Fresno State Athletics
Baseball Preview: vs. Cal State Northridge [May 5]
5/4/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Matt Burkholder
mburkholder@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
Game 49: Cal State Northridge Matadors (27-19, 6-12 Big West) at Fresno State Bulldogs (23-25, 13-11 MW)
First Pitch: May 5 - Tue: 6:35pm
Stadium: Beiden Field
Surface: Grass
Dimensions: 330 (LF), 400 (CF), 330 (RF)
All-Time Series: Fresno State leads 51-25
Last Meeting: FS defeated CSUN, 8-2 (2014)
Radio: ESPN 940 AM
Video: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: Statbroadcast.com
Twitter: @FresnoStateBSB
The Fresno State baseball team returns home on Tuesday to host Cal State Northridge for its final nonconference game of the 2015 regular season. First pitch is set for 6:35 p.m.
The Bulldogs are back at Beiden Field after splitting a four-game road trip. The 'Dogs fell to California on April 28, before coming back to secure its first road series win of the season at San Jose State, two games to one. After a dismal start to the season on the road, Fresno State has now won four of its last six road games.
Bulldog pitching paved the way to both wins in San Jose - Friday and Sunday. Junior Jake Shull pitched a one-hit complete game shutout to help land a 4-0 win on Friday, while freshman Ricky Thomas and sophomore Jimmy Lambert combined to throw the second shutout of the weekend to guide the 'Dogs to a 3-0 win Sunday.
Shull's effort earned him the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honor, announced by the conference on Monday. The junior's bid for a no-hitter on Friday was broken up by an infield single, hit deep into the 6-hole 5 2/3 innings into the game for the Spartans sole base hit. Shull also made a one-inning relief appearance at California. Shull did not allow a hit vs. the Bears, totaling Shull's week to 10 innings pitched with one hit allowed and no earned runs crossing the plate. Monday's honor from the conference was the second of his career, dating back to Feb. 16, 2015.
Thomas pitched a career-long 6 1/3 innings in the fifth start of his freshman season, and first career weekend start. The San Diego native limited SJSU to four hits in the shutout performance. The only multi-base hit Thomas allowed was against the last batter he faced in the seventh. When Thomas got in trouble with two runners in scoring position, teammate Jimmy Lambert picked him up in relief to end the threat. Lambert finished the game, pitching the final 2 2/3 innings.
Offensively, the story has been Taylor Tempel. The senior will carry a nine-game hitting streak into Tuesday night's game against CSUN. Tempel has posted nine multiple hit games over the last 15 games, and is batting .388 over that span. He registered a single game career-high four hits (4-for-5) on Friday at San Jose State, and was a triple shy of a cycle.
Fresno State now sits in a tie for third place in the Mountain West standings after the weekend's outcomes. Put together with Nevada sweeping New Mexico last weekend, and the Bulldogs winning two of three against the Spartans, both the Bulldogs and Lobos have 13-11 conference records. The Wolf Pack (21-6 MW) secured the MW regular season title and No. 1 seed in the MW tournament with their win on Sunday. San Diego State is the current No. 2 seed, sporting a 17-10 MW record.
Garrett Mundell, who has bounced back-and-forth between a starter and relievers role, will make his 10th start of the season on Tuesday against the Matadors. His last four appearances have been out of the bullpen. Mundell last started at Cal Poly in a midweek game on April 14. Mundell owns the Mountain West's fourth-lowest earned run average in the conference (2.96).
"Be Bold!" - The official home of the Fresno State Bulldogs is 940 AM ESPN Radio.
