Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State
Sacramento State
Bulldogs return to Fresno to host Sacramento State on Tuesday
5/8/2017 2:19:00 PM | Baseball
FRESNO, Calif. - Winners of seven of its last nine games, the Fresno State baseball team returns home on Tuesday evening to host Sacramento State for Autism Awareness Night.
Game 48: Sacramento State (24-24, 9-12 WAC) at Fresno State (25-22, 13-11 MW)
First Pitch: May 9 - Tue: 6:05 p.m.
Stadium: Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium
Surface: Grass
Dimensions: 330 (LF), 400 (CF), 330 (RF)
All-Time Series: Fresno State leads 117-32
Last Meeting: Fresno State defeated Sacramento State 9-0 (April 5, 2017 in Sacramento, Calif.)
Radio: N/A
Play-by-play: N/A
Video: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: GoBulldogs.com
Twitter: @FresnoStateBSB
Promotion
Tuesday: Autism Awareness Night
We will be honoring local autism groups in the Central Valley!
Bulldog Headlines
• Fresno State returns home on Tuesday to host Sacramento State coming off a series win at UNLV over the weekend winning the first two games 12-5 and 11-5.
• Before dropping Sunday's finale against the Rebels, the 'Dogs had won a season-best five-straight games and have won seven of its last nine games dating back to Apr. 23.
• Before getting to Las Vegas, the Bulldogs picked up a 7-5 win at UC Riverside on Wednesday as junior first baseman Aaron Arruda crushed two home runs for four RBIs.
• This will be the Bulldogs second meeting this season against Sacramento after Fresno State was able to pitch its lone shutout of 2017 with a 9-0 win over the Hornets on Apr. 5.
• Fresno State leads the Mountain West in strikeouts per nine innings (8.1).
• The 'Dogs rank 9th in the nation in doubles (107), 12th in double plays (48) and hits (529), 22nd in batting average (.306) and 32nd in runs (328).
• Arruda ranks 11th in the nation in total bases (126), 12th in hits (73), 19th in RBIs (55), 31st in slugging percentage (.663) & 35th in batting average (.384).
• Thomas leads the Mountain West in strikeouts with 79 and opposing batting average (.230).
Fresno State vs. Sacramento State- The Series
• This will be the 150th game between the two schools in the series.
• Fresno State leads the all-time series 117-32.
• The 'Dogs defeated the Hornets earlier this season at John Smith Field in Sacramento jumping out to an early 5-0 lead after the first inning and breezed to a 9-0 win on April 5.
• This two teams met twice in 2016 as the 'Dogs won 7-5 in Fresno before falling 5-4 in 11 innings at Raley Field.
• The teams have played each other every year since 2006 with the 'Dogs going 33-10 in that span.
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Fresno State 117-32
Last Meeting: April 5, 2017 (Sacramento, Calif.) - W, 9-0
Current Streak: W1
Last Fresno State Win: April 5, 2017 (9-0) - Sacramento, Calif.
Last Sacramento St. Win: April 27, 2016 (5-4) (11) - Sacramento, Calif.
Where Fresno State Ranks Offensively in the Mountain West in 2017 (as of 5/8/17)
• .306 Batting Average: No. 4 [Leader, AFA - .346] [22nd nationally]
• .465 Slugging Pct: No. 4 [Leader, AFA .549] [31st nationally]
• .378 On base Pct: No. 4 [Leader, UNM - .423]
• 35 sacrifice bunts: No. 3 [Leader, NEV - 45]
• 328 Runs: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - 439]
• 529 Hits: No. 5 [Leader, AFA - 589] [12th nationally]
• 304 RBI: No. 3 [Leader, UNM - 396]
• 107 Doubles: No. 3 [Leader, AFA - 137] [9th nationally]
• 18 Triples: No. T-3 [Leader, UNM & AFA - 19] [15th nationally]
• 44 Home Runs: No. 4 [Leader, AFA - 57]
Where Fresno State Ranks Pitching in the Mountain West in 2017 (as of 5/8/17)
• 5.81 ERA: No. 3 [Leader, SDSU - 3.57]
• .277 Opposing bat average: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - .256]
• 11 saves: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - 14]
• 383 strikeouts: No. 1
• 276 Earned runs allowed: No. 4 [Leader, SDSU - 175]
• 458 Hits allowed: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - 424]
• 243 walks allowed: No. 7 [Leader, SDSU - 147]
• 84 doubles allowed: No. 2 [Leader, SDSU - 75]
• 11 triples allowed: No. T-2 [Leader, NEV- 10]
• 34 home runs allowed: No. 3 [Leader, SDSU- 32]
Where Fresno State Ranks Fielding in the Mountain West in 2017 (as of 5/8/17)
• .971 Fielding Percentage: No. 4 [Leader, SDSU - .979]
• 527 Assists: No. 5 [Leader, SDSU- 548]
• 52 double plays: No. 3 [Leader, SDSU 57] [12th nationally]
Where Fresno State Players Rank in the Mountain West/NCAA in 2017 (as of 5/8/17)
Batting Average: Aaron Arruda - 3rd (.384) [35th nationally]
Slugging percentage: Arruda - 3rd (.663)
RBI: Arruda - 4th (55) [19th nationally]
Doubles: Jared Akins - T-3rd (19) [17th nationally]
Home runs: Arruda - 2nd (13) [34th nationally]
Total bases: Arruda - 4th (126) [11th nationally]
Sacrifice bunts: Korby Batesole - 1st (9)
ERA: Ricky Tyler Thomas - 4th (3.93)
Opposing batting average: Thomas - 1st (.230)
Innings pitched: Rickey Ramirez - 5th (72.0)
Strikeouts: Thomas - T-1st (79)
Ramirez - 3rd (59)
Hits allowed: Fred Schlichtholz - 1st (42)
Earned runs allowed: Schlichtholz - 3rd (29)
Doubles allowed: Gonzalez - 3rd (8)
Saves: Gonzalez - T-3rd (5)
Taking a look at the Sacramento State Hornets
Sacramento State brings an even 24-24 overall mark with a 9-12 record in the Western Athletic Conference into Tuesday's contest are coming off winning two of three at conference foe Chicago State over the weekend.
Since falling to the 'Dogs at home 9-0 on April 5, the Hornets are 10-10 and come sit at 10-11 on the road compared to 14-13 at home. Sacramento State has also faced Nevada twice out of the Mountain West winning on the road 7-5 before losing 6-5 at home last week.
The Hornets are hitting .260 as a club to rank sixth in the nine-team WAC and are averaging 5.2 runs per game. They lead the WAC in stolen bases with 56 and rank third in doubles (78) and are fourth in hits (429) and runs (249).
Junior outfielder Ian Dawkins has started all 48 games and leads the team with a .332 average from the plate. He leads the conference with 69 hits and ranks third in the WAC with 14 stolen bases. Junior first baseman Vinny Esposito leads the team with 40 RBIs and 21 extra-base hits totaling eight doubles, five triples and eight home runs.
On the mound, Sacramento State has a WAC-leading 3.71 ERA while holding opponents to only 4.5 runs per game and a .241 average from the plate. The Hornets lead the WAC in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 2.22 with 337 strikeouts to 152 walks.
Tuesday night's starter, senior right-hander Tanner Olson, comes into the contest with a 3-2 overall record and a 2.16 ERA in 26 relief appearances as he will make his first start of the season against the Bulldogs.
In 25.0 innings, he has only allowed six earned runs and two walks while striking out 21 and holding opponents to a .209 average from the plate.
Bulldogs offense sees surge up national rankings during recent stretch
Over the last nine games, the Bulldog offense has continued to stay red-hot from the plate hitting .355 from the plate during this stretch and have totaled 51 extra-base hits.
The 'Dogs have hit 29 doubles, four triples and 18 home runs over this stretch and are averaging 10.6 runs per game.
Six Bulldog regulars are hitting above .300 on the season as Aaron Arruda, Jesse Medrano, Jake Stone, Austin Guibor, Scott Silva and Jared Akins have each played in all 47 games and have helped drive an offense that is among the nation's best ranking in the top 40 in the nation in doubles, hits, batting average, runs and slugging percentage.
Silva on a 16-game hitting streak; Arruda sees 15-game streak end on Sunday
Senior second baseman Scott Silva currently has a 16-game hitting streak going as he is hitting .356 from the plate in that stretch with 26 hits, including eight doubles and three home runs and has scored 16 runs and drove in 17 RBIs over that stretch.
Arruda was able to match Silva's hitting streak until Sunday as the former Buchanan Bear went 0-for-3. Over his 15-game streak, Arruda hit .483 from the plate with eight home runs, 26 RBIs, had a slugging percentage of .933 and scored 21 runs.
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. 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.
Senior Weekend on the horizon
After Tuesday's contest against the Hornets, the 'Dogs will turn their attention towards Senior Weekend as it will be the final Mountain West home series for the Bulldogs eight seniors as they take on New Mexico.
Four-year Bulldogs Joe Prior, Ryan Dobson, Austin Guibor, Jake Stone, Jesse Medrano and Mark Reece are joined by three-year Bulldog Dominic Topoozian and two-year 'Dog Scott Silva as the 'Dogs largest senior class since 2012.
Here is a quick look at the career numbers of each 'Dog heading into Tuesday.
Austin Guibor - 202 GP/168 GS, .304 BA, 204 hits, 31 doubles, 14 triples (second all-time in program history), 16 home runs, 101 RBIs, 140 runs
Jake Stone - 186 GP/142 GS, .287 BA, 161 hits, 36 doubles, 6 triples, 9 home runs, 79 RBIs, 100 runs
Jesse Medrano - 177 GP/133 GS, .290 BA, 147 hits, 31 doubles, 4 triples, 5 home runs, 73 RBIs, 90 runs
Ryan Dobson - 172 GP/116 GS, .271 BA, 117 hits, 11 doubles, 5 triples, 1 home run, 22 RBIs, 76 runs
Joe Prior - 111 GP/37 GS, .242 BA, 50 hits, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 4 home runs, 36 RBIs, 18 runs
Mark Reece - 51 appearances, 3-4, 5.88 ERA, 44 strikeouts, 61.2 innings pitched, 2 saves
Dominic Topoozian - 39 appearances, 3-4, 5.80 ERA, 48 strikeouts, 63.2 innings pitched, 2 saves
Scott Silva- 86 GP/78 GS, .330 BA, 112 hits, 28 doubles, 1 triple, 11 home runs, 65 RBIs, 74 runs
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