Fresno State Athletics
'Dogs to face Falcons in Grand Junction, Colo.
4/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By: Travis Blanshan
tblanshan@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - With poor weather forcing a change in location, Fresno State will face Air Force in a Mountain West series this weekend at Sam Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, Colo., playing a doubleheader on Saturday and a final game on Sunday.
Game 43-45: Fresno State (26-16, 14-7 MW) vs. Air Force (20-17, 9-10 MW)
Fresno State Notes 
| Air Force Notes
Probable Pitching Matchups:
Saturday Game 1: Ricky Tyler Thomas (6-3, 1.89) vs. Griffin Jax (6-2, 2.05)
Saturday Game 2: Jimmy Lambert (8-0, 2.61) vs. Jacob DeVries (4-4, 5.86)
Sunday: Edgar Gonzalez (2-1, 3.68) vs. Trent Monaghan (3-2, 6.47)
First Pitch: - Sat. G1: 10:00 a.m. PT, Sat. G2: 1:30 p.m. PT, Sun.: 10:00 a.m. PT
Stadium: Sam Suplizio Field (12,000)
Surface: Grass
Dimensions: 365 (LF), 400 (CF), 330 (RF)
All-Time Series: Fresno State leads 19-6
Last Meeting: Fresno State won 5-1 (April 3, 2016 in Fresno, Calif.)
Radio: 940 AM ESPN
Play-by-play: Paul Loeffler
Video: N/A
Live Stats: GoBulldogs.com
Twitter: @FresnoStateBSB
Bulldog Headlines
• Fresno State dropped its second straight game in extra-innings on Wednesday falling 5-4 in 11 innings to Sacramento State at Raley Field.
• Fresno State won two of three games at home over the weekend defeating San Jose State 6-0 on Friday and 8-6 on Saturday before falling 7-5 in 12 innings on Sunday.
• Fresno State has won six Mountain West series for the most MW series wins since joining the conference in 2013.
• Sophomore pitcher Ricky Tyler Thomas was named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week on April 25 after throwing a complete game two-hit shutout vs. SJSU.
• The 'Dogs 3.44 ERA, 348 strikeouts, .252 opponents' batting average, 145 earned runs and 16 saves lead the Mountain West.
• The Bulldogs lead the nation in sacrifice bunts with 60.
• Thomas leads the MW in ERA (1.89), opposing batting average (.196), innings pitched (71.1), strikeouts (71) and earned runs allowed (15).
• Junior pitcher Jimmy Lambert leads the MW in wins (8) and walks allowed (8).
• Senior outfielder Brody Russell is third in the MW in batting average (.415) and doubles (15), fourth in slugging percentage (.644), sixth in hits (56) and seventh in RBIs (35).
Fresno State vs. Air Force - The Series
• Fresno State and Air Force have met 25 times on the baseball diamond.
• The Bulldogs lead the all-time series with the Falcons 19-6.
• The 'Dogs are 15-4 against AFA since joining the MW in 2013 going 12-0 at home & 3-4 on the road.
• Fresno State is 5-5 on the road against the Falcons and 14-1 at home.
• The Bulldogs won one of three games at Air Force in 2015 losing a doubleheader by scores of 2-1 & 10-1 before winning the final game of the series 6-5.
Where Fresno State Ranks Offensively in the Mountain West in 2016 (as of 4/29/16)
• .289 Batting Average: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - .322]
• .410 Slugging Pct: No. 3 [Leader, UNM- .495]
• .359 On base Pct: No. 4 [Leader, UNM - .418]
• 60 sacrifice bunts: No. 1 [1st in the nation]
• 242 Runs: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - 339]
• 409 Hits: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - 492]
• 212 RBI: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - 314]
• 74 Doubles: No. T-3 [Leader, UNM- 101]
• 11 Triples: No. T-5 [Leader, NEV- 17]
• 25 Home Runs: No. T-2 [Leader, UNM- 44]
Where Fresno State Ranks Pitching in the Mountain West in 2016 (as of 4/29/16)
• 3.44 ERA: No. 1
• .252 Opposing bat avg: No. 1
• 16 saves: No. 1
• 348 strikeouts: No. 1
• 145 Earned runs allowed: No. 1
• 367 Hits allowed: No. 2 [Leader, AFA - 338]
• 138 walks allowed: No. 3 [Leader, NEV - 105]
• 55 doubles allowed: No. 1
• 7 triples allowed: No. 1
• 21 home runs allowed: No. 3 [Leader, AFA - 16]
Where Fresno State Players Rank in the Mountain West/NCAA in 2016 (as of 4/29/16)
Batting average: Brody Russell - 3rd (.415)/13th in NCAA
Slugging percentage: Russell - 4th (.644)/38th in NCAA
Doubles: Russell - T-3rd (15)/ 38th in NCAA
RBI: Russell - 7th (35)
Walks: Guibor - 3rd (26)
Sacrifice flies: Jake Stone - 1st (6)/7th in NCAA
Sacrifice bunts: Guibor - 1st (11)/13th in NCAA
Strikeouts: Ricky Tyler Thomas - 1st (71)/39th in NCAA
Jimmy Lambert - 4th (53)
ERA: Thomas - 1st (1.89)/ 46th in NCAA
Lambert - 3rd (2.61)
Innings pitched: Thomas - 1st (71.1)
Lambert - 4th (69.0)
Earned runs allowed: Thomas - 1st (15)
Edgar Gonzalez - 3rd (18)
Walks allowed: Lambert - 1st (8)
Doubles allowed: Gonzalez - 1st (4)
Starts: Edgar Gonzalez - 1st (12)/2nd in NCAA
Wins: Lambert - 1st (8)/2nd in NCAA
Saves: Tim Borst - 3rd (7)/52nd in NCAA
Appearances: Borst & Brennon Williams - T-1st (21)
Taking a look at the Air Force Falcons
Air Force enters this weekend's series in Grand Junction, Colo., with a 20-17 overall record and a 9-10 mark in the Mountain West sitting in fourth place. The Falcons have played their last 10 games on the road going 2-8 in that stretch getting swept at UNLV two weeks ago and dropped two out of three games at Nevada last weekend.
The Falcons rank second in the MW in batting average (.319), slugging percentage (.462), runs scored (269), hits (424), RBIs (248), doubles (84), triples (16) and home runs (25.
Individually, a pair of sluggers rank among the top four in the MW in batting average with junior infielder Bradley Haslam hitting .422 to rank second and junior outfielder Adam Groesbeck is fourth with a .405 average. Haslam leads the team in hits (65), while Groesbeck tops the club in runs (43), triples (6), on-base percentage (.480) and stolen bases (16).
On the mound, Air Force ranks fourth in the MW with a 5.02 ERA, while leading the league in hits allowed (338) and home runs allowed (16). They also rank second in earned runs allowed (179) and opposing batting average (.273).
Saturday's game one starter Griffin Jax ranks second in the MW in ERA (2.05), innings pitched (70.1), opposing batting average (.223), strikeouts (63) and earned runs allowed (16).
Ricky Tyler Thomas named Mountain West Pitcher of the Week
Sophomore left-handed pitcher Ricky Tyler Thomas earned his second career Mountain West Pitcher of the Week honor on Monday after tossing a complete game two-hit shutout in Friday's 6-0 win over San Jose State.
The San Diego native allowed only two singles, issued no walks and struck out four. He faced only two batters over the minimum in the game and retired the final 14 batters he faced.
Lambert stays perfect in 2016
Lambert stayed perfect in 2016 on Saturday (April 23) tossing 5.1 innings, allowing nine hits, five runs, four earned, issued three walk and struck out four to improve to 8-0 on the season.
He is one of 17 pitchers tied for second in the nation with eight wins and remains one of four hurlers in the nation with at least 10 starts to have an unblemished 8-0 mark or better joining Michael Rucker (BYU), Logan Shore (Florida) and Kade McClure (Louisville).
Thomas leading the MW in seven pitching categories
Thomas currently leads the MW in ERA (1.89), opposing batting average (.196), innings pitched (71.1), strikeouts (71) and earned runs allowed (15). Thomas also leads the league and ranks eighth in the nation in WHIP (0.84). Additionally, he leads the conference and ranks 16th in the country in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 7.10.
Brody Russell continues his 2016 offensive tear
Senior outfielder Brody Russell has stayed hot from the dish for the 'Dogs since March 18 hitting .472 (42-89) over his last 22 games with 13 doubles, a triple, three home runs, 19 runs scored, 23 RBIs along with a .742 slugging percentage & a .505 on-base percentage.
Entering the season as a career .243 hitter, Russell has improved to .272 after hitting .415 so far as a senior. He has already matched or surpassed single-season career highs in hits (56), runs (29), doubles (15), triples (2), home runs (4), runs (29), RBIs (35) and total bases (87).
'Dogs fall to 1-5 in extra-inning affairs in 2016
With the 'Dogs 5-4 loss at Sacramento St. Wed., the 'Dogs fell to 1-5 in extra-inning games in 2016. The six extra-inning games match the total extra-innings contests from 2015.
Jimmy Lambert & Korby Batesole named to Watch Lists
A pair of Bulldogs were named to initial watch lists last week for Player of the Year Awards given to the top pitcher and shortstop in college baseball annually.
Junior right-hander Jimmy Lambert was named to the College Baseball Hall of Fame National Pitcher of the Year Watch List on Wednesday as the lone representative from the Mountain West. Sophomore shortstop Korby Batesole followed that up the following day being named to the Brooks Wallace Watch List given to the nation's top shortstop.
Fresno State ranks second in the Mountain West in the RPI
After debuting at No. 41 in the first release of the RPI on April 5, the 'Dogs find themselves 81st on April 29 to rank second in the Mountain West behind New Mexico (55). UNLV (141), Nevada (142), Air Force (174), San Diego State (181) and San Jose State (186) round the Mountain West.
The 'Dogs have played 11 games against top 100 programs in Texas A&M (4), Creighton (21), Saint Mary's (52), Cal Poly (67) and Long Beach State (69).
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.
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