Fresno State Athletics
Monday, February 20
Fresno, CA
6:05 PM
Fresno State
2-2
2
vs
3
Oregon
2-2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Oregon
0
0
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
3
5
0
Fresno State
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
8
1
Photo by: Keith Kountz
Bulldogs drop hard-fought contest 3-2 to Oregon on Night to Remember
2/20/2017 9:43:00 PM | Baseball
On a memorable Night to Remember at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium, the Fresno State Bulldog baseball team honored Fresno's Japanese-American baseball history and announced the retirement of Bulldog legend Fibber Hirayama's #3 jersey this season.
FRESNO, Calif. - On a memorable Night to Remember at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium, the Fresno State Bulldog baseball team dropped a hard-fought 3-2 contest to Pac-12 foe Oregon splitting its season-opening four-game series.
Honoring Fresno's Japanese-American Baseball history by bringing back a pair of Bulldog Baseball Hall of Famers Fibber Hirayama and Kenichi Zenimura, the 'Dogs wore retro Fresno Athletic Club jerseys from the 1920's and paid tribute to the pair in a pregame on-field ceremony.
Voice of the Bulldogs Paul Loeffler emceed the event as he recounted how the pair led the 'Dogs to the best winning percentage in school history in 1951 and how the pair helped build Fresno State into one of the premier collegiate baseball program in the country. The pair also became two of the first Japanese-Americans to play professionally in Japan with the Hiroshima Carp and went onto have outstanding professional careers.
Athletic Director Jim Bartko also spoke at the event as he announced that the Bulldog baseball program will retire Hirayama's #3 jersey this season. Hirayama, who turned 87 last Friday, was overwhelmed upon hearing the news saying, "I am speechless, and I want to thank everyone involved. It is really an honor, thank you."
A special night that comes on the heels of the annual Day of Remembrance, observed nationwide on Feb. 19, marking the 75th anniversary of a presidential decree that led to the World War II-era incarceration of 120,000 Japanese-Americans, tonight was truly a special way to honor a pair of Bulldog baseball legends for all they have given to Fresno State.
Fresno State (2-2) rode the momentum of the pregame into the contest scoring first for the fourth time this season as sophomore designated hitter Zach Ashford, making his first plate appearance of the season, led off with a single up the middle. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, senior second baseman Scott Silva drove in Ashford with a single up the middle to help the 'Dogs take a 1-0 lead.
Freshman right-hander Davis Moore, making his Bulldog debut, was able to work a clean first two innings before running into trouble in the third allowing a pair of Oregon runs on a two-run RBI single to center field by A.J. Balta. The Bulldogs responded in the third tying the game at 2-2 as Silva knocked in his second RBI of the contest driving home Ashford from first base.
With Moore giving way to redshirt junior southpaw JJ Santa Cruz in the fifth, Oregon scored what turned out to be the game-winning run in the frame as Jake Bennett hit a one-out RBI single up the middle to score Morgan McCullough. All three runs the Ducks scored were allowed on base by a walk as the 'Dogs allowed eight walks in the contest.
The 'Dogs, who outhit the Ducks 8-5 in the contest, were only able to scrap out three hits over the final five innings as Silva had the best chance to tie the game in the eighth inning as his fly ball to center field barely missed clearing the fence for a solo home run.
Fresno State returns to action on Friday evening hosting UC Riverside (1-1) at 6:05 p.m. at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.Â
"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.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter:Â @Fresno StateBSB
Instagram:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
Honoring Fresno's Japanese-American Baseball history by bringing back a pair of Bulldog Baseball Hall of Famers Fibber Hirayama and Kenichi Zenimura, the 'Dogs wore retro Fresno Athletic Club jerseys from the 1920's and paid tribute to the pair in a pregame on-field ceremony.
Voice of the Bulldogs Paul Loeffler emceed the event as he recounted how the pair led the 'Dogs to the best winning percentage in school history in 1951 and how the pair helped build Fresno State into one of the premier collegiate baseball program in the country. The pair also became two of the first Japanese-Americans to play professionally in Japan with the Hiroshima Carp and went onto have outstanding professional careers.
Athletic Director Jim Bartko also spoke at the event as he announced that the Bulldog baseball program will retire Hirayama's #3 jersey this season. Hirayama, who turned 87 last Friday, was overwhelmed upon hearing the news saying, "I am speechless, and I want to thank everyone involved. It is really an honor, thank you."
A special night that comes on the heels of the annual Day of Remembrance, observed nationwide on Feb. 19, marking the 75th anniversary of a presidential decree that led to the World War II-era incarceration of 120,000 Japanese-Americans, tonight was truly a special way to honor a pair of Bulldog baseball legends for all they have given to Fresno State.
Fresno State (2-2) rode the momentum of the pregame into the contest scoring first for the fourth time this season as sophomore designated hitter Zach Ashford, making his first plate appearance of the season, led off with a single up the middle. After advancing to second on a wild pitch, senior second baseman Scott Silva drove in Ashford with a single up the middle to help the 'Dogs take a 1-0 lead.
Freshman right-hander Davis Moore, making his Bulldog debut, was able to work a clean first two innings before running into trouble in the third allowing a pair of Oregon runs on a two-run RBI single to center field by A.J. Balta. The Bulldogs responded in the third tying the game at 2-2 as Silva knocked in his second RBI of the contest driving home Ashford from first base.
With Moore giving way to redshirt junior southpaw JJ Santa Cruz in the fifth, Oregon scored what turned out to be the game-winning run in the frame as Jake Bennett hit a one-out RBI single up the middle to score Morgan McCullough. All three runs the Ducks scored were allowed on base by a walk as the 'Dogs allowed eight walks in the contest.
The 'Dogs, who outhit the Ducks 8-5 in the contest, were only able to scrap out three hits over the final five innings as Silva had the best chance to tie the game in the eighth inning as his fly ball to center field barely missed clearing the fence for a solo home run.
Fresno State returns to action on Friday evening hosting UC Riverside (1-1) at 6:05 p.m. at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.Â
"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.
Follow us on:Â
Twitter:Â @Fresno StateBSB
Instagram:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Acu?a, James (1-0)
L: Santa Cruz, JJ (0-1)
S: Yovan, Kenyon (1)
Batting:
RBI: Bennett, Jake 1 ; Balta, A.J. 2
SH: Kasser, Kyle 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McCullough, Morgan 1 ; Kasser, Kyle 1 ; Bennett, Jake 1
CS: Bennett, Jake 1
HBP: Susnara, Tim 1
Batting:
2B: Silva, Scott 1 ; Medrano, Jesse 1
RBI: Silva, Scott 2
SH: Akins, Jared 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ashford, Zach 2
CS: Akins, Jared 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Outfield
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RHP
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LHP
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