Fresno State Athletics
Bulldogs travel to Pacific for Wednesday contest
4/18/2017 3:00:00 PM | Baseball
FRESNO, Calif. -Â After playing four home games in five days during Spring Break last week, the Fresno State baseball team hits the road this week for four road games in five days starting Wednesday at Pacific.
Game 36: Fresno State (18-17, 8-7 MW) at Pacific (12-21, 2-13 WCC)
First Pitch:Â April 19Â - Wed: 6:00 p.m.
Stadium:Â Klein Family Field
Surface:Â Grass
Dimensions:Â 317 (LF), 405 (CF), 325 (RF)
All-Time Series: Fresno State leads 97-46
Last Meeting: Fresno State defeated Pacific 10-4 (Feb. 28, 2017 in Fresno, Calif.)
Radio:Â N/A
Play-by-play:Â N/A
Video:Â TheW.tv
Live Stats:Â GoBulldogs.com
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateBSB
Bulldog Headlines
• Fresno State begins a four-game road trip at Pacific on Wednesday evening.
• The Bulldogs are coming off a 2-2 week that saw them win a home series over Air Force taking two of three games, including a dramatic 8-7 walk-off win on Saturday thanks to a bases-loaded single by Zach Ashford.
• The 'Dogs fell 7-6 to San Francisco last Tuesday at home in a mid-week contest to fall to 5-2 on the season in mid-week games.
• The 'Dogs and Tigers will play their 144th game all-time on Wednesday as Fresno State leads the overall series 97-46.
• The Bulldogs currently rank 10th in the nation in double plays (38), 33rd in triples (12) and 35th in sacrifice bunts (28).
• Fresno State leads the Mountain West in strikeouts per nine innings (8.4).
• Junior LHP Ricky Tyler Thomas is tied for the lead in the MW & ranks 55th in the nation in strikeouts (63).
• Freshman right-handed relief pitcher Ryan Jensen ranks fourth in the MW and 42nd in the nation with 19 appearances.
Fresno State vs. Pacific - The Series
• Fresno State & Pacific will meet for the second of two meetings this season after the 'Dogs won the first meeting 10-4 in Fresno on Feb. 28.
• It will be the two team's 144th meeting all-time.
• The 'Dogs lead the series 97-46.
• Pacific beat the Bulldogs twice last season winning 15-6 at home before coming to Fresno a week later & came away with a 7-3 win.
• The 'Dogs are 2-5 against Pacific under Coach Batesole with an 0-3 record on the road.
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Pacific 97-46
Last Meeting: Feb. 28, 2017 (Fresno, Calif.) - W, 10-4
Current Streak: W1
Last Fresno State Win: Feb. 28, 2017 (10-4) - Fresno, Calif.
Last Pacific Win: April 12, 2016 Â (7-3) - Fresno, Calif.
Where Fresno State Ranks Offensively in the Mountain West in 2017 (as of 4/18/17)
• .293 Batting Average: No. 5 [Leader, AFA - .329]
• .427 Slugging Pct: No. 5 [Leader, AFA .504]
• .366 On base Pct: No. 5 [Leader, UNM - .412]
• 30 sacrifice bunts: No. 2 [Leader, NEV - 38]
• 215 Runs: No. 5 [Leader, UNM - 289]
• 373 Hits: No. 5 [Leader, UNLV - 414]
• 197 RBI: No. 5 [Leader, UNM - 260]
• 72 Doubles: No. 5 [Leader, AFA - 92]
• 12 Triples: No. T-4 [Leaders, AFA & UNLV - 14]
• 25 Home Runs: No. T-4 [Leader, SDSU- 36]
Where Fresno State Ranks Pitching in the Mountain West in 2017 (as of 4/18/17)
• 5.65 ERA: No. 5 [Leader, SDSU - 3.35]
• .273 Opposing bat average: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - .257]
• 8 saves: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - 11]
• 300 strikeouts: No. 1
• 203 Earned runs allowed: No. 5 [Leader, SDSU - 123]
• 342 Hits allowed: No. 3 [Leader, SDSU - 318]
• 187 walks allowed: No. 7 [Leader, SDSU - 109]
• 58 doubles allowed: No. 1
• 7 triples allowed: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - 6]
• 21 home runs allowed: No. 2 [Leader, UNM - 19]
Where Fresno State Ranks Fielding in the Mountain West in 2017 (as of 4/18/17)
• .965 Fielding Percentage: No. 7 [Leader, SDSU .981]
• 399 Assists: No. 5 [Leader, UNLV- 426]
• 42 double plays: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU 46]
Where Fresno State Players Rank in the Mountain West/NCAA in 2017 (as of 4/18/17)
Batting Average: Aaron Arruda - 9th (.357)
Slugging percentage: Arruda - 6th (.566)
RBI: Arruda - T-6th (34)
Runs: Scott Silva & Austin Guibor - T-9th (32)
Doubles: Jared Akins - 5th (13) ; Jesse Medrano - T-6th (12)
Triples: Austin Guibor - T-2nd (3)Â
Home runs: Arruda & Silva - T-4th (6)
Total bases: Arruda - T-5th (81)
Sacrifice bunts: Â Korby Batesole & Medrano- T-3rd (7)Â
ERA: Ricky Tyler Thomas - 6th (3.81)
Opposing batting average: Thomas - 1st (.228)
Innings pitched: Rickey Ramirez - T-1st 60.0)Â
Strikeouts: Thomas - T-1st (63)
          Ramirez - 3rd (51)
Hits allowed: Thomas -6th (45)
Doubles allowed: Thomas - T-3rd (7)
Saves: Edgar Gonzalez - T-2nd (4)
Taking a look at the Pacific Tigers
Pacific comes into Wednesday's contest 12-21 on the season having lost six games in a row and 10 of their previous 11 dating back to March 26. The Tigers are 11-7 at home on the season while only being 1-14 on the road.
The Tigers are currently hitting .248 as a team and are averaging 4.9 runs per game. Over 26 percent (70 of 267) of Pacific's hits have gone for extra-bases as the Tigers' have smacked 25 home runs on the season to rank fourth in the WCC.
Leading the way for the Tigers on offense is sophomore outfielder Kevin Sandri who is hitting .314 with 32 hits, four doubles, 11 RBIs, 19 runs scored and has four of the Tigers' nine stolen bases.Â
Freshman James Free II has appeared in all 33 games and is hitting .306 with a team-leading 14 extra-bases hitting seven doubles and seven home runs.
On the mound, Pacific has a 5.74 ERA and is allowing nearly seven runs per game as opponents have scored 230 runs in 33 contests. Opponents are hitting .291 from the dish and Pacific sports a 1.29 strikeout-to-walk ratio with 185 strikeouts to 143 walks.Â
The Tigers have started four different pitchers in five mid-week games as the 'Dogs saw freshman left-hander Kyle Ostrowski make his collegiate debut on Feb. 28 as he lasted only 1.2 innings. Pacific is 2-3 in mid-week contests defeating San Jose State and Washington State and has dropped games to the 'Dogs, San Jose State and Sacramento State.
Fresno State vs. Pacific under Coach Batesole
2013 - 1-1 (L, 4-11 on road; W, 4-3 at home)
2014 - 0-2 (L, 3-7 at home; L, 4-6 on road)
2016 - 0-2 (L, 6-15 on road; L, 3-7 at home)
2017 - 1-0 (W, 10-4 at home)
The 'Dogs are 2-5 against Pacific since 2013 with a 0-3 mark on the road. Fresno State defeated the Tigers earlier this season 10-4 at home as nine different Bulldogs had a hit in the contest.Â
Four of the 'Dogs 11 hits went for extra-bases, including a bases-clearing double by senior Jake Stone in the sixth inning who tied his career-high with four RBIs. Senior outfielder Austin Guibor had a pair of RBIs for his team-leading third multi-RBI game, and Medrano set a new career-high with three runs scored.
Stone puts together another standout week
Senior outfielder Jake Stone had a great week from the plate hitting a team-best .500 with eight hits in 16 at-bats tallying two doubles, a home run, four runs scored and five RBIs.
In Saturday's 8-7 walk-off win over Air Force, Stone helped the 'Dogs rally back into the game with two late-inning doubles and scored the game-winning run in the 10th inning. He added a three-run home run on Thursday and tied his career-high with four RBIs.
On the season, Stone is hitting .331 with 45 hits in 136 at-bats and has 10 doubles, two home runs, 23 runs scored and 24 RBIs.Â
Double trouble
The 'Dogs have turned 42 double plays this season to rank 10th in the nation and have already surpassed the total number of double plays in 2016.
Jensen picks up first career win
Freshman right-hander Ryan Jensen won his first career game as a 'Dog on Saturday pitching the final two innings of the Bulldogs 8-7 win in 10 innings allowing two hits and three runs, but struck out a career-best four.
Gonzalez shines in 2017 starting debut
Sophomore Edgar Gonzalez made his starting debut on Thursday against the Falcons pitching a career-high 7.2 innings allowing six hits, five runs and struck out a career-best eight in a 7-5 win over Air Force. The right-hander started 15 games as a freshman in 2016 before moving into a bullpen role to start 2017 making 13 appearances with four saves. In 34.2 innings, he has only allowed 14 earned runs and struck out 39 while holding opponents to a .230 average.
Fresno State Baseball set to retire Fibber Hirayama #3 jersey on April 30
The 'Dogs will retire their ninth player jersey in program history on April 30 when legendary Bulldog Fibber Hirayama will see his #3 jersey retired in a pregame ceremony. The Bulldogs will wear their retro Fresno Athletic Club jerseys against San Jose State in honor of Hirayama who played at Fresno State from 1950-52.
Batesole within four wins of #500 at Fresno State
Fresno State head coach Mike Batesole sits at 496 wins at Fresno State and 752 in his career. He is four victories shy of his 500th at Fresno State and will become only the third coach to reach that milestone joining Pete Beiden and Bob Bennett. The earliest he can reach that milestone is April 23 at Nevada.
Up next: The Bulldogs stay on the road for a three-game Mountain West series at Nevada (11-26, 7-11 MW) starting Friday at 6 p.m.
"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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