Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
San Jose State
Shull Leads 'Dogs with Complete Game One-Hitter
5/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
SAN JOSE, Calif. - Behind the right arm of Jake Shull, the Bulldogs rode a one-hit complete game shutout performance from the junior for a 4-0 Friday night win at San Jose State. A pivotal Mountain West win that puts Fresno State (22-24, 12-10 MW) one game closer to the third-seed New Mexico (24-20, 13-9 MW) in the standings with eight conference games remaining.
"Big pitches in big situations, and Dobby [Ryan Dobson] made a couple fantastic turns and that's how you play the game," said head coach Mike Batesole. "You're going to get yourself in-and-out trouble, and if you do walk the leadoff man, you got to find a way to get out of it and we did."
Shull's no-hit bid was broken up 5 2/3 innings into the game with an infield single by the Spartans No. 2 hitter Michael Breen. It was the first hit allowed by the Bulldog pitching staff in 11 innings of baseball - the last hit registered was in the second inning on Tuesday at California. Shull walked five, the leadoff hitter twice, but the defense backed up the Friday night starter by turning three double plays. A runner reached as far as third base one time in the eighth inning.
"Had no clue what was going on," Shull said in regards to throwing a no-hitter five innings into the game. "I focused just on going out there and making my pitches that I had to make. The defense out there, I trust in our fielders out there to make the plays behind me."
Taylor Temple provided the offense, pushing an active hitting streak to now seven games. The senior registered a career-high four hits and was a triple shy of the cycle in a 4-for-5 performance. It broke a three-hit career mark he set at Air Force on April 19.
"That was a big game for us because our bats have been a little cold," said Tempel. "That was a good game for us to get our bats going and get some momentum."
Korby Batesole drew a leadoff walk in the third and turned that into the game's first run. Tempel provided an RBI single, the first of four consecutive hits for Tempel in the game, to plate Batesole after Dobson put down a successful sacrifice bunt. Austin Guibor followed Tempel's at-bat with a single, and then Taylor Ward produced an RBI single to score Tempel to give the 'Dogs a 2-0 lead.
The Batesole and Tempel combo came through again in the sixth inning, aiding the 'Dogs to doubling their lead, 4-0. Tempel picked up RBIs number two and three with a two-run home run that sailed over the left field wall to drive home Batesole - who singled earlier in the inning.
Of the Bulldogs' eight hits, Tempel provided half of them. It was the first time a Bulldog posted four hits in a game since Jordan Luplow did against the same San Jose State squad on May 3, 2014.
The series continues Saturday at 1 p.m. from Municipal Stadium.
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