Fresno State Athletics
Saturday, April 13
Fresno, CA
3:05 PM (7 inn.)
Fresno State
19-11, 7-5
13
vs
7
Air Force
15-18, 5-8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
Air Force
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
7
10
4
Fresno State
1
0
2
0
1
9
X
13
14
2
Photo by: Keith Kountz/Fresno St
Bulldogs split Saturday doubleheader over Falcons to clinch series win
4/13/2019 9:30:00 PM | Baseball
The Diamond 'Dogs split a doubleheader against Air Force on Saturday to clinch the series win over the Falcons. The series finale is on Sunday at 12:05 p.m.
FRESNO, Calif. - Using a nine-run bottom of the sixth inning, the Diamond 'Dogs rallied from a three-run deficit in game one of a doubleheader on Saturday for a 13-7 win over Air Force in seven innings to clinch the series win over the Falcons. Air Force won the second game, a nine-inning affair, 4-3.
For a second straight day, Fresno State (19-12, 7-6 MW) combined for 20 hits across the two contest posting 14 hits in game one and added six more in the nightcap.
Leading the way with his 15th and 16 multi-hit games of the season was senior center fielder Zach Ashford who had a pair of hits and runs in each game and smacked his second home run of the season in game two.
Sophomore first baseman Zach Presno added three hits, two in game one and one in game two, as his grand slam in game one (watch) powered the Bulldogs' nine-run inning and the Clovis native added a double and run scored in game two.
Senior second baseman Nolan Dempsey matched his single-game career-high with three hits in the first game while scoring two runs and drove in an RBI.
On the mound, both of the 'Dogs starting pitchers posted career high strikeout totals as game one starter, sophomore left-hander Nikoh Mitchell tossed eight (watch), and game two starter, sophomore right-hander Jamison Hill struck out seven (watch).
Redshirt junior right-hander Ryan Sullivan earned his first win of the season in game one tossing 1.1 innings allowing one hit while striking out one while Hill suffered his first loss of the season in game two.
How It Happened Game One
After playing as the road team for both of Friday's contests, the 'Dogs were back as the home team on Saturday as redshirt sophomore shortstop JT Arruda got the scoring started for Fresno State in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Ashford to give the 'Dogs a early 1-0 lead.
The 'Dogs tacked on two more runs, both unearned, in the bottom of the third as senior right fielder Auston Chastain used alert running on the basepaths to take advantage of a Falcons error to come home for a run (watch) and junior catcher Carter Bins came around to score after Arruda reached on a fielding error.
With Mitchell able to work through four scoreless innings and pick up his career-high eighth strikeout (watch) to end the fourth inning, the 'Dogs ran into trouble in the fifth as Air Force (16-18, 6-8 MW) exploded for seven runs in the frame sending 12 Falcons to the plate and used the combination of five hits and a Bulldog error to take a 7-3 lead.
The Bulldogs answered back with a run in the bottom of the frame with a second sacrifice fly by Arruda to cut the Falcons' lead to 7-4 before the 'Dogs offensive fireworks in the sixth saw nine runs come across for a 13-7 lead.
The 'Dogs sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning as three of the first four reached base with singles from Dempsey, sophomore designated hitter Emilio Nogales and Chastain loaded the bases for Presno who unloaded for a grand slam to right-center (watch) for a 8-7 lead.
The scoring was far from over there as five more runs came across for the Bulldogs as Arruda drove in his third RBI of the contest with a sacrifice bunt followed by a hard-hit RBI single by McCarthy Tatum (watch) that extended the lead to 10-7.
Dempsey followed with a single down the left field line (watch) to bring around Tatum and the scoring concluded with pinch-hitter Ryan Higgins' double up the middle to score Dempsey (watch) and Nate Thimjon knocked in one final run with a single up the middle.
How It Happened Game Two
With the Bulldogs scoring in the first inning for the 12th time this season, Ashford smacked a leadoff home run, his second of the season, to right field (watch) to put the 'Dogs up 1-0 in the early going.
The Falcons answered back in the top of the second tying the game at 1-1 with a one-out sacrifice fly to center field by shortstop Alexander Pup driving home third baseman Nic Ready who led off the inning with a double to down the left field line.
The Bulldogs re-took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-out single through the left side (watch) by McCarthy Tatum for the redshirt senior's 40th RBI of the season driving home Ashford from third.
The lead was short-lived for the 'Dogs as Air Force answered back with a three-run top of the fourth to take a 4-2 lead. The Falcons tied the game at 2-2 on an RBI double to left-center by first baseman Gabe Martinez scoring Ready from first base and took a two-run lead with a two-run single to left-center by second baseman Colby Brown.
The Bulldogs were able to cut the two-run deficit in half with one run in the bottom of the fifth as Presno stayed hot leading off with a double to left field (watch), moved to third on a groundout to second by Ashford and came home to score on a single through the right side by Arruda.
That would be the final scoring of the game as neither side was able to scratch a run across over the final four innings as pinch-runner Jeff Jamison got the closest advancing to third in the eighth inning on a wild pitch. Chastain smacked a one-out double in the ninth inning, but a double play ended any hope the 'Dogs had of a rally as Ashford lined out to first base to end the game.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On Saturday's doubleheader split against Air Force....
"I was proud of the team in the first game with a great comeback after giving up seven runs and to fight our way back into it. We made some clutch plays and played some outstanding defense and pitched exceptional well in the second game and we kept getting the right guys up in certain situations, but they hit bullets right at them."
Up Next
The Bulldogs and Falcons wrap up their five-game series on Sunday with the series finale set for 12:05 p.m.
Salute to Services Weekend continues as all active and retired military members get in to the game for free. It is also High School Day as all high school students get in free with valid ID!
"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 @FresnoStateBSB
Instagram:Â fresnostateathletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
For a second straight day, Fresno State (19-12, 7-6 MW) combined for 20 hits across the two contest posting 14 hits in game one and added six more in the nightcap.
Leading the way with his 15th and 16 multi-hit games of the season was senior center fielder Zach Ashford who had a pair of hits and runs in each game and smacked his second home run of the season in game two.
Sophomore first baseman Zach Presno added three hits, two in game one and one in game two, as his grand slam in game one (watch) powered the Bulldogs' nine-run inning and the Clovis native added a double and run scored in game two.
Senior second baseman Nolan Dempsey matched his single-game career-high with three hits in the first game while scoring two runs and drove in an RBI.
On the mound, both of the 'Dogs starting pitchers posted career high strikeout totals as game one starter, sophomore left-hander Nikoh Mitchell tossed eight (watch), and game two starter, sophomore right-hander Jamison Hill struck out seven (watch).
Redshirt junior right-hander Ryan Sullivan earned his first win of the season in game one tossing 1.1 innings allowing one hit while striking out one while Hill suffered his first loss of the season in game two.
How It Happened Game One
After playing as the road team for both of Friday's contests, the 'Dogs were back as the home team on Saturday as redshirt sophomore shortstop JT Arruda got the scoring started for Fresno State in the bottom of the first with a sacrifice fly to center field scoring Ashford to give the 'Dogs a early 1-0 lead.
The 'Dogs tacked on two more runs, both unearned, in the bottom of the third as senior right fielder Auston Chastain used alert running on the basepaths to take advantage of a Falcons error to come home for a run (watch) and junior catcher Carter Bins came around to score after Arruda reached on a fielding error.
With Mitchell able to work through four scoreless innings and pick up his career-high eighth strikeout (watch) to end the fourth inning, the 'Dogs ran into trouble in the fifth as Air Force (16-18, 6-8 MW) exploded for seven runs in the frame sending 12 Falcons to the plate and used the combination of five hits and a Bulldog error to take a 7-3 lead.
The Bulldogs answered back with a run in the bottom of the frame with a second sacrifice fly by Arruda to cut the Falcons' lead to 7-4 before the 'Dogs offensive fireworks in the sixth saw nine runs come across for a 13-7 lead.
The 'Dogs sent 13 batters to the plate in the inning as three of the first four reached base with singles from Dempsey, sophomore designated hitter Emilio Nogales and Chastain loaded the bases for Presno who unloaded for a grand slam to right-center (watch) for a 8-7 lead.
The scoring was far from over there as five more runs came across for the Bulldogs as Arruda drove in his third RBI of the contest with a sacrifice bunt followed by a hard-hit RBI single by McCarthy Tatum (watch) that extended the lead to 10-7.
Dempsey followed with a single down the left field line (watch) to bring around Tatum and the scoring concluded with pinch-hitter Ryan Higgins' double up the middle to score Dempsey (watch) and Nate Thimjon knocked in one final run with a single up the middle.
How It Happened Game Two
With the Bulldogs scoring in the first inning for the 12th time this season, Ashford smacked a leadoff home run, his second of the season, to right field (watch) to put the 'Dogs up 1-0 in the early going.
The Falcons answered back in the top of the second tying the game at 1-1 with a one-out sacrifice fly to center field by shortstop Alexander Pup driving home third baseman Nic Ready who led off the inning with a double to down the left field line.
The Bulldogs re-took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-out single through the left side (watch) by McCarthy Tatum for the redshirt senior's 40th RBI of the season driving home Ashford from third.
The lead was short-lived for the 'Dogs as Air Force answered back with a three-run top of the fourth to take a 4-2 lead. The Falcons tied the game at 2-2 on an RBI double to left-center by first baseman Gabe Martinez scoring Ready from first base and took a two-run lead with a two-run single to left-center by second baseman Colby Brown.
The Bulldogs were able to cut the two-run deficit in half with one run in the bottom of the fifth as Presno stayed hot leading off with a double to left field (watch), moved to third on a groundout to second by Ashford and came home to score on a single through the right side by Arruda.
That would be the final scoring of the game as neither side was able to scratch a run across over the final four innings as pinch-runner Jeff Jamison got the closest advancing to third in the eighth inning on a wild pitch. Chastain smacked a one-out double in the ninth inning, but a double play ended any hope the 'Dogs had of a rally as Ashford lined out to first base to end the game.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On Saturday's doubleheader split against Air Force....
"I was proud of the team in the first game with a great comeback after giving up seven runs and to fight our way back into it. We made some clutch plays and played some outstanding defense and pitched exceptional well in the second game and we kept getting the right guys up in certain situations, but they hit bullets right at them."
Up Next
The Bulldogs and Falcons wrap up their five-game series on Sunday with the series finale set for 12:05 p.m.
Salute to Services Weekend continues as all active and retired military members get in to the game for free. It is also High School Day as all high school students get in free with valid ID!
"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 @FresnoStateBSB
Instagram:Â fresnostateathletics
Facebook:Â FresnoStateAthletics
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sullivan, Ryan (1-1)
L: HARGREAVES, Matt (2-2)
Batting:
2B: DAU, Rob 1
RBI: EASLEY, Ashton 1 ; GILLMAN, Tommy 1 ; DAU, Rob 1 ; ALTORFER, Braydon 1 ; WISS, Drew 2
Base Running:
RUNS: GILLMAN, Tommy 1 ; MARTINEZ, Gabe 1 ; DAU, Rob 1 ; READY, Nic 1 ; PUP, Alexander 1 ; ALTORFER, Braydon 1 ; WISS, Drew 1
SB: WISS, Drew 1
Batting:
2B: Higgins, Ryan 1
HR: Presno, Zach 1
RBI: Arruda, JT 3 ; Tatum, McCarthy 1 ; Dempsey, Nolan 1 ; Higgins, Ryan 1 ; Thimjon, Nate 1 ; Presno, Zach 4
SH: Bins, Carter 1 ; Arruda, JT 1 ; Presno, Zach 1
SF: Arruda, JT 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Ashford, Zach 2 ; Bins, Carter 2 ; Tatum, McCarthy 1 ; Dempsey, Nolan 2 ; Nogales, Emilio 1 ; Jamison, Jeff 1 ; Chastain, Auston 2 ; Presno, Zach 2
SB: Bins, Carter 1
HBP: Chastain, Auston 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
3
RBI
1
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
4
Players Mentioned
Outfield
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Outfield
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Infield
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Pitcher
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Infield
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Pitcher
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Infield
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Infield/RHP
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Outfield
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