Sunday, April 14
Fresno, CA
12:05 PM
Fresno State
20-12, 8-6
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Air Force
16-19, 6-9
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Fresno State
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Photo by: Kiel Maddox
Four-run fifth inning pushes Diamond 'Dogs past Air Force, 9-5
4/14/2019 4:25:00 PM | Baseball
The Diamond 'Dogs wrapped up their series over Air Force on Sunday with a 9-5 win over the Falcons at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
FRESNO, Calif. - Powered by a four-run bottom of the fifth inning, the Diamond 'Dogs downed Air Force, 9-5 on Sunday afternoon at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
With the win, Fresno State (20-12, 8-6 MW) won four of its five games in the series over the Falcons and five of its six games this week.
Leading the way offensively for the Bulldogs on Sunday was redshirt sophomore shortstop JT Arruda who collected a single-game career-high four hits, all singles, while scoring three of the 'Dogs nine runs.
Making his 12th start and playing in his 25th game of the season, freshman right fielder EJ Andrews, Jr. went for a season-high three hits, including two doubles, while fellow freshman Ryan Higgins had his second two-hit game of the year coming through with a pair of two-run RBI knocks and scored a run.
On the mound, sophomore southpaw Jaime Arias tossed a career-high 6.2 innings allowing six hits, two runs, one earned, issued one walk and struck out three. Right-hander Oscar Carvajal came on for the final 2.1 innings for his second appearance of the series.
How It Happened
Reaching base for the 12th straight game, senior center fielder Zach Ashford led off the bottom of the first with a walk and was joined by Arruda in scoring on Higgins' two-run RBI single (watch) that gave the Bulldogs' an early 2-0 lead.
With Arias retiring the first nine Falcon batters in a row, Air Force (16-19, 6-9 MW) got to the Bulldog southpaw in the top of the fourth for a pair of runs tying the game at 2-2. The Falcons nabbed one run on a out-out RBI single to right field by senior third baseman Nic Ready with a Bulldog error in right field by Andrews, Jr. allowing Ready to move to second. Senior catcher Rob Dau followed with a single to left-center driving in Ready to tie the game.
Sophomore first baseman Zach Presno smacked his second home run in as many days in the bottom of the fourth to give the 'Dogs the lead back, 3-2 on a two-out solo home run to left-center (watch).
The Bulldogs broke open the game in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run inning to extend their lead to 7-2. Higgins drove in his third and fourth runs of the game with a two-out single to center field (watch) bringing in Carter Bins and Arruda.Â
Pinch-hitter Miles Tomczak followed Higgins battled through a lengthy at-bat before drilling his first home run of the season to right-center (watch) to give the 'Dogs a five-run cushion.
The Falcons got one run back in the top of the eighth on a one-out on a RBI double to left field by Dau, but the 'Dogs answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the frame for a 9-3 lead.
Ashford led off with a single and came around to score after a failed pickoff attempt by Falcon relief pitcher Jeff Gerlica brought him home and McCarthy Tatum drove in the 'Dogs last run with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Air Force added two runs in the top of the ninth to cut the 'Dogs lead to 9-5, but Carvajal was able to get a popup and groundout to secure the Bulldog win.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On the 'Dogs five-game series vs. Air Force....
"That was a long two-and-half weeks on the road and to come home and play five real quick games, you have to give these student-athletes a lot of credit for keeping it together. It was special to see Jaime go out today and do what he did as he has been our closer all year and Oscar came in after and pitched exceptional well finishing the game strong."
Notables
- Fresno State scored 36 runs and collected 53 hits in the five-game series while Air Force tallied 18 runs and 41 hits. The 'Dogs added 16 extra-base knocks (10 doubles and six home runs) compared to 10 for Air Force (nine doubles and one home run).
- Arruda hit .500 in the series going 8-for-16 with three doubles, four runs scored and seven RBI.
- The 'Dogs pitching staff compiled a collective 2.20 ERA and combined for 57 strikeouts with only 11 walks in the five games.
- All 10 Bulldog pitchers who recorded at least one out in the series had at least one strikeout.
Up next
The Bulldogs return to field on Tuesday hosting CSU Bakersfield (15-22, 3-9 WAC) at 6:05 p.m. It will be Canned Food Drive Night if you bring two cans of canned foods to donate to the Fresno State Student Cupboard, you get in to the game for free!
"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
With the win, Fresno State (20-12, 8-6 MW) won four of its five games in the series over the Falcons and five of its six games this week.
Leading the way offensively for the Bulldogs on Sunday was redshirt sophomore shortstop JT Arruda who collected a single-game career-high four hits, all singles, while scoring three of the 'Dogs nine runs.
Making his 12th start and playing in his 25th game of the season, freshman right fielder EJ Andrews, Jr. went for a season-high three hits, including two doubles, while fellow freshman Ryan Higgins had his second two-hit game of the year coming through with a pair of two-run RBI knocks and scored a run.
On the mound, sophomore southpaw Jaime Arias tossed a career-high 6.2 innings allowing six hits, two runs, one earned, issued one walk and struck out three. Right-hander Oscar Carvajal came on for the final 2.1 innings for his second appearance of the series.
How It Happened
Reaching base for the 12th straight game, senior center fielder Zach Ashford led off the bottom of the first with a walk and was joined by Arruda in scoring on Higgins' two-run RBI single (watch) that gave the Bulldogs' an early 2-0 lead.
With Arias retiring the first nine Falcon batters in a row, Air Force (16-19, 6-9 MW) got to the Bulldog southpaw in the top of the fourth for a pair of runs tying the game at 2-2. The Falcons nabbed one run on a out-out RBI single to right field by senior third baseman Nic Ready with a Bulldog error in right field by Andrews, Jr. allowing Ready to move to second. Senior catcher Rob Dau followed with a single to left-center driving in Ready to tie the game.
Sophomore first baseman Zach Presno smacked his second home run in as many days in the bottom of the fourth to give the 'Dogs the lead back, 3-2 on a two-out solo home run to left-center (watch).
The Bulldogs broke open the game in the bottom of the fifth with a four-run inning to extend their lead to 7-2. Higgins drove in his third and fourth runs of the game with a two-out single to center field (watch) bringing in Carter Bins and Arruda.Â
Pinch-hitter Miles Tomczak followed Higgins battled through a lengthy at-bat before drilling his first home run of the season to right-center (watch) to give the 'Dogs a five-run cushion.
The Falcons got one run back in the top of the eighth on a one-out on a RBI double to left field by Dau, but the 'Dogs answered right back with two runs in the bottom of the frame for a 9-3 lead.
Ashford led off with a single and came around to score after a failed pickoff attempt by Falcon relief pitcher Jeff Gerlica brought him home and McCarthy Tatum drove in the 'Dogs last run with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Air Force added two runs in the top of the ninth to cut the 'Dogs lead to 9-5, but Carvajal was able to get a popup and groundout to secure the Bulldog win.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On the 'Dogs five-game series vs. Air Force....
"That was a long two-and-half weeks on the road and to come home and play five real quick games, you have to give these student-athletes a lot of credit for keeping it together. It was special to see Jaime go out today and do what he did as he has been our closer all year and Oscar came in after and pitched exceptional well finishing the game strong."
Notables
- Fresno State scored 36 runs and collected 53 hits in the five-game series while Air Force tallied 18 runs and 41 hits. The 'Dogs added 16 extra-base knocks (10 doubles and six home runs) compared to 10 for Air Force (nine doubles and one home run).
- Arruda hit .500 in the series going 8-for-16 with three doubles, four runs scored and seven RBI.
- The 'Dogs pitching staff compiled a collective 2.20 ERA and combined for 57 strikeouts with only 11 walks in the five games.
- All 10 Bulldog pitchers who recorded at least one out in the series had at least one strikeout.
Up next
The Bulldogs return to field on Tuesday hosting CSU Bakersfield (15-22, 3-9 WAC) at 6:05 p.m. It will be Canned Food Drive Night if you bring two cans of canned foods to donate to the Fresno State Student Cupboard, you get in to the game for free!
"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: Arias, Jaime (1-3)
L: NICHOLS, Ethan (2-4)
Batting:
2B: EASLEY, Ashton 2 ; DAU, Rob 1 ; WISS, Drew 1
RBI: EASLEY, Ashton 2 ; READY, Nic 1 ; DAU, Rob 2
Base Running:
RUNS: EASLEY, Ashton 1 ; GILLMAN, Tommy 1 ; READY, Nic 1 ; JONES, Daniel 1 ; WISS, Drew 1
Batting:
2B: Andrews, Jr., EJ 2
HR: Tomczak, Miles 1 ; Presno, Zach 1
RBI: Tatum, McCarthy 1 ; Higgins, Ryan 4 ; Tomczak, Miles 2 ; Presno, Zach 1
SH: Ashford, Zach 1 ; Dempsey, Nolan 1
SF: Tatum, McCarthy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Ashford, Zach 2 ; Bins, Carter 1 ; Arruda, JT 3 ; Higgins, Ryan 1 ; Tomczak, Miles 1 ; Presno, Zach 1
CS: Presno, Zach 1
HBP: Dempsey, Nolan 1 ; Presno, Zach 1
PO: Andrews, Jr., EJ 1 ; Presno, Zach 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
3
RBI
0
ph/dh
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
Outfield
/ Baseball
Pitcher
/ BaseballOutfield
/ Baseball
Catcher
/ Baseball
Pitcher
/ BaseballInfield
/ Baseball
Catcher
/ Baseball
Infield/RHP
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Outfield
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