Fresno State Athletics
Road to Omaha Begins in LA
5/30/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
FRESNO, Calif. - The road to Omaha begins in Los Angeles for the Fresno State baseball team.
The Bulldogs earned the No. 2 Seed after winning the 2011 Western Athletic Conference Tournament Title and automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament. The Dogs face UC Irvine on Friday, June 3 at 2 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Stadium. UCLA and San Francisco round out the LA Regional.
"It's a solid field," head coach Mike Batesole said. "UCLA was the preseason No. 1 in the country. Irvine has been solid all year and USF was one of the best teams we faced this season."
Fresno State has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 33 times in school history and five times under Batesole. The Bulldogs last appearance in the field of 64 was in 2009 at the Irvine Regional. The Dogs lost to host UC Irvine and San Diego State.
In the past six seasons, the Dogs have made the NCAA Tournament five times and in 2008 won the program's first National Title. The Bulldogs have made four College World Series appearances in 2008, 1991, 1988 and 1954.
Fresno State has an overall record of 65-70 in the post season and 55-64 in regional action. Under Batesole, the Bulldogs are 14-10 in the NCAA Tournament and 3-1 in first round games.
"We have an old club that knows how to take an at-bat," Batesole said. "They know how to handle themselves in pressure situations and in front of big crowds. They know how to score first, turn it on and off when needed and prepare very well. We will be ready to go on Friday."
Tickets for the LA Regional go on sale through the UCLA TIcket Office on Tuesday, May 31. All-Session tickets are $80 for reserved seating and $55 for general admission tickets. There is also discounts available to students.
"We Are You Team!" - Fresno State heads to Los Angeles for the 2011 NCAA Tournament. The Regionals start June 3 against UC Irvine. You can always stay connected with Fresno State Athletics on Facebook and Twitter (@FSAthletics).
