Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
New Mexico (DH2)
'Dogs Split Doubleheader with Lobos
5/15/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - The No. 3 seed for the Mountain West tournament could not be decided on Friday as Fresno State and New Mexico split a doubleheader at Beiden Field. The Bulldogs defeated UNM 4-3 in the opener, while the Lobos took the second game of the double dip, 4-0.
With senior day on the horizon, Friday's outcome sets up the regular season finale to be an even more meaningful game with conference seeding on the line when Fresno State (28-26, 17-12 MW) and New Mexico (29-24, 17-12 MW) square off Saturday at 1:05 p.m.
Fresno State extended its winning streak to a season-best six games with the game one win behind the Bulldogs ace Jake Shull and the bullpen. The Bulldog pitching staff allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits total. Shull, the Bulldogs game one starter, retired the first 14 hitters he faced in another lights-out start.
The first hit allowed by Shull was in the fifth, which also opened up the scoring on Friday. A single by Jack Zoellner was followed by a walk and another single by Lane Milligan to open up the scoring. A costly error on Milligan's single in right field by Austin Guibor allowed a second run to cross the plate to give New Mexico a 2-0 lead.
Guibor turned the game around in the bottom half of the fifth with his fifth home run of the season, a two-out, two-run shot over the right field wall that gave the 'Dogs a 3-2 lead. Taylor Tempel hit a double down the left field line to score Jesse Medrano to give Fresno State its first run.
"You've gotta have the ability to come back and counterpunch them," said head coach Mike Batesole. "It was big for us to answer back and even the second time, that was the difference. The whole game turned on Guibor's home run in the first game."
New Mexico tied the game in the top of the sixth, but again Fresno State punched back in the home half for the go-ahead run thanks to Aaron Arruda. The Bulldog freshman hit his first collegiate home run to give the 'Dogs a 4-3 advantage.
A home run again decided the game in the second game, but this time it was in favor of New Mexico. In its 4-0 win, the only runs of the game were scored on the Lobos' Milligan's grand slam in the top of the second. Once Rickey Thomas got in trouble and was pulled in favor of Dominic Topoozian, the Bulldog reliever surrendered what proved to be the game-winning home run early on in the game.
"With the exception of the one inning in the second game, we played outstanding," Batesole said. "You have to get strike one against these guys. Shull threw strike one at a 72% clip and that's why we had such great success in the first game."
Brennon Williams pitched the next four innings to steady the game. He allowed only two hits while holding the Lobos scoreless. William Munro and Casey Rodriguez did the same over the final three innings to the UNM hitters, the pair allowed one hit each in their trips to the mound.
"Williams threw great today. He had some great movement on his pitches today. Then Will threw great today after he gave up that triple, in what could be the last time he toes the rubber here on this field."
While the pitching down the stretch was stellar for Fresno State, New Mexico countered, keeping Fresno State scoreless for just the second time this season - March 15 vs. UC Davis.
"They made some great pitches," Batesole said. "They got ahead with off-speed and then they were just picking the corners with two strikes and you can't take them, you have to swing at them. Sometimes, you have to tip your hat. It's not always you stink. Sometimes the other guy really pitches well."
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