Fresno State Athletics
Friday, April 20
San Diego, CA
6:00 PM
Fresno State
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San Diego State
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Fresno State
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San Diego State
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Photo by: Kiel Maddox
Tough break goes way of San Diego State as Aztecs top 'Dogs, 3-2
4/20/2018 10:00:00 PM | Baseball
A pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh inning by San Diego State proved to be the difference on Friday night as the Diamond 'Dogs lost a heartbreaker to the Aztecs, 3-2 at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
SAN DIEGO - A pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the seventh inning by San Diego State proved to be the difference on Friday night as the Diamond 'Dogs lost a heartbreaker to the Aztecs, 3-2 at Tony Gwynn Stadium.
Holding a 2-1 lead heading into the home half of the seventh, Fresno State (22-15, 8-11 MW) starting pitcher Ryan Jensen appeared to make the third out of the inning (watch), but first baseman umpire Anthony Prater thought differently allowing San Diego State (25-13, 9-6 MW) first baseman Jordan Verdon to reach base and extend the frame.
Believing he had touched first base, Jensen was ejected from the game for arguing and replaced by freshman southpaw Nikoh Mitchell who the Aztecs greeted with back-to-back RBI singles for the comeback win.
The 'Dogs saw their eight straight games with double digits hits end as they finished with seven on the night as the Bulldogs were held to six singles and one double in the contest.
On the mound, Jensen was the tough-luck loser despite throwing an impressive 6.2 innings allowing only seven hits, six singles, three runs, one earned run while striking out five. Mitchell recorded the final four outs and struck out a pair.Â
How It Happened
A pitcher's duel to start the game, neither side was able to get anything going offensively through first five innings despite the 'Dogs having a great chance loading the bases with one out in the top of the fifth on a single by Korby Batesole and walks to Zach Presno and Nick Warren. Unfortunately, Aztec starting pitcher Harrison Pyatt was able to strike out both Zach Ashford and Nolan Dempsey swinging to end the threat.
The Bulldogs again threatened in the top of the sixth putting runners on first and second with one out after JT Arruda led off with a single and Jeremiah Burks reached base after an error by Aztec shortstop David Hensley. A Batesole groundout to first moved Arruda and Burks up into scoring position, but SDSU relief pitcher Jacob Erickson got Presno to fly out to center field.
San Diego State catcher Dean Nevarez busted up the scoreless game with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the sixth.
The Bulldogs quickly took back the lead in the top of the seventh with a pair of runs capitalizing on a throwing error by the Aztecs third baseman Casey Schmitt that allowed pinch-runner Nate Thimjon to score (watch) before a single through the left side by Dempsey drove in Warren from third (watch).Â
The Aztecs answered back in the bottom of the seventh with two unearned runs to re-gain a one-run lead at 3-2. A two-out single to left field by Nevarez off Mitchell drove in left fielder Matt Rudick to tie the game and single through the left side by center fielder Julian Escobedo allowed Verdon to score.
A one-out double by Ashford in the top of the ninth put the tying run in scoring position, but a lineout by Dempsey and strikeout by Arruda ended the game.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On dealing with tonight's tough breaks.... Â
"They are really frustrated and really confused right now. It is happening weekend after weekend and nothing is being done about it. It is about the student-athletes."
On moving on to Saturday night's game.....
"You go through it and see what we could have done better and you try to learn from it and it is on to tomorrow. That is one of the beautiful things about this game is you learn, you let it go, but you never forget. You can apply that to a lot of things tonight."
Notes
- Ashford hit his 11th double of the season and 22nd of his career while extending his on-base streak to 39 games.
- Carter Bins stole his second base of the season and fifth of his career.
- The Bulldogs stranded 10 runners while the Aztecs stranded 11.
Up next
The 'Dogs and Aztecs resume their weekend series on Saturday night with a 6 p.m. matchup between two of the top pitchers in the Mountain West as the 'Dogs Edgar Gonzalez (5-2, 3.30 ERA) goes against SDSU's Garrett Hill (6-1, 2.47).
"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
Holding a 2-1 lead heading into the home half of the seventh, Fresno State (22-15, 8-11 MW) starting pitcher Ryan Jensen appeared to make the third out of the inning (watch), but first baseman umpire Anthony Prater thought differently allowing San Diego State (25-13, 9-6 MW) first baseman Jordan Verdon to reach base and extend the frame.
Believing he had touched first base, Jensen was ejected from the game for arguing and replaced by freshman southpaw Nikoh Mitchell who the Aztecs greeted with back-to-back RBI singles for the comeback win.
The 'Dogs saw their eight straight games with double digits hits end as they finished with seven on the night as the Bulldogs were held to six singles and one double in the contest.
On the mound, Jensen was the tough-luck loser despite throwing an impressive 6.2 innings allowing only seven hits, six singles, three runs, one earned run while striking out five. Mitchell recorded the final four outs and struck out a pair.Â
How It Happened
A pitcher's duel to start the game, neither side was able to get anything going offensively through first five innings despite the 'Dogs having a great chance loading the bases with one out in the top of the fifth on a single by Korby Batesole and walks to Zach Presno and Nick Warren. Unfortunately, Aztec starting pitcher Harrison Pyatt was able to strike out both Zach Ashford and Nolan Dempsey swinging to end the threat.
The Bulldogs again threatened in the top of the sixth putting runners on first and second with one out after JT Arruda led off with a single and Jeremiah Burks reached base after an error by Aztec shortstop David Hensley. A Batesole groundout to first moved Arruda and Burks up into scoring position, but SDSU relief pitcher Jacob Erickson got Presno to fly out to center field.
San Diego State catcher Dean Nevarez busted up the scoreless game with a solo home run to lead off the bottom of the sixth.
The Bulldogs quickly took back the lead in the top of the seventh with a pair of runs capitalizing on a throwing error by the Aztecs third baseman Casey Schmitt that allowed pinch-runner Nate Thimjon to score (watch) before a single through the left side by Dempsey drove in Warren from third (watch).Â
The Aztecs answered back in the bottom of the seventh with two unearned runs to re-gain a one-run lead at 3-2. A two-out single to left field by Nevarez off Mitchell drove in left fielder Matt Rudick to tie the game and single through the left side by center fielder Julian Escobedo allowed Verdon to score.
A one-out double by Ashford in the top of the ninth put the tying run in scoring position, but a lineout by Dempsey and strikeout by Arruda ended the game.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On dealing with tonight's tough breaks.... Â
"They are really frustrated and really confused right now. It is happening weekend after weekend and nothing is being done about it. It is about the student-athletes."
On moving on to Saturday night's game.....
"You go through it and see what we could have done better and you try to learn from it and it is on to tomorrow. That is one of the beautiful things about this game is you learn, you let it go, but you never forget. You can apply that to a lot of things tonight."
Notes
- Ashford hit his 11th double of the season and 22nd of his career while extending his on-base streak to 39 games.
- Carter Bins stole his second base of the season and fifth of his career.
- The Bulldogs stranded 10 runners while the Aztecs stranded 11.
Up next
The 'Dogs and Aztecs resume their weekend series on Saturday night with a 6 p.m. matchup between two of the top pitchers in the Mountain West as the 'Dogs Edgar Gonzalez (5-2, 3.30 ERA) goes against SDSU's Garrett Hill (6-1, 2.47).
"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
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: MARDUENO, Adrian (6-1)
L: Jensen, Ryan (2-4)
S: SCHMITT, Casey (5)
Batting:
2B: Ashford, Zach 1
RBI: Dempsey, Nolan 1
SH: Ashford, Zach 1 ; Warren, Nick 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Thimjon, Nate 1 ; Warren, Nick 1
SB: Bins, Carter 1
HBP: Batesole, Korby 1
PO: Warren, Nick 1
Batting:
HR: NEVAREZ, Dean 1
RBI: NEVAREZ, Dean 2 ; ESCOBEDO, Julian 1
Base Running:
RUNS: RUDICK, Matt 1 ; VERDON, Jordan 1 ; NEVAREZ, Dean 1
HBP: CALABUIG, Chase 1 ; BIBLE, Chad 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
5
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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Catcher
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