Fresno State Athletics
Baseball's May Mark to be Tested Again
5/24/2012 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By Stephen Trembley
strembley@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
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PREVIEW: 2012 WAC TOURNAMENT - DAY TWO
Thursday, May 24
GAME 3: No. 6 Louisiana Tech 9, No. 4 Hawai'i 6 (Hawai'i Eliminated)
GAME 4: No. 2 Sacramento State 15, No. 3 Nevada 5 (8)
GAME 5: No. 5 Fresno State vs. No. 1 New Mexico State (7 p.m. PT)
Site: HoHoKam Stadium, Mesa, Ariz.
Radio: GAME 5 - AM 940 KYNO (Paul Loeffler/Ray O'Canto)
TV: None
Live Statistics: GAME 5 - Gametracker
Live Video: WAC.TV (subscription required)
MESA, Ariz. --- When the calendar turns over to May, the pulsating veins of the Fresno State baseball team start beating together at a critical time.
Great teams play their best baseball when the pressure elevates.
Since 2006, head coach Mike Batesole and the Bulldogs are 81-30 during the month of May.
This season, the 'Dogs are 8-3 in May games which is the program's best record for the crucial month since the team went 10-3 in 2007 and 13-0 in 2006.
The run will be tested again tonight when fifth-seeded Fresno State, who defeated No. 4 seed Hawai'i on Wednesday 8-2, plays top-seeded and tri-conference regular season champion New Mexico State in the 7 p.m. PT nightcap at HoHoKam Stadium.
The game can be heard live on AM 940 KYNO.
Fresno State (26-25) took two of three from New Mexico State (35-20) when the teams met during the regular season in Las Cruces, N.M. on May 11 for a doubleheader and May 12 to wrap up the series.
BULLDOG BONES
• Fresno State has won five of the past six WAC Tournament Championships.
• In 2011, Fresno State won all three of its WAC Tournament games and cruised through the winner's bracket by outscoring its opponents, 39-10. It marked the sixth straight-year the 'Dogs won either the regular season or tournament conference crown.
• Fresno State owns a 23-3 record in the WAC Tournament games since 2006.
• Fresno State has won 33 conference baseball championships since 1922.
• Under head coach Mike Batesole, the Bulldogs are 37-13 in postseason play, including both the WAC and NCAA Tournaments combined.
• In the last 13 games, Fresno State has outscored its opponents 103-48 and hit .323 as a team.
• In conference games, Fresno State owned a +13 run scored margin, +18 hit margin, +16 RBI margin, +27 total base margin and struck out 51 fewer times that its opponents.
BULLDOG BONES - Fresno State vs. New Mexico State in 2012
• Fresno State outscored the Aggies 27-11 during the three game set, which was the second straight of the Bulldogs' three consecutive WAC series wins to close the regular season
• The Bulldogs also outhit the Aggies 38-26, had a 25-9 edge in RBI and 55-40 advantage in total bases
• Fresno State did not commit an error in all 30 innings played against NMSU
• The Fresno State pitching staff struck out 31 Aggie batters while the Bulldog hitters only struck out 20 times
• The Fresno State pitching staff held the Aggies to just a .234 batting average at Presley Askew Field
2012 WAC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT (Mesa, Ariz.)
Wednesday, May 23
GAME 1: No. 5 Fresno State 8, No. 4 Hawai'i 2
GAME 2: No. 3 Nevada 4, No. 6 Louisiana Tech 3
Thursday, May 24
GAME 3: No. 6 Louisiana Tech 9, No. 4 Hawai'i 6 (Hawai'i Eliminated)
GAME 4: No. 2 Sacramento State 15, No. 3 Nevada 5 (8)
GAME 5: No. 5 Fresno State vs. No. 1 New Mexico State (7 p.m. PT)
Friday, May 25
GAME 6: No. 6 Louisiana Tech vs. Lowest Seed - Game 4 & 5 Loser* (11 a.m. PT)
GAME 7: Game 6 Winner vs. No. 3 Nevada (3 p.m. PT)
GAME 8: No. 2 Sacramento State vs. Game 5 Winner (7 p.m. PT)
Saturday, May 26
GAME 9: Game 7 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser (3 p.m. PT)
GAME 10: Game 8 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner (7 p.m. PT) -- (WAC Championship If Game 8 Winner Wins Game 10)
Sunday, May 27 (If Necessary)
GAME 11: WAC Championship (Noon PT) -- (Winner Receives Automatic Bid to NCAA Tournament)
NOTE:
* = Exception: if one of Games 4 or 5 losers already has had a bye, that team will play in Game 6 regardless of seed.
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