Fresno State Athletics
Catch the Excitement of Opening Night
2/15/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2011
FRESNO, Calif. - Do you have your tickets and cracker jacks ready for opening night? Fresno State baseball opens the 2011 season this Friday, Feb. 18 at 6:05 p.m. against Gonzaga. Here are some exciting reasons to get out to Beiden Field and watch the Dogs as they began the journey towards their sixth WAC title.
Reason No. 1: Jordan Ribera was first in the nation in hitting home runs in 2010. Ribera hit 27 bombs last season, which is second best in Bulldog history. The first baseman was a 2010 All-American honoree and a 2011 Preseason All-American selection. He became the 33rd Bulldog to earn All-American honors. Ribera, who was named WAC Player of the Year in 2010, is 20 home runs away from tying Tom Mendonca's career record of 56.
Reason No. 6: The Bulldogs have won five-straight WAC titles dating back to 2006 and look to win their sixth -consecutive conference crown. Fresno State was picked to finished first in the league by the WAC coaches. The Dogs have won the regular season and tournament title four times in the last five years.
Reason No. 7: The Western Athletic Conference coaches selected seven Bulldogs to the 2011 Preseason All-WAC team. Junior Trent Garrison, senior Jordan Ribera, senior Danny Muno, senior Garrett Weber, senior Greg Gonzalez, junior Brennan Gowens and junior Dusty Robinson all were selected by the WAC coaches. The Dogs also finished the 2010 season with seven All-WAC honorees.
Reason No. 9: Two-time National Coach of the Year Mike Batesole Batesole enters his ninth season as the head baseball coach at Fresno State. Batesole has compiled a career record of 544-378-1 as a head coach and a record of 288-220 at Fresno State. At Fresno State, he has coached 47 All-Conference selections, 45 Academic All-Conference selections, six All-American and five Freshman All-Americans. 63 of Batesole's former players have been drafted, including 3 first round picks.
Reason No. 10: The Bulldogs return 10 starters to the lineup for the 2011 season. The Dogs return seven position starters, two pitchers and a designated hitter. The only spots to fill on the field are second base and left field, which are also the only positions a Bulldog was not named Preseason All-WAC. Left-handed designated hitter Kenny Wise returns as well as starting pitchers Derek Benny and Greg Gonzalez.
Reason No. 11: Joining Fresno State this season are 11 newcomers. The Dogs added eight freshmen and three transfers. The recruiting class was ranked among the Top 40 in the country by Collegiate Baseball. The Dogs incoming class was No. 28 in the nation. Highlighting this year's recruiting class are four players, Tyler Linehan, Aaron Judge, Will Anderson and Justin Haley, who were drafted in the 2010 Major League Baseball draft, but elected to attend Fresno State.
Reason No. 19: The Dogs return 19 players from last year's squad. Every returning player has won a WAC championship and earned a ring for every year they have been in the program. All the juniors and seniors have made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament. There are three seniors left on the team that helped win the College World Series in 2008.
Reason No. 29: Collegiate Baseball Newspaper announced the 2011 NCAA Division I pre-season baseball poll and the Dogs are ranked No. 29. It is the fourth straight year the Bulldogs will start the season with a preseason ranking. The Dogs are one of two WAC teams to be named in the top 40 poll. Defending WAC Tournament Champions Hawai'i is ranked No. 38. Three of the Bulldogs opponents in 2011 made the list (Washington State No. 31, Hawai'i No. 38 and San Diego No. 28).
Reason No. 45: Under Batesole, the Fresno State baseball program continues to grow academically. The Bulldogs have had a total of 45 Academic All-WAC selections since 2003. The Dogs had 10 players earn Academic All-WAC honors in 2010 and also had as a team had a fall GPA that was over a 3.0. Of the last 21 seniors, all have graduated or are within one semester of graduation.
Reason No. 83: On Friday night, the Bulldogs begin their 83rd baseball season. Fresno State has made a habit of winning conference titles and competing in the postseason. Since 1922, the Dogs have won 31 league crowns and has made 30 NCAA Tournament appearances, including four trips to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. In 2008, the Bulldogs earned the program's first National title and became the lowest seeded team to win a championship. Fresno State has proven to be a breeding ground for future professional baseball players. The Bulldogs have had eleven players taken in the first round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft.
Don't miss any of the action at Beiden Field this season. The Dogs open the year this Friday at 6:05 p.m. against Gonzaga.
"We Are Your Team!" The Dogs open the 2011 season on Feb. 18 at 6:05 p.m. against Gonzaga. The weekend continues with Gonzaga on Feb. 19 at 6:05 p.m. The Dogs also face two-time National Champions Oregon State Feb. 20-21 at Beiden Field.
