Diamond 'Dogs hot start falls short at No. 25 Tennessee

Friday, March 8

Knoxville, TN

3:30 PM PT

Fresno State

6-4

No. 25 Tennessee

14-0

Fresno State

Tennessee

Photo by: Keith Kountz

Diamond 'Dogs hot start falls short at No. 25 Tennessee

3/8/2019 8:56:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

The Diamond 'Dogs return to Lindsey Nelson Stadium to face No. 25 Tennessee tomorrow with a 3:00 p.m. PT start time.

By: Savannah Stoeckle / Communications Student Assistant

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - The Fresno State baseball team (6-4) fell to undefeated No. 25 Tennessee (14-0), 8-3 in the first game of a three-game series at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Friday night.

The Diamond 'Dogs faced starting pitcher Garrett Stallings and fired off three runs in the opening frame of the first inning. Prior to tonight, Stalling had only given up two earned runs in three games this season. The 'Dogs would knock 11 hits off of Stalling, who previously had only given up 14 this season through 21.2 innings.

How it happened
The Diamond 'Dogs came out swinging in the top of the first. Senior Zach Ashford led things off with a base hit just over the third baseman's head. Nolan Dempsey singled and JT Arruda came up with an RBI single to score Ashford. Arruda and Dempsey advanced on a wild pitch. Zach Presno stepped up to the plate with two outs and knocked a base hit to clear the bases and give Fresno State a 3-0 lead after the opening frame.

Tennessee followed up with a big opening inning as well notching four hits and four runs off of Bulldog junior starting pitcher Ryan Jensen. Justin Ammons led things off with a base-hit to left field and Jay Charleston made it safely to first base on a fielder's choice play. The Vols would score their first pair of runs on a two-run double with no outs. Jensen picked up his first strikeout of the night for out number one, but Alerick Soularie came up with a two-run home run to right field to put Tennessee up, 4-3.

In the second, Ashford was able to reach first base with a two-out single and advanced to third on a Vols throwing error, but he was left stranded at the middle of the second.

Tennessee kept their bats hot in the home half of the second, adding four more runs on four hits. After getting the first strikeout, Jensen walked Ammons to leave a Vols runner on base. A two-out rally came in for the Vols as the next three batters in the lineup knocked base hits. Jensen stranded two at the end of the inning, but Tennessee took the 8-3 lead that would eventually be the end score.

Despite the fiery first two innings, neither team would score in the next seven. Arruda led off in the third inning with a walk against Stallings who has only given up one walk in 21.2 innings pitched prior to facing the 'Dogs. McCarthy Tatum knocked his first base hit in the frame, but was left stranded with Arruda for a scoreless inning.

Sophomore pitcher Jamison Hill went to work for the 'Dogs on the mound in the bottom half of the third inning surrendering one hit but forced three outs to keep the Vols off for the first inning of the game.

The Bulldogs kept battling at the plate in the fourth with pinch hitter Auston Chastain leading off with a base hit. Chastain would be the first out on an attempt to steal second but was tagged sliding passed the bag with the wet turf conditions. EJ Andrews Jr. stayed strong after the out and singled up the middle, but was left stranded.

Hill worked on the mound in the fourth, picking up two strikeouts while leaving two stranded at the end of the inning.

The Bulldogs revealed three more pitchers to finish out the game against the Volunteers. Left-hander Robbie Peters entered in the fifth for a quick 1-2-3 inning. Freshman Kyle Pruhsmeier came in for the 'Dogs in the sixth inning and struck out a season-best three to keep the Volunteers off for another inning.

The Bulldogs saw two more hits in the sixth before Tennessee would bring in Andrew Schultz, who retired the 'Dogs in order with pitches reaching 100 mph in the seventh.

Junior Nik Cardinal appeared in the seventh, striking out his first batter faced as a Bulldog. Cardinal showed quick reflexes on out number two with a grab on a hard-hit ball back at the mound. A fly ball to center would end the inning.

The Volunteers brought in Chase Silseth for the eighth. Tatum led off in the inning and made contact but reached first base on a Vols fielding error. Tatum would work his way to third on a pair of wild pitches, but was left stranded.

Senior Ryan Sullivan made his second appearance on the mound this season and came out firing with two strikeouts in the eighth.

Andrews Jr. led things off in the top of the ninth with a base hit, but was called out on a fielder's choice play that left Ashford safe at first. Arruda would draw a two-out walk, but the runners were left stranded at out number three.

Up Next
The Diamond 'Dogs return to Lindsey Nelson Stadium to face No. 25 Tennessee tomorrow with a 3:00 p.m. PT start time.

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