Fresno State Athletics
Diamond 'Dogs selected third in MW preseason poll; Gonzalez named Preseason All-MW
2/13/2018 2:00:00 PM | Baseball
The Fresno State baseball team was picked to finish third in the 2018 Mountain West preseason poll, as announced by the conference office Tuesday afternoon. Junior right-handed pitcher Edgar Gonzalez was selected to the All-Mountain West Preseason team.
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Fresno State baseball team has been picked to finish third in the 2018 Mountain West preseason poll, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday afternoon.
In addition, junior right-handed pitcher Edgar Gonzalez was named to the 2018 Preseason All-Mountain West team.
Gonzalez earned his first career All-MW postseason honor in 2017 as a sophomore being named Second-Team All-Mountain West after posting a 6-4 record with a 4.83 ERA on the mound making 21 appearances on the season with seven starts. He led the 'Dogs with five saves and averaged nearly a strikeout per inning with 72 strikeouts in 72.2 innings while holding opponents to a .279 batting average.
In 12 appearances against Mountain West competition, Gonzalez went 6-3 record with a 5.05 ERA tossing 57.0 innings while striking out 54. The Newark, Calif., native returns this spring as the Mountain West leader in wins (6), ERA (4.83), opposing batting average (.279), strikeouts (72) and is second in saves (5).
As a team, the Bulldogs garnered one first-place votes and tallied 24 points overall falling seven votes shy of first-place New Mexico, the 2017 MW regular season champion, who picked up three first-place votes and 31 total votes. San Diego State, the 2017 MW Tournament champion, came in second with 29 votes and two first-place votes. The Wolf Pack followed Fresno State in fourth place with 22 votes and were followed very closely by UNLV who finished in fifth with 21 votes and one first-place vote. Air Force and San Jose State rounded out the poll in sixth and seventh place, respectively.
All selections were based on votes by MW coaches - coaches could not vote on their own team or players.
Fresno State returns 18 student-athletes from its 2017 roster, but only 12 who appeared in a game last season as three redshirted as true freshman and three were unable to play after sustaining injury. The 'Dogs add 18 newcomers to the 2018 squad, including 14 freshman and four junior college transfers.
Junior outfielder Jared Mang from New Mexico and senior pitcher Mark Nowaczewski from Nevada both return after being named First-Team All-Mountain West selections in 2017. Junior first baseman Nic Ready from Air Force and junior outfielder Kyle Isbel from UNLV were each selected to the 2017 All-Mountain West Preseason Team prior to the season as Ready was named to the Second-Team after the season.
In addition to Gonzalez, three other members of the 2017 All-MW Second Team were selected All-MW Preseason Selections in senior outfielder Grant Fennell from Nevada, senior infielder David Hensley from San Diego State and senior first baseman Shane Timmons of San Jose State. Finally, sophomore infielder Bryson Stott of UNLV, the 2017 Co-MW Freshman of the Year along with the 'Dogs Carter Bins, was named to the team.
The Bulldogs open the 2018 season on Friday against Big 10 foe Michigan State with first pitch set for 6:05 p.m. from Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium. The 'Dogs four-game series against the Spartans marks the 11th time since 2003 that Fresno State has started a season at home as the Bulldogs will play nine of its first 10 games at home.
Team Rank (1st-place votes) Points
1. New Mexico (3) - 31
2. San Diego State (2) - 29
3. Fresno State - (1) - 24
4. Nevada - 22
5. UNLV - (1) - 21
6. Air Force - 11
7. San José State - 9
2018 PRESEASON All-MOUNTAIN WEST SELECTIONS
Position Players:
Name, Class                       Position       Institution
$Nic Ready, Jr.                      1B                 Air Force
Tyler Zabojnik, Sr.              SS                 Air Force
$Grant Fennell, Sr.                OF                  Nevada
Danny Collier, Sr.             OF/DH            New Mexico
*Jared Mang, Jr.                   OF                New Mexico
$David Hensley, Sr.           SS                 San Diego State
$Shane Timmons, Sr.        1B                  San José State
Kyle Isbel, Jr.                   OF               UNLV
^Bryson Stott, So.               SS               UNLV
$Edgar Gonzalez, Jr.      RHP        Fresno State
*Mark Nowaczewski, Sr.    RHP               Nevada
Christian Tripp, Jr.             RHP              New Mexico
Logan Boyer, So.               RHP               San Diego State
*2017 First-Team All-MW Selection
$2017 Second-Team All-MW Selection
^2017 Mountain West Co-Freshman of the Year
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