Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
UC Davis
Guibor Leads 'Dogs Past UC Davis, 5-4
3/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - Behind some late inning heroics by Austin Guibor, Fresno State grinded out a 5-4 series opening win against UC Davis Friday night at Beiden Field. The sophomore connected for a leadoff triple in the seventh that led to the game-tying run, and later hit a two-out single to push across the go-ahead run in the eighth.
Fresno State (10-9) plated single runs in the second, third and fourth to give the 'Dogs an early 3-0 advantage with starter Jimmy Lambert on the mound. Leadoff hits in each frame generated the run support for the Bulldogs' early lead.
Through four innings, UC Davis (11-7-1) scattered four base hits and did not plate a run with the Bulldog sophomore dishing. In the fifth, the Aggies struck for four runs off four consecutive hits, highlighted by a three-run home run by Spencer Henderson that gave UC Davis a 4-3 lead.
Lambert returned to pitch in the sixth, retired two outs, and then the Bulldog bullpen went to work. For the fourth consecutive game, the Fresno State bullpen dealt scoreless relief work - charting now 12 innings without a run allowed over the past four contests.
Responsible for Friday's 3 1/3 innings of bullpen work were relievers Casey Rodriguez, Mark Reece and Jake Shull. As a unit, the trio allowed one hit while the Fresno State offense went to work.
Taylor Ward recorded a sacrifice fly in the seventh that scored Guibor after he led off with his second triple this season, tying the game at 4-4.
For the go-ahead run in the eighth, Ryan Dobson singled to start the inning. He advanced to second on a Kenny Corey sacrifice bunt, and to third from Brody Russell grounding out to the right side, setting up Guibor for the game-winning RBI single up the middle that scored Dobson. Guibor led Fresno State with three hits (3-for-5) and two RBI.
Each inning Fresno State crossed the plate (5), a leadoff hit led to the run.
Reece (2-0) picked up the win and Shull earned his fourth save of the season as he finished a Mountain West best 10th game. Blake Peters (0-1) was charged with the loss.
The series continues Saturday evening at Beiden Field; first pitch is at 6:35 p.m.
"Be Bold!" - The official home of the Fresno State Bulldogs is 940 AM ESPN Radio.
