Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Nevada
Bulldogs' Bats Erupt, Blast Pack 14-2
4/28/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28, 2012
By Stephen Trembley
strembley@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
RENO, Nev. - The Fresno State baseball team routed Nevada 14-2 in a Western Athletic Conference matchup on Saturday afternoon at William Peccole Park.
Bulldog junior starting pitcher Justin Haley dealt eight solid innings. He struck out nine and allowed just two runs and a walk in a workman's day from the hill that also featured a clean effort by the defense.
"We played outstanding defense today - that's why Haley got to the eighth inning," Fresno State head coach Mike Batesole said. "When you play defense like that, it keeps the pitch count down and allows [Haley] to keep grinding and pounding the zone."
The 'Dogs wasted no time getting it going and kept the pressure on the Pack all day long.
Hutcheson led off the game with a single to center and scored on Trent Garrison's double down the right field line. Two batters later, Kenneth Wise drove in Aaron Judge, who had reached on a walk.
With the bases loaded, Luplow singled to center to score both Garrison and catcher Austin Wynns, who had also walked. Freshman Chris Mariscal flied into a double play to end the inning, but the Bulldogs still led 4-0.
Fresno State added a run in the third when Luplow hit a double just inside the right field line to drive in Wynns, who had drawn his second walk of the day.
The Bulldogs additionally scored once in the fifth, three times in the seventh, another in the eighth and four in the ninth to secure the win.
Judge went 2-for-4 in the game including a three-run triple in the ninth. He joined Hutcheson and Wynns as three Bulldogs who scored three times with Wynns drawing three total walks. First baseman Trent Garrison recorded a 3-for-6 clip to mark the third time this season that a Fresno State player logged six official at bats in a game.
"Our two-strike work was great and the young kids are doing what we are asking them to do," Batesole said.
In total, seven 'Dogs combined for 16 hits and the defense turned two double plays.
The 12-run edge tied for Fresno State's second-largest margin victory this year.
"We are definitely excited for the win," Haley said. "We were behind in the [WAC] standings, but we had some momentum coming into this weekend. We have some confidence and will try to keep it rolling."
Haley improved to 5-3 for the season and 1-1 against WAC opponents.
"Getting two out of three on the road is huge and this was a big win that gives us a chance to do that."
Fresno State (18-21, 2-6 WAC) and Nevada (23-19, 6-5 WAC) will return to the field on Sunday at 1 p.m. PT for the weekend's rubber match.
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