'Dogs sweep doubleheader over Air Force Saturday

Saturday, April 30

Grand Junction, Colo.

10:00 AM

Fresno State

27-16, 15-7

Air Force

20-18, 9-11

Fresno State

Air Force

'Dogs sweep doubleheader over Air Force Saturday

4/30/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 30, 2016

Box Score

Game 2 Box Score

By: Travis Blanshan
tblanshan@csufresno.edu
GoBulldogs.com

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. - Winning both a high-scoring affair and a pitcher's duel, Fresno State swept a doubleheader over Air Force on Saturday at Suplizio Field.

Snapping a six-game losing skid on the road and getting its first win away from Pete Beiden Field since March 25, the 'Dogs won game one 11-6 tying a season-high for hits in the process and then came back to take game two 5-1 as junior pitcher Jimmy Lambert stayed perfect on the season improving to 9-0.

"What this team did today was fantastic," said head coach Mike Batesole after the Bulldogs doubleheader sweep. "We have had a hectic week of travel and we came out today and had solid at-bats up and down the lineup."

Fresno State (28-16, 16-7) tied a season-high with 18 hits, only two for extra-bases, in game one scoring 11 runs. Junior third baseman Jesse Medrano set a new single-game career high with four hits, smacking his sixth double of the season and scored a run. The trio of junior outfielders Austin Guibor and Jake Stone along with sophomore first baseman Aaron Arruda all tied their career highs with three hits apiece. Four other 'Dogs had hits, including sophomore catcher Nick Warren had his fourth multi-game of the season with two hits, two runs scored and a RBI.

The 'Dogs only collected five hits in game two with Guibor leading the charge with his fifth home run of the season and added three RBIs. Arruda hit his 12th double of the season and added a run scored and RBI.

Air Force (20-19, 9-12 MW) countered with eight hits in game one and six more in game two. Left fielder Tyler Jones was the lone Falcon with multiple hits in each game going 2-for-5 with a run scored and RBI in game one and went 2-for-4 with a double in game two. First baseman Russell Williams added a home run in game one and third baseman Bradley Haslam added a solo home run in game two.

Game 1

The 'Dogs jumped out to an early 5-1 lead after four-and-a-half innings scoring one run in the second on a wild pitch, one in third on a RBI single by Stone, two more in the fourth on a pair of RBI singles by Warren and Zach Ashford and rounded it out in the fifth with a RBI single by Korby Batesole.

The Bulldogs four-run cushion was quickly erased in the bottom of the fifth as Air Force got to Fresno State starter Ricky Tyler Thomas for four runs, three earned, to tie the game at 5-5.

With the two sides trading runs in the sixth, a four-run seventh inning proved to be the difference maker and help Thomas secure his seventh win of the season. Medrano led off with a single to left center and Warren and Ashford drew back-to-back walks to load the bases for Dobson.

After the junior bounced into a fielder's choice saw Medrano forced out at home plate, Stone drew a walk to score Warren. Arruda was hit by a pitch in the following at-bat to drive home Ashford and Guibor continued the scoring with a two-run RBI single through the right side to plate Stone and Ryan Dobson.

A ninth-inning RBI single to right field by Arruda capped the scoring and was plenty of support for senior Tim Borst to close out the game and pick up his eight save of the season. Borst tossed three innings facing a minimum of nine batters, did not allow a hit, and struck out three.

Thomas improved to 7-3 with the win tossing six innings, allowing eight hits, six runs, four earned, and eight strikeouts.

Game 2

In a pitcher's duel that saw neither side score in the first five innings, only combining for four hits, Fresno State broke through in the sixth scoring four of its five runs. Batting around the order, Dobson, Scott Silva and Stone all reached base before Arruda drew a bases-loaded walk for the game's first run.

Guibor continued to come through with runners in scoring position driving in Silva and Stone on a two-run RBI single through the right side. Ashford was hit by a pitch to drive home Arruda and cap the 'Dogs second four-run inning of the day.

That was more than enough run support for Lambert as the junior ran into his only trouble of the day in the sixth allowing a two-out solo home run. After a three-inning save from Borst in game one, Dylan Lee matched Borst's effort with allowing only two hits over the final three innings to notch his sixth save of the season. Lee matched his career-high with five strikeouts.

"In the second game against (Air Force starter) Jacob DeVries, we battled it out and put together some long at-bats and got his pitch count up and that is what you have to do to beat a guy who is hot. You have to wear him down and get to the bullpen and that is what we did today," said Batesole.

Lambert picked up his ninth win of the season tossing six innings, allowing four hits, one earned run and struck out four. DeVries took the loss going 5.1 innings, allowing three hits, four runs, six walks and finished with eight strikeouts.

The Bulldogs go for their third MW series sweep of the season on Sunday taking on the Falcons at 10:00 a.m. PT at Suplizio Field. Edgar Gonzalez (2-1, 3.68) will make his third start in the last five games while Air Force counter with left-hander Trent Monaghan (3-2, 6.47).

Notes
- It was the second time this season the 'Dogs have swept a doubleheader after winning a pair of games over Youngstown State at home on Feb. 27.
- The last time a pitcher started the season 9-0 or better was Greg Gonzalez in 2011 when he started the season 11-0.
- It was Borst's 13th career save to tie him for fourth all-time in program history with Bob Jacobsen (1981-84).
- It was Thomas' sixth game this season with eight or more strikeouts.
- Guibor hit his 12th career home run.
- Dobson extended his hitting and on-base streak to 11 games reaching base four times in game one and two times in game two.

Mountain West Saturday Scoreboard
at San Jose State 5, UNLV 3
Nevada 5, at San Diego State 0

Mountain West Friday Scoreboard
Nevada 7, at San Diego State 6 (11) - Completion of April 3 suspended game
Nevada 8, at San Diego State 5
UNLV 12, at San Jose State 0
at Arizona State 9, New Mexico 5

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