Sweeps Sunday Doubleheader
5/3/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 3, 2009
FRESNO, Calif. - Great pitching performances and a six home runs helped the Fresno State baseball team beat Nevada, 8-6 and 12-5 Sunday afternoon. The Bulldogs and Wolf Pack split the four-game series.
The Bulldogs rallied late in the first game of the doubleheader tying it after eight innings. Preseason All-American Alan Ahmady ended the game with a two-run walk off home run to give the Bulldogs their first win of the weekend.
The Bulldogs continued the momentum into the second game. The `Dogs rally came early in the second game of the afternoon. Fresno State scored 12 runs in the second and third innings holding on win the second game, 12-5.
The Bulldogs hit six home runs and Holden Sprague earned wins in both games.
"It was good we needed to get two wins today," said head coach Mike Batesole. "You have to give Sprague a lot of credit. After four years, he has earned that Friday night start and to unselfishly give that up for the team, so you have to give him a lot of credit. That is the kind of heart that it takes to win championships and he has won three of them."
Game 1: Fresno State 8, Nevada 6
The Bulldogs opened the first inning turning a double play. Second baseman Danny Muno caught the line out and threw the runner out at first as he was trying to tag up.
Center Fielder Gavin Hedstrom made a spectacular diving catch in the outfield taking away a double from a Nevada batter.
The Wolf Pack scored the first run of the game in the third inning taking the lead, 1-0.
In the third inning, shortstop Isacc Vivas singled down the right field line. Muno walked moving Vivas to second base. Freshman Dusty Robinson knocked a single to shallow left center field bringing Vivas home and advancing Muno to third base. The Bulldogs tied the game at one run apiece.
Ahmady grounded out to the shortstop allowing Muno to score the go ahead run as Robinson advanced to second base and the Bulldogs took the lead, 2-1.
Freshman Cody Kendall made his fourth start on the hill for the Bulldogs Sunday afternoon. Kendall retired the fourth inning striking out back-to-back Nevada batters.
The freshman tied his career-high five strikeouts in five innings.
Nevada answered in the top of the fourth inning with a run tying the game, 2-2.
Freshman Kenny Wise responded in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run off the weight room beyond right field. Wise has five home runs on the season and the `Dogs regain the lead, 3-2.
The Wolf Pack took the lead, 5-3, in the fifth inning scoring three runs.
Gene Escat cane in relief in the top of the sixth inning striking out the first batter he faced. Escat sat down the Nevada batters 1-2-3 in the seventh inning. The sophomore threw two scoreless innings striking out x Nevada batters.
Ahmady caught a foul ball along the first base side and threw the Wolf Pack runner out at first base before he could tag up for the second double play of the game.
Nevada scored a run in the eighth inning increasing their lead, 6-3.
In the eighth inning, Escat struck out a Wolf Pack batter and then Garrison threw the runner out attempting to steal second base to retire the inning.
Lead off batter Alan Ahmady walked in the bottom of the eighth inning. Mendonca hit a two-run home run to right center field and the `Dogs trailed, 6-5.
Mendonca has 19 home runs on the year and needs 13 more to tie the single season home run record.
Right fielder Brennan Gowens singled up the middle. The freshman stole second base, his sixth of the year. Garrison doubled down the right field line allowing Gowens to score tying the game, 6-6.
Senior Holden Sprague came in to close in the ninth inning. He retired the ninth inning sitting the batters down in order. Sprague earned his fourth win of the year improving to 4-2 in 2009.
In the bottom of the ninth inning, Robinson walked. Ahmady hit a two-run walk off home run as the Bulldogs won, 8-6. "It was huge for us to pick up two wins against Nevada and we are going to keep taking it day by day and game by game," said Ahmady. "We just needed to get on base and get someone to score. Any one of us could have hit that, but it feels good."
Game 2: Fresno State 12, Nevada 5
In the second inning, senior Gavin Hedstrom singled to center field. Designated hitter Kenny Wise grounded out at first base moving Hedstrom to second base. Catcher Trent Garrison walked.
Junior Isacc Vivas singled to the catcher and advanced to second base on a throwing error. Hedstrom scored tying the game and Garrison advanced to third base.
Sophomore Danny Muno singled to left center field driving in Garrison and Vivas giving the Bulldogs the lead, 3-1.
Freshman Dusty Robinson singled to left center field advancing Muno to second base. First baseman Alan Ahmady singled to left field allowing Muno to cross home plate and advancing Robinson to second base.
Home run king Tom Mendonca hit a two-run home run to left field extending the `Dogs lead, 7-1. The junior has 20 home runs in 2009 and 49 in his career.
After closing the first game, senior Holden Sprague started the second game of the doubleheader.
Nevada responded with three runs in the third inning trailing the Bulldogs, 7-4.
Vivas walked in the third inning. Muno bunted out to first base moving Vivas to second base. Robinson launched a ball off the center field wall for an inside-the-park home run allowing Vivas to score and increasing the Bulldogs lead, 9-4.
The Bulldogs have hit three inside-the-park home runs this season.
Ahmady singled to left field to continue the third inning rally. Mendonca singled to right field advancing Ahmady to second base. Freshman Brennan Gowens hit a three-run home run over the left center wall and the Bulldogs continue to lead, 12-4.
Sprague retired the fourth and sixth innings facing only three Wolf Pack batters. He struck out four Nevada batters in his first complete game of the season. He also earned his second win of the day improving to a 5-2 record.
In the top of the sixth inning, Nevada scored a run trailing the `Dogs, 12-5.
The Bulldogs won the second game, 12-5, completing the doubleheader sweep and splitting the series with Nevada.
"Join the State - Fresno State!" - The `Dogs host Hawai'i in a four-game WAC series Thursday through Saturday. The `Dogs and Rainbows play Thursday night at 6:05 pm, Friday at 6:05 pm and wrap up the series with a doubleheader Saturday starting at 2:05 pm. Come out early on Saturday to help Fresno State marketing students break a world record with the world's largest recyclable college mascot. Bring your aluminum cans and throw them in the Bulldog's mouth. The Bulldog will be in the Red Lot from 12-2 pm. There will also be FREE Fresno State ice cream! The first 250 fans to bring 5 or more aluminum cans will receive FREE admission to the Saturday doubleheader! Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Bulldog Ticket Office, calling 278-DOGS or online at gobulldogs.com.
