Fresno State Athletics
Diamond 'Dogs look to continue hot-home start hosting MW-leader Nevada (March 23-25)
3/22/2018 1:45:00 PM | Baseball
Looking to improve upon its 11-2 home record to start the season, the Diamond 'Dogs host Mountain West rival Nevada for a three-game series Friday through Sunday.
Â
Game 21-23:Â Nevada (10-7, 5-1 MW) at Fresno State (12-8, 3-6 MW)
First Pitch:Â March 23-25 - Fri: 6:05 p.m., Sat:Â 6:05 p.m., Sun: 1:05Â p.m.
Stadium:Â Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium
Surface:Â Grass
Dimensions:Â 330 (LF), 400 (CF), 330 (RF)
All-Time Series:Â Fresno State leads 104-63
Last Meeting: Fresno State won 15-5 in 7 innings on May 26, 2017 at the Mountain West Tournament in Albuquerque, N.M.
Radio:Â AM 940 ESPN
Play-by-play:Â Paul Loeffler
Video: FloSports - Friday Link; Saturday Link; Sunday Link
Live Stats:Â Sidearm
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateBSB
Friday: So. RHP Ryan Jensen (0-2, 3.00) vs. Sr. RHP Mark Nowaczewski (2-2, 4.50)
Saturday: TBA vs. TBA
Sunday: So. RHP Davis Moore (0-0, 2.19) vs. Fr. RHP Jake Jackson (4-0, 1.05)
Promotions: SHARING & CARING WEEKEND!
FRIDAY: Breast Cancer Awareness Night
- Anyone wearing pink gets in FREE
- First Pitch: Shirley Rasmussen & Jenna Kieckhaefer – both breast cancer survivors
- National Anthem by Fresno State Equestrian student-athlete Shea Gilson
- Anyone who brings two cans of food to the game gets in FREE!  Â
- Youth Jersey Saturday – All kids wearing their youth team jersey get in FREE!
- Help us honor ARC Fresno, California Autism Center & Learning Group, the Fresno Autism Network, and Wayfinders
- National Anthem performed by Mayce Atherto
- Salute To Sunday's – All military and veterans get in FREE with ID
- Post-Game – Kids are welcomed to run the bases!
• The 'Dogs look to improve upon their 11-2 start at home hosting Mountain West rival Nevada in a three-game series Friday through Sunday.
• The Bulldogs are 13-2 against the Wolf Pack at Bob Bennett Stadium since entering the MW in 2013 and won two out of three games at home last year to open MW play.
• Fresno State is coming off winning one of three games at San Jose State last weekend winning game two of a doubleheader on Sunday, 6-3 for the 'Dogs first road win of 2018.
• The 'Dogs had their midweek contest scheduled for Tuesday at Pepperdine rained out as it was the second straight week the Bulldogs have been unable to play their midweek game.
• The 'Dogs currently lead the Mountain West in sacrifice bunts (20) while ranking second in home runs (16) and third in slugging percentage (.413).
• Jr. RHP Edgar Gonzalez leads the MW and ranks 14th in the nation in strikeouts (45).
• Freshman southpaw Nikoh Mitchell leads the MW in opposing batting average (.125) and hits allowed (9).
• Junior OF Zach Ashford ranks second in the MW with a .420 batting average ranking 28th in the nation and is currently on a 22-game on-base streak.
• Sophomore catcher Carter Bins leads the team in doubles (8), runs (15), RBI (16), at-bats (82), home runs (4) and total bases (45).
Fresno State vs. Nevada - The Series
• Fresno State leads the all-time series against Nevada 104-63 for its fourth-longest played rivalry behind San Jose State, Cal Poly and Sacramento St.
• The 'Dogs went 4-3 against the Wolf Pack in 2017 picking up two wins at home, one in Reno and one in the Mountain West Tournament with a 15-5 victory in seven innings.
• Both schools joined the MW in 2013, and since that time Fresno State owns an 19-14 advantage in 33 games as the Bulldogs have not played any other team more over that span. The 'Dogs are 14-3 in Fresno over the last five seasons.
• Coach Batesole is 49-34 all-time against Nevada.
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Fresno State leads 104-63
Last Meeting: May 26, 2017 (Albuquerque, N.M.) - W, 15-5
Current Streak: W2
Last Fresno State Win: May 26, 2017 (15-5/7 inn.) -Â Â Albuquerque, N.M.
Last Nevada Win: April 22, 2017 Â (7-3) - Reno, Nev.
Where Fresno State Ranks Offensively in the Mountain West/nation in 2018 (as of 3/22/18) Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
• .271 Batting Average: No. 3
• .413 Slugging Pct: No. 3Â
• .336 On base Pct: No. 7
• 20 sacrifice bunts: No. 1 - 2nd nationally
• 84 Runs: No. 7
• 177 Hits: No. 5
• 76 RBI: No. 7
• 33 Doubles: No. 4
• 6 Triples: No. 6
• 16 Home Runs: No. T-2Â
Where Fresno State Ranks Pitching in the Mountain West/nation in 2018 (as of 3/22/18) 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
• 3.58 ERA: No. 2
• .229 Opposing bat average: No. 1
• 7 saves: No. 3
• 190 strikeouts: No. 1
• 70 Earned runs allowed: No. 3
• 148 Hits allowed: No. 2
• 80 walks allowed: No. T-4
• 24 doubles allowed: No. 2
• 3 triples allowed: No. 3
• 10 home runs allowed: No. 3
Where Fresno State Ranks Fielding in the Mountain West/nation in 2018 (as of 3/22/18) 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
• .975 Fielding Percentage: No. 3
• 210 Assists: No. 4
• 18 double plays: No. T-5
Where Fresno State Players Rank in the Mountain West/NCAA in 2018 (as of 3/22/18)Â Â Â
Batting average - Zach Ashford - 2nd (.420) - 28th nationally
On-base percentage - Ashford - 6th (.474)
RBI: Carter Bins - T-8th (16)Â
Hits: Ashford - T-5th (29)
Doubles: Bins- Â T-5th (8)
Home runs: Bins - T-4th (4)
Sacrifice bunts: Â Korby Batesole - 1st (7) - 5th nationally
ERA: Nikoh Mitchell - 3rd (1.74); Jamie Arias - 6th (1.93)
Opposing Batting Average: Nikoh Mitchell - 1st (.125)
Innings pitched: Gonzalez - T-2nd (34.0)
Strikeouts: Gonzalez - 1st (45) - 14th nationally
Wins: Gonzalez & Mitchell - T-4th (3)
Saves: Jamison Hill - T-3rd (4)
Appearances: Ryan Sullivan - T-3rd (11)
Earned runs allowed: Mitchell -T-2nd (4)
Hits allowed: Mitchell -1st (9)
A look at the Nevada Wolf Pack                       Â
Nevada enters this weekend's series with a 10-7 overall record in 2018 and is currently tied with UNLV for first place in the Mountain West with a 5-1 mark.
The Wolf Pack are hitting .265 from the dish as a team to rank seventh in the MW. SJSU averages 6.1 runs per game to rank second in the conference while also ranking second in doubles (40), on-base percentage (.374), slugging percentage (.420) and stolen bases (20).
Senior Grant Fennell leads the team with a .361 average from the plate, 8th in the MW, while leading the team in hits (22), runs (13), walks (14), on-base percentage (.487) and stolen bases (6).
On the mound, the Wolf Pack are led by the starting pitcher duo of senior right-hander Mark Nowaczewski and freshman right-hander Jake Jackson. Nowaczewki is 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA tossing 34.0 innings while striking out 17 and Jackson, named the Mountain West Pitcher of the Week on Monday, leads the MW in wins (4), innings pitched (34.1) while ranking second in ERA (1.05), opposing batting average (.134) and strikeouts (40).
Nevada's team ERA of 4.16 ranks fourth in the MW while it leads the league in hits allowed (144), runs allowed (78), walks allowed (49) and is third in opposing batting average (.251).
'Dogs having great success against Nevada at home               Â
Fresno State has also had great success against the Wolf Pack at home since moving to the Mountain West posting an 13-2 mark sweeping three of the five three-game series.Â
• 2013 - May 16-18 [W, 2-1 (10), W, 10-4, W, 6-4]
• 2014 - Feb. 21-23 [W, 4-1, W, 5-3, W, 11-9]
• 2015 - April 10-12 [L, 4-5, W, 14-10, W, 3-1]
• 2016 - April 15-17 [W, 5-4, W, 8-3, W, 7-6]
• 2017 - March 3-5 [W, 3-2, L, 8-10, W, 9-5]
Nikoh Mitchell off to a strong start as a Bulldog                             Â
Freshman southpaw Nikoh Mitchell is off to a standout start to his Bulldog career entering this weekend leading the MW in opposing batting average (.125) and hits allowed (9) while ranking second in earned runs allowed (4) and third in ERA (1.74) and fourth in wins (3).
Carter Bins named to Johnny Bench Award Watch List           Â
Sophomore catcher Carter Bins was named to the 2018 Johnny Bench Award Watch List on March 6 given annually to the top Division I collegiate catcher.Â
A Freshman All-American and the Co-Mountain West Freshman of the Year in 2017, Bins is off to a great start to his sophomore season starting all 20 games hitting .305 from the plate leading the team in at-bats (82), doubles (8), runs (15), home runs (4), RBI (16) and total bases (45) and ranking second in hits (25).
Ashford on a 22-game on-base streak
Junior outfielder Zach Ashford started the season collecting a hit in the first 17 games he has played in this season before going 0-for-4 in Sunday's second game of a doubleheader at San Jose State.
The Clovis native did draw a walk in the fifth inning to reach base for the 22nd straight game, including all 18 in 2018. Ashford currently ranks second in the MW with a .420 average, tied for fifth in hits (29), sixth in on-base percentage (.474) and eighth in slugging percentage (.551).
'Dogs in plenty of close contests so far in 2018
The Bulldogs have found themselves in plenty of close contests so far in 2018 posting a 7-4 record in one-run games and a 7-5 mark in one or two run games.Â
                     2017   2016   2015   2014   2013
1-Run Games        5-7   11-9   8-12   7-10   5-7
1 or 2 Runs Games   8-10   16-13   13-12   14-15   12-14
- The 'Dogs 11 of 20 games (55.0%) decided by one run leads the nation.
- The 'Dogs 12 of 20 games (60.0% decided by one or two runs ranks No. 2 in the nation.
Diamond 'Dogs off to a strong home start
The 'Dogs are off to a 11-2 start at home after 13 games matching the second-best start at home under Batesole that far into the season. The Bulldogs will try to match their 14-2 start from 2016 this weekend with a sweep of the Wolf Pack.
2011 - 12-1; 15-1 after 16 games
2016 - 11-2; 14-2
2018 - 11-2; ?
Bulldogs rank fifth in the nation in sacrifice bunts
Playing a National League style of play this season, the 'Dogs have to manufacture runs in creative ways and one of those ways is through sacrifice bunts as the 'Dogs have 20 on the season to rank second in the nation. Senior shortstop Korby Batesole leads the club and Mountain West with seven, ranking fifth in the country.
Gonzalez leading the Mountain West in strikeouts
After a 17-strikeout performance over Houston Baptist on Feb. 24, Gonzalez has continued to lead the MW in strikeouts with 45 checking No. 14 in the nation. He also ranks second in the MW in innings pitched (34.0) and is tied for fourth with three wins.
Ten-year anniversary of the 2008 National Championship Team
On Sunday, April 15, Fresno State Athletics will honor the 2008 National Championship Wonderdogs prior to the Bulldogs' game vs. San Jose State as we encourage fans to help come out and honor one of Fresno State Athletics greatest team accomplishments in school history.
The first No. 4 regional seed ever to advance to the College World Series, the 'Dogs proved all the doubters wrong and upset a talented field and came back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat the Georgia Bulldogs in the final two games of the championship series for the title.
Up next
The 'Dogs continue their seven-game homestand next week staying at home over Spring Break hosting UC Riverside (10-9) on Tuesday evening before welcoming Big West foe Long Beach State (6-13) to Fresno for a three-game series March 29-31.
"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 fresnoathletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Snap Chat:Â FSAthletics