Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
UNLV
Diamond 'Dogs head to Vegas for lone series with Rebels [May 5-7]
5/4/2017 5:49:00 PM | Baseball
The Bulldogs travel to UNLV for their lone series of the season versus the Rebels this weekend. Watch all the action on the Mountain West Network and listen to the games on 940 AM ESPN.
Games 45-47: Fresno State (23-21, 11-10 MW) at UNLV (17-30, 7-14 MW)
First Pitch:Â May 5-7 - Fri: 6:00 p.m., Sat: 2:00 p.m., Sun: 1:00 p.m.
Stadium: Earl E. Wilson Stadium (3,000)
Surface:Â Grass
Dimensions:Â 335Â (LF), 400Â (CF), 335Â (RF)
All-Time Series: Fresno State leads 47-33
Last Meeting: UNLV defeated Fresno State 8-5 (May 15, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nev.)
Radio:Â 940 AM ESPN
Play-by-play:Â Paul Loeffler
Video: Mountain West Network
Live Stats:Â GoBulldogs.com
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateBSB
Bulldog Headlines
• Fresno State is on a season-high three-game winning streak after topping UC Riverside on the road 7-5 on Wednesday behind two two-run home runs from junior first baseman Aaron Arruda who now has a MW-leading 13 home runs on the season.
• This will be the 'Dogs lone series of the season against UNLV as the Rebels are the lone Mountain West team who does not not visit Fresno in 2017.
• Last Sunday was a historic day at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium as Bulldog baseball/football legend Fibber Hirayama saw his #3 jersey retired becoming the 11th different Bulldog to have his number retired.
• On Saturday, junior southpaw Ricky Tyler Thomas was unhittable in a 8-3 Bulldog win as he tossed seven no-hit innings & picked up eight strikeouts to win his fourth game of the season.
• Fresno State leads the Mountain West in strikeouts per nine innings (8.2).
• Arruda ranks 8th in the nation in total bases (122), 12th in RBIs (54), 15th in hits (69), 19th in slugging percentage (.685) & 30th in batting average (.388).
• Thomas leads the Mountain West in strikeouts with 75.
Fresno State vs. UNLV - The Series
• The Fresno State/UNLV series dates back to 1977 with the Bulldogs leading 47-33.
• When Fresno State joined the MW to start the 2013 season, it matched up the two teams for the first time since 1999, when both the Bulldogs and Rebels were members of the WAC.
• As MW foe, the Bulldogs lead 15-9 after winning four of the six contests in 2016.
• The 'Dogs are 6-4 against the Rebels in Las Vegas since 2013 winning two of three in 2016 and despite losing the series finale was able to clinch a share of the MW regular season title in Vegas.
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Fresno State 47-33
Last Meeting: May 15, 2016 (Las Vegas, Nev.) - L, 5-8
Current Streak: L1
Last Fresno State Win: May 14, 2016 (7-2) - Las Vegas, Nev.
Last UNLV Win: May 15, 2016 Â (8-5) - Las Vegas, Nev.
• .302 Batting Average: No. 4 [Leader, AFA - .343] [30th nationally]
• .452 Slugging Pct: No. 4 [Leader, AFA .543] [40th nationally]
• .375 On base Pct: No. 4 [Leader, UNM - .418]
• 33 sacrifice bunts: No. T-2 [Leader, NEV - 44]
• 300 Runs: No. 4 [Leader, UNM - 397]
• 488 Hits: No. 5 [Leader, AFA - 543] [17th nationally]
• 278 RBI: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - 359]
• 98 Doubles: No. 3 [Leader, AFA - 128] [13th nationally]
• 16 Triples: No. T-3 [Leader, UNM - 18] [18th nationally]
• 37 Home Runs: No. 4 [Leader, AFA - 51]
Where Fresno State Ranks Pitching in the Mountain West in 2017 (as of 5/4/17) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• 5.65 ERA: No. 3 [Leader, SDSU - 3.58]
• .272 Opposing bat average: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - .257]
• 11 saves: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - 14]
• 364 strikeouts: No. 1
• 252 Earned runs allowed: No. T-4 [Leader, SDSU - 163]
• 422 Hits allowed: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - 398]
• 232 walks allowed: No. 7 [Leader, SDSU - 136]
• 78 doubles allowed: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - 71]
• 9 triples allowed: No. 1Â
• 29 home runs allowed: No. 1
Where Fresno State Ranks Fielding in the Mountain West in 2017 (as of 5/4/17) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• .969 Fielding Percentage: No. 4 [Leader, SDSU - .979]
• 490 Assists: No. 6 [Leader, AFA - 513]
• 49 double plays: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU 52] [15th nationally]
Where Fresno State Players Rank in the Mountain West/NCAA in 2017 (as of 5/4/17) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Batting Average: Aaron Arruda - 4th (.388)
Slugging percentage: Arruda - 2nd (.685)
RBI: Arruda - 1st (54) [12th nationally]
Runs: Jesse Medrano - 7th (43)
Doubles: Jared Akins - T-3rd (18) [16th nationally]
Home runs: Arruda - 1st (13) [24th nationally]
Total bases: Arruda - 1st (122) [8th nationally]
Sacrifice bunts: Â Korby Batesole - 1st (9) [29th nationally]
ERA: Ricky Tyler Thomas - 4th (3.74)
Opposing batting average: Thomas - 1st (.222)
Innings pitched: Rickey Ramirez - 3rd (71.0)Â
Strikeouts: Thomas - 1st (75)
          Ramirez - 3rd (58)
Hits allowed: Fred Schlichtholz - 1st (41); Edgar Gonzalez - 3rd (49)
Earned runs allowed: Gonzalez -2nd (25); Thomas - 3rd (27)
Doubles allowed: Gonzalez - 2nd (8)
Saves: Gonzalez - T-3rd (5)
Taking a look at the UNLV Rebels                                     Â
UNLV brings a 17-30 overall mark with a 7-14 record in the Mountain West into this weekend's series with the Bulldogs and are coming off winning one of three at WAC foe Seattle last weekend. The last MW action for the Rebels came two weeks ago at New Mexico when they were swept by the Lobos.
The Rebels, who are only 13-11 at home compared to only 4-19 on the road, are 1-6 in Mountain West series with its lone series win coming at home sweeping Air Force.
UNLV is hitting .299 as a team to rank fifth in the Mountain West and is averaging 5.6 runs per game to also rank fifth in the conference. The Rebels rank 13th in the nation in hits (501), 18th in triples (16) and 24th in doubles (93).
Redshirt sophomore outfielder Ernie De La Trinidad leads the team with a .369 average from the plate and has a team-high 62 hits with 16 extra-base hits (six doubles, four triples and six home runs) and has a team-high 11 stolen bases to rank third in the MW.
Four other Rebels are also hitting above .300 as Justin Jones, Payton Squier, Nick Ames and Kyle Isbel are each hitting north of .300. Jones has a team-leading 15 doubles, seven home runs, 41 RBIs and 98 total bases.
On the mound, UNLV has a 6.62 ERA while opponents are scoring nearly 7.4 runs per game and have a .307 average from the plate. The Rebels have a 1.31 strikeout-to-walk ratio on the season with 259 strikeouts compared to 198 walks.
The weekend starters of junior right-hander Alan Strong and junior lefty Garrett Poole have each started 11 games apiece as Strong leads the team in wins (5) and strikeouts (53). Poole has tossed a team-best 57.0 innings and has a pair of wins.
'Dogs finding good fortune in Vegas
The Bulldogs are 6-4 against the Rebels in Vegas since joining the Mountain West in 2013 and 7-5 overall in Vegas after winning one of three games in the Mountain West Tournament in 2014.
May 3-5, 2013 - 1-2 [L, 1-4; L, 2-9; W, 9-4]
2014 MW Tournament - May 21-23 [W, 4-3 vs. Nevada; L, 3-5 vs. UNLV; L, 2-10 vs. Nevada]
May 8-10, 2015 - 3-0 [W, 6-1; W, 8-3; W, 6-2]
May 13-15, 2016 - 2-1 [W, 9-1; W, 7-2; L, 5-8]
Bulldogs offense sees surge up national rankings
The Bulldog offense has continued to stay red-hot as of late and currently ranks in the top 50 in the nation in batting average, hits, runs, triples, doubles and slugging percentage.
Six Bulldog regulars are hitting above .300 as Aaron Arruda, Jesse Medrano, Austin Guibor, Jake Stone, Jared Akins and Scott Silva have each played in all 44 games and have helped drive an offense that is among the nation's best.
Arruda moves into the top 15 in program history in home runs
With a pair of home runs on Wednesday in a 7-5 win at UC Riverside, junior first baseman Aaron Arruda hit a pair of home runs to give him 13 for the season and 25 for his career.Â
His 13 home runs on the season are currently tied for 24th all-time and are the most in a season since Dusty Robinson had 16 in 2011. His 25 career long balls are tied with Christian Vitters and Simon Tafoya for 15th and can move into the top 10 all-time with five more home runs.
Guibor to play in 200th career game on Friday
Senior outfielder Austin Guibor will play in his 200th career game as a Bulldog on Friday as he makes his 166th career start. The Campbell, Calif. native earned Second-Team All-MW honors in 2015 as a sophomore and with seven more appearances will move into the top 10 all-time in program history in games played.
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