Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Oregon
Bulldogs open 2017 season hosting Oregon [Feb. 17-20]
2/15/2017 3:30:00 PM | Baseball
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FRESNO, Calif. -Â The Fresno State baseball team gets its 2017 season underway on Friday hosting Pac-12 foe Oregon in a four-game series at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
Games 1-4:Â Oregon (0-0, 0-0 Pac-12) at Fresno State (0-0, 0-0 MW)
First Pitch:Â Feb. 17-20Â - Fri: 6:05 p.m., Sat: 6:05 p.m., Sun: 1:05 p.m., Mon: 6:05 p.m.
Stadium:Â Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium
Surface:Â Grass
Dimensions:Â 330 (LF), 400 (CF), 330 (RF)
All-Time Series: Oregon leads 9-5
Last Meeting:Â Oregon defeated Fresno State, 8-3 (March 7, 2010 in Fresno, Calif.)
Radio:Â AM 940 ESPN (All four games)
Play-by-play:Â Paul Loeffler
Video:Â N/A
Live Stats:Â GoBulldogs.com
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateBSB
Promotions
Kids Weekend (Kids get in free all weekend with a paid adult)
Saturday: Bounce House for Kids Day
Salute to Sunday - All military and veterans get into the game for free with ID.
Monday: "Night to Remember"
Five Bulldog Baseball Alumni set to throw First Pitches on Sunday
- Jordan Luplow - (2012-14)Â - 2014 All-American
- Tom Mendonca - (2007-09) - 2009 All-American
- Josh Labandeira - (2000-01) - 2001 All-American
- Ed Zosky - (1987-89) - 1995 Fresno State Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee
- Steve Hosey - 1987-89) - 1996 Fresno State Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee
Bulldog Headlines
• The Bulldogs open their 89th season as a program on the diamond this weekend against Pac-12 foe Oregon.
• Fresno State went 36-22 in 2016, winning its first Mountain West championship since joining the league in 2013 finishing the season with a mark of 21-9 in conference play.
• Head Coach Mike Batesole enters his 15th season at the helm of the Bulldogs with a 478-376 (.560) overall record at Fresno State.Â
• This will be Batesole's 22nd season overall as a Division I head coach and he enters 2017 sporting a career record of 734-534-1 (.579).
• The Bulldogs are 10-4 in season openers under Batesole and have won their last eight season openers dating back to 2009. The 'Dogs beat Creighton 2-1 at home to start 2016.
• The 'Dogs are 9-5 in home openers under Batesole and have won their last eight home openers as well.Â
• This will be the first time since 2010 (Nebraska) the 'Dogs have opened up the season with a Power 5 conference team & just the fifth time in Batesole's tenure joining Stanford in 2004 & 2005 and Washington in 2010. The 'Dogs are 3-1 in such contests.
Fresno State vs. Oregon - The Series
• The Fresno State/Oregon series dates back to 1959 with the Ducks leading 9-5.
• The two teams have not met since 2010 when Oregon swept a four-game series in Fresno.
• Coach Batesole is 1-6 in seven matchups all-time against the Ducks with an 0-4 mark at home.
• The two teams met seven times with two games, both wins, in 1959, one game each in 1964 and 1969 and three games in 1975.
Bulldogs Selected Second in Mountain West Preseason Coaches Poll
The Fresno State baseball team was picked to finish second in the Mountain West preseason poll, announced by the conference on Feb. 8. The Bulldogs garnered three first-place vote and tallied 33 points overall to fall one vote shy of preseason favorite New Mexico. The Lobos picked up 34 votes and four first-place votes to repeat as MW preseason favorites for the second straight year. Nevada came in third and was followed by San Diego State, Air Force, UNLV and San Jose State. All selections were based on votes by MW coaches - coaches could not vote on their own team or players.Â
2017 MW Preseason Coaches Poll
1. New Mexico (4) - 34 points
2. Fresno State (3) - 33 points
3. Nevada - 23Â points
4. San Diego State - 21 pointsÂ
5. UNLV - 15 points
  Air Force - 15 points
7. San Jose State - 6 points
Thomas and Arruda selected to Mountain West Preseason All-Conference Team
Junior left-handed pitcher Ricky Tyler Thomas and junior first baseman Aaron Arruda were selected to the Mountain West Preseason All-Conference Team on Feb. 8. Thomas was a First-Team All-Mountain West selection as a sophomore in 2016 after leading the conference with 108 strikeouts and ranking second in the league in wins (9), ERA (2.16), innings pitched (104.0), opposing batting average (.223), earned runs allowed (25), walks allowed (16) and starts (15). Arruda was also a First-Team All-Mountain West selection as a sophomore after hitting .320 from the plate and finished second on the club with 62 hits. The Clovis native ranked fourth in the league with 11 home runs and ninth in RBIs (44). He added 15 doubles, scored 37 runs and ranked sixth in the MW in slugging percentage (.567) and was 13th in on-base percentage (.406).
2017 Diamond 'Dogs are a very seasoned bunch
This year's Bulldogs will be a very experienced group as 82.9% (481/580) of the starts from 2016 return this season. The 'Dogs 14 returning position players have appeared in 1,147 games with the eight returning pitchers making 172 career appearances, including 43 starts.
Bulldogs look to extend Season-Opening Winning Streaks
Fresno State has won its last eight season-openers dating back to 2009. The 'Dogs have also won their last eight home-openers over that time frame. The 'Dogs opened 2016 with a narrow 2-1 win at home over Creighton thanks to a stellar pitching performance by Thomas and a two-run fourth inning.
Date           Opponent               Result
Feb. 19, 2016      Creighton           W, 2-1
Feb. 13, 2015      UC Irvine           W, 5-4
Feb. 14, 2014      at UC Irvine         W, 2-0 (10)
Feb. 15, 2013      UC Santa Barbara      W, 8-1
Feb. 17, 2012      Butler              W, 3-0
Feb. 19, 2011      Gonzaga            W, 10-4
Feb. 19, 2010      Nebraska           W, 7-5
Feb. 20, 2009      at Washington        W, 5-4
Taking a look at the Oregon Ducks
Oregon makes their way to Fresno to open the 2017 season coming off a 29-26 overall record in 2016. The Ducks finished tied for eighth in the Pac-12 during the regular season with a 14-16 record. Oregon got off to a 7-1 start to the season sweeping Mountain West foe San Diego State in San Diego and took two of three at home over eventual College World Series participant UC Santa Barbara.
The Ducks return 19 players from a year ago with 10 pitchers and nine position players back. Six starting position players return and three starting pitchers are back among that group. Among those returning is senior outfielder Jake Bennett who led Oregon with a .312 average from the plate. Junior catcher Tim Susnara also returns after playing in all 55 games in 2016 and led the team with 14 doubles and was second with 49 hits. Â
On the mound, the Ducks lose the services of southpaw Cole Irvin, who was a fifth-round selection of the Phillies in the 2016 MLB Draft, but do return junior David Peterson who was 4-5 with a 3.63 ERA in 13 starts and threw 74.1 innings with 61 strikeouts. Oregon was picked to finish eighth in the Pac-12 Preseason poll released on Feb. 2.
2017 Preseason Honors for a pair of Diamond 'Dogs
A number of 'Dogs were tabbed with preseason honors by various national publications.
- D1Baseball.com - Ricky Tyler Thomas: MW Pitcher of the Year, Davis Moore: MW Freshman of the Year. 'Dogs picked to finish second in the conference.
- Baseball America - Thomas named MW Pitcher of the Year. Thomas and Rickey Ramirez ranked as the first and third-best prospects in the MW for the 2017 MLB Draft. Thomas also appeared #44 on BA's Top 100 College Prospects.
- Collegiate Baseball Newspaper - Thomas named a 3rd-Team Pre-Season All-American.
- PerfectGame - Thomas, Aaron Arruda & Ramirez selected Preseason All-Mountain West, Thomas selected as MW Pitcher of the Year. Bulldogs picked to finish second in the MW.
Rickey Ramirez named to the 2017 NCBWA Preseason Watch List
Junior pitcher Rickey Ramirez was of 59 pitchers nationally named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Stopper of the Year Watch List, the association announced on Feb. 13. The award is given to the top relief pitcher in NCAA Division I baseball, as Ramirez was one of only two Mountain West relievers to be selected joining Nevada's Evan McMahan.Â
As a sophomore in 2016, Ramirez earned Second-Team All-Mountain West honors posting a 4-1 record with a 4.54 ERA while making 26 appearances, including one start. He threw 39.2 innings notching 42 strikeouts and held opponents to a .271 batting average while picking up four saves. In Mountain West play, he made 12 appearances tossing 20.0 innings allowing only one earned run, 12 hits and struck out 20 holding opponents to a .182 average.
11 Talented Newcomers Join Fresno State in 2017
The Bulldogs welcome 11 newcomers to the team in 2017. The new group of Diamond 'Dogs includes nine freshman and two juniors. Â Junior college transfers Jared Akins and JJ Santa Cruz join preps JT Arruda, Carter Bins, Oscar Carvajal, Adam Medrano, Isaiah Davis, Ryan Jensen, Tiegen Jones, Joel Bustos and Davis Moore as the newest 'Dogs and look to provide key depth to the team in 2016.
"Just the Ticket to Build Our Community" – The Bulldog Scholarship Fund gives Bulldog alumni, fans and friends the opportunity to support Fresno State Athletics and the student-athletes who inspire them. For information about how you can support the Bulldog Scholarship Fund, please visit www.bulldogscholarshipfund.com or call 559-278-7160.
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