Fresno State Athletics
Diamond 'Dogs travel to Cal Poly Tuesday
4/18/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Travis Blanshan
tblanshan@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
FRESNO, Calif. - After sweeping its second Mountain West series of the season over the weekend with a three-game sweep of Nevada, Fresno State returns to action on Tuesday traveling to Cal Poly to face the Mustangs at Baggett Stadium at 6:00 p.m.
Game 38: Fresno State (24-13, 12-6 MW) at Cal Poly (21-13, 4-2 Big West)
Fresno State Notes 
| Cal Poly Notes
Probable Pitching Matchup: Kenny Varnell (Fr., LHP, 1-0, 7.43 ERA) vs. Cam Schneider (Fr., RHP, 1-2, 5.91 ERA)
First Pitch: April 19 - Tue: 6:00 p.m.
Stadium: Baggett Stadium (1,734)
Surface: Grass
Dimensions: 335 (LF), 405 (CF), 335 (RF)
All-Time Series: Fresno State leads 92-55
Last Meeting: Cal Poly won 10-6 (April 14, 2015 at Cal Poly)
Radio: N/A
Video: Big West TV
Live Stats: gopoly.com
Twitter: @FresnoStateBSB
Bulldog Headlines
• Fresno State swept Nevada at home over the weekend taking down the Wolf Pack by scores of 5-4, 8-3 and 7-6 for its second Mountain West series sweep of the season.
• The `Dogs have won five of this year's six MW series and sit in second place in the MW with a 12-6 mark, two games behind New Mexico.
• It was the `Dogs third sweep over Nevada at home over the last four years as Fresno State improved to 11-1 at home against the Wolf Pack since joining the MW in 2013.
• The Bulldogs improved to 19-3 on the season at home and are one of just seven teams in the nation with at least 22 home games and fewer than three losses.
• The `Dogs 3.46 ERA, 310 strikeouts, .252 opponents' batting average, 127 earned runs and 15 saves lead the Mountain West.
• Junior pitcher Jimmy Lambert leads the MW in wins (7) and walks allowed (5), while ranking second in innings pitched (63.2), third in ERA (2.26) & fourth in strikeouts (49).
• Senior outfielder Brody Russell is third in the MW in batting average (.402) & slugging percentage (.630) and is fourth in hits (51), RBIs (34) and doubles (13).
• Lambert is now one of only six pitchers in the nation who have started at least nine games and are perfect 7-0.
Where Fresno State Ranks Offensively in the Mountain West in 2016 (as of 4/18/16)
• .285 Batting Average: No. 3 [Leaders, AFA - .321]
• .410 Slugging Pct: No. 3 [Leader, UNM- .493]
• .357 On base Pct: No. 4 [Leader, UNM - .416]
• 51 sacrifice bunts: No. 1 [2nd in the nation behind Texas]
• 218 Runs: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - 287]
• 350 Hits: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - 419]
• 190 RBI: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - 265]
• 68 Doubles: No. 3 [Leader, UNM- 88]
• 11 Triples: No. T-4 [Leader, NEV- 15]
• 21 Home Runs: No. 2 [Leader, UNM- 38]
Where Fresno State Ranks Pitching in the Mountain West in 2016 (as of 4/18/16)
• 3.46 ERA: No. 1
• .252 Opposing bat avg: No. 1
• 15 saves: No. 1
• 310 strikeouts: No. 1
• 127 Earned runs allowed: No. 1
• 320 Hits allowed: No. 3 [Leader, AFA - 278]
• 123 walks allowed: No. 4 [Leader, NEV - 90]
• 48 doubles allowed: No. 2 [Leader, AFA - 44]
• 5 triples allowed: No. 1
• 20 home runs allowed: No. T-3 [Leader, AFA - 13]
Where Fresno State Players Rank in the Mountain West/NCAA in 2016 (as of 4/18/16)
Batting average: Brody Russell - 3rd (.402)/37th in NCAA
Doubles: Russell - 4th (13)
Triples: Ryan Dobson - T-4th (3)
RBI: Russell - 4th (34)
Walks: Guibor - 3rd (23)
Sacrifice flies: Jake Stone - 1st (6)/5th in NCAA
Sacrifice bunts: Guibor - 1st (10)/12th in NCAA
Strikeouts: Ricky Tyler Thomas - 1st (67)/32nd in NCAA
Jimmy Lambert - T-4th (49)
ERA: Thomas - 2nd (2.17)
Lambert - 3rd (2.26)
Innings pitched: Lambert - 2nd (63.2)
Earned runs allowed: Thomas & Edgar Gonzalez -T-2nd (15)
Lambert - 4th (16)
Walks allowed: Lambert - 1st (5)
Doubles allowed: Gonzalez - 1st (3)
Starts: Edgar Gonzalez - 1st (10)/3rd in NCAA
Wins: Lambert - 1st (7)/3rd in NCAA
Saves: Tim Borst - 3rd (6)/53rd in NCAA
Appearances: Borst, Brennon Williams & Dylan Lee - T-2nd (18)
Taking a look at the Cal Poly Mustangs
Cal Poly enters Tuesday with a 21-13 overall record coming off a Big West Conference series win at Hawaii winning two of three games on the island taking the final two games by scores of 5-4 and 5-2.
The Mustangs rank fourth in the Big West with a .270 batting average as a team, while ranking second in runs scored (172) and RBIs (156). Leading the charge offensively for the Mustangs is junior catcher/first baseman Brett Barbier with a team-best .380 average from the plate. He also tops the team in hits (46), doubles (10), total bases (64), slugging percentage (.529) and on-base percentage (.510) ranking 20th in the nation in that category.
On the mound, Cal Poly checks in sixth in the Big West with a 3.76 ERA and is fourth with 282 strikeouts, but has allowed the most hits (321) and runs (170) in the conference. Tuesday's scheduled starter, freshman right-hander Cam Schneider, has a 1-2 record with a 5.91 ERA in seven appearances, six starts, tossing 21.1 innings with 23 strikeouts.
The Mustangs are 14-6 at home starting the season off with 12 straight home games going 10-2 in that stretch while going 11-11 since that opening stretch. Cal Poly ranked No. 108 in the latest RPI released Monday, the second-highest opponent remaining for the 'Dogs, and they have knocked off Michigan (28), Cal State Fullerton (47) and UCLA (86) throughout the season.
Bulldogs continue to dominate at Pete Beiden Field
The Bulldogs continued their strong play at home this season after a three-game sweep of Nevada over the weekend moved the `Dogs record to 19-3 at Pete Beiden Field in 2016.
The Bulldogs are now one of only seven teams in the country with at least 22 home games to have lost three or fewer games on the season. They are joined by Louisville (23-1), South Carolina (22-1), Texas A&M (21-1), Florida (22-2), South Alabama (20-2) and Miami (20-3)in exclusive company.
Lambert stays perfect in 2016
Junior right-hander Jimmy Lambert stayed perfect in 2016 on Saturday tossing seven innings allowing eight hits, two earned runs, no walks and notched seven strikeouts in a 8-3 win over the Nevada Wolf Pack.
He remains one of only six pitchers in the nation with at least nine starts to have an unblemished 7-0 mark joining Dustin Beggs (Kentucky), Robby Howell (UCF), Kade McClure (Louisville), Michael Rucker (BYU) and Logan Shore (Florida).
Pitching duo dominating strikeout-to-walk ratio
Lambert and sophomore southpaw Ricky Tyler Thomas continue to pile up the strikeouts on the season, while limiting the number of free passes issued. On the season, Lambert leads the MW and ranks eighth in the NCAA with a 9.8 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 49 strikeouts to only five walks allowed. Thomas counters with a MW-leading 67 strikeouts and only 10 walks issued for a 6.7 mark to rank 25th in the country.
`Dogs sacrificing for the team
Fresno State continues to lead the Mountain West and rank second in the nation behind Texas with 51 sacrifice bunts. Getting down at least one sacrifice hit in 29 of 37 games, the `Dogs saw their streak of 15 straight games with at least one sacrifice bunt come to an end on April 12 against Pacific and has laid down at least one in 19 of its last 21 contests.
Austin Guibor leads the MW and ranks 12th in the country with 10. Jake Stone is right behind him with nine followed by Brody Russell and Korby Batesole with five apiece.
The `Dogs had a season-high five on March 22 in a 6-4 win at Saint Mary's and have got at least one sacrifice hit from 11 different players.
Fresno State ranks second in the Mountain West in the RPI
After debuting at No. 41 in the initial release of the RPI on April 5, the `Dogs find themselves 60th on April 18 to rank second in the Mountain West behind New Mexico (50). Nevada (142), Air Force (156), UNLV (172), San Diego State (189) and San Jose State (193) round the MW.
The `Dogs have played nine games against top 100 programs in Texas A&M (4), Creighton (32), Saint Mary's (35) and Long Beach State (54).
Starting pitcher has been key to success
Seventeen of the `Dogs 24 victories this season have been claimed by starting pitchers with junior Jimmy Lambert leading the club, MW and ranking 3rd in the nation with seven wins. Ricky Tyler Thomas has five wins, leads the MW in strikeouts (67) and ranks second in in ERA (2.17). Freshman Edgar Gonzalez has a pair of wins and fellow rookie Kenny Varnell picked up his first career win as a `Dog on April 6 against Sacramento St.
Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium
The CSU Committee on Institutional Advancement approved the motion to name Fresno State's baseball facility, Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium, on March 8. The field honors Bob Bennett, the program's all-time winningest coach, who compiled 1,302 win in 34 seasons. The field will be formally dedicated to Mr. Bennett with a celebration on May 7 vs. SDSU.
"Be Bold!" - The official home of the Fresno State Bulldogs is 940 AM ESPN Radio. Stay connected with the Bulldogs on Facebook (Fresno State Athletics), Instagram (FresnoStateAthletics), Twitter (@FresnoStateBSB) and Snapchat (FSAthletics).
