Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
No. 8 USC
'Dogs Stun No. 8 USC, 14-7
3/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
LOS ANGELES - The Fresno State offense erupted for season highs in runs and hits en route to a 14-7 victory over No. 8 USC on Tuesday night at Dedeaux Field. It's the first win for Fresno State against a Top 10 team since March 2, 2012.
Along the way to its 14 runs were 17 hits. 10 different Fresno State hitters collected a base hit while five went for multiple hits. Taylor Ward and Manny Argomaniz shared the team lead with three each.
Ward set a career-high for RBIs with five, three coming off a three-run home run. He also scored a career-high four times. Kevin Viers tied a career-high with three RBIs.
Fresno State (11-11) grabbed the lead in the third inning and never relinquished it, snatching a 5-1 advantage as the Bulldogs batted around their order. McCarthy Tatum led off with a single that was followed by an out. The 'Dogs would respond by putting the next six batters on base. Kenny Corey, Ward and Argomaniz hit consecutive singles - Ward and Argomaniz each with RBI singles. Viers highlighted the inning with a three-RBI double that cleared the bases to give the 'Dogs the 5-1 lead.
The next inning, Ward connected for his sixth home run of the season. He plated Jesse Medrano and Taylor Tempel who both reached on singles. Ward's homer gave the Bulldogs an 8-2 lead midway through the fourth inning.
USC (17-4) cut the Fresno State lead to four in the home half of the fourth, 8-4. Reliever Tim Borst entered the game for the final two outs, ending the Trojans rally. USC left three on base after Borst induced a fly out to centerfield to close the inning.
The Trojans would narrow the Bulldog lead to as little as three in the seventh, 10-7, the slimmest lead Fresno State owned since the end of the third (5-2).
Fresno State pulled away in the eighth with four runs on four hits as all nine batters in the lineup took an at-bat. Brody Russell chipped in with a two-RBI double, while Arron Arruda and Argpmaniz singled in one apiece.
Borst (2-2) picked up the win and Munro (2) was credited with the save.
Fresno State's win on Tuesday was the first win against a Top 10 team since the Bulldogs defeated No. 1 Stanford on March 2, 2012.
The Bulldogs return to Beiden Field for four games, starting with a three-game series against Mountain West opponent San Jose State Friday through Sunday. The homestand concludes with California next Tuesday.
"Be Bold!" - The official home of the Fresno State Bulldogs is 940 AM ESPN Radio.
