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Fresno State Athletics
Friday, February 26
Fresno, CA
3:05 P.M. PT
Fresno State
1-0
13
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CSU Bakersfield
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CSU Bakersfield
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8
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Fresno State
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13
17
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Photo by: Samuel Marshall
Diamond 'Dogs cruise to 13-2 season-opening win
2/26/2021 9:45:00 PM | Baseball
Fresno State cruised to a 13-2 win over CSU Bakersfield in its home opener on Friday at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
FRESNO, Calif. - Nearly a year after the Diamond 'Dogs last took the field, Fresno State opened the 2021 season on Friday cruising past CSU Bakersfield, 13-2 at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
Winning its season opener for the 13th year in a row, Fresno State (1-0) scored 13 runs, its most in a season opener since 1987, and slugged out 17 hits with eight going for extra-bases.
The Bulldogs got hits from 12 different players as outfielder Dylan Johnson led the way with a career-high three hits and drove in a career-high three RBIs as he laced a bases-clearing triple down the right field line in the first inning.
Second baseman Josh Lauck, a transfer from Miami, went 2-for-2 in his Bulldog debut with a pair of doubles, scored three runs and drew a walk.
On the mound, senior right-hander Jamison Hill was stellar tossing six innings allowing six hits, one earned run, two walks and struck out six.
Right-hander Raul Salazar saw action for two innings and Cooper Bergman closed out the ninth as each made their Bulldog debuts on the mound.
How It Happened
With the 'Dogs taking a 3-0 lead on Johnson's second career triple, a two-run home run to center field by first baseman Zach Presno made it 5-0 in favor of the 'Dogs.
A balk by the Roadrunners' Cody Tucker allowed Lauck to score in the third and after being held off the board in the fourth, the Bulldogs responded with back-to-back three run innings in the fifth and sixth to take a commanding 12-1 lead.
A sacrifice fly by Zach Morgan and a two-run RBI single to left field by Andrew Kachel made up the scoring in the fifth and three straight hits by Lauck, Morgan and Matt Ottino saw three more runs added for the 'Dogs in the sixth.
The scoring was complete in the seventh inning with a two-run home run by Nate Thimjon.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On getting back on the field for the first time since March 11,2020 ....
"Lot of energy today. They were really excited to play. Once we found out we were playing, we had to flip the switch real quick, tried to get on the same page, practiced real quick, next thing you know here we are, definitely a whirlwind 24 hours for sure."
On staying prepared...
"I think what we are preparing for is it is going to be different every time we take the field and almost everyday we show up, what we thought was going to happen something else happens. That is not my strength, my strength is planning and overdoing just about everything and most of what we have done since we have been back has been redone, thrown out and done again. What we have gone through in the last 24 hours is not exactly the same, but the principles of planning and getting refocused and getting locked into the next day we have actually done that quite a few times so good for this club for answering the bell today."
Notables
The Bulldogs and Roadrunners will play game two of the series on Saturday at 3:05 p.m.
Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateBSB
Instagram: fresnostbaseball
Facebook: FresnoStateAthletics
Winning its season opener for the 13th year in a row, Fresno State (1-0) scored 13 runs, its most in a season opener since 1987, and slugged out 17 hits with eight going for extra-bases.
The Bulldogs got hits from 12 different players as outfielder Dylan Johnson led the way with a career-high three hits and drove in a career-high three RBIs as he laced a bases-clearing triple down the right field line in the first inning.
Second baseman Josh Lauck, a transfer from Miami, went 2-for-2 in his Bulldog debut with a pair of doubles, scored three runs and drew a walk.
On the mound, senior right-hander Jamison Hill was stellar tossing six innings allowing six hits, one earned run, two walks and struck out six.
Right-hander Raul Salazar saw action for two innings and Cooper Bergman closed out the ninth as each made their Bulldog debuts on the mound.
How It Happened
With the 'Dogs taking a 3-0 lead on Johnson's second career triple, a two-run home run to center field by first baseman Zach Presno made it 5-0 in favor of the 'Dogs.
A balk by the Roadrunners' Cody Tucker allowed Lauck to score in the third and after being held off the board in the fourth, the Bulldogs responded with back-to-back three run innings in the fifth and sixth to take a commanding 12-1 lead.
A sacrifice fly by Zach Morgan and a two-run RBI single to left field by Andrew Kachel made up the scoring in the fifth and three straight hits by Lauck, Morgan and Matt Ottino saw three more runs added for the 'Dogs in the sixth.
The scoring was complete in the seventh inning with a two-run home run by Nate Thimjon.
Quotes
Head Coach Mike Batesole
On getting back on the field for the first time since March 11,2020 ....
"Lot of energy today. They were really excited to play. Once we found out we were playing, we had to flip the switch real quick, tried to get on the same page, practiced real quick, next thing you know here we are, definitely a whirlwind 24 hours for sure."
On staying prepared...
"I think what we are preparing for is it is going to be different every time we take the field and almost everyday we show up, what we thought was going to happen something else happens. That is not my strength, my strength is planning and overdoing just about everything and most of what we have done since we have been back has been redone, thrown out and done again. What we have gone through in the last 24 hours is not exactly the same, but the principles of planning and getting refocused and getting locked into the next day we have actually done that quite a few times so good for this club for answering the bell today."
Notables
- It is the 13th straight season Fresno State has won both its season and home opener.
- The last time the 'Dogs scored more runs in a season opener was 1987 in a 14-5 win over Cal.
- Five 'Dogs made their debuts as Lauck, Salazar and Bergman were joined by Marco Pirruccello and Vinny Bologna.
The Bulldogs and Roadrunners will play game two of the series on Saturday at 3:05 p.m.
Follow us on:
Twitter: @FresnoStateBSB
Instagram: fresnostbaseball
Facebook: FresnoStateAthletics
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Hill, Jamison (1-0)
L: Skuija, Ethan (0-1)
Batting:
3B: Charles, Eric 1
HR: Saldivar, Angel 1
RBI: Casillas, Aaron 1 ; Saldivar, Angel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Charles, Eric 1 ; Saldivar, Angel 1
Batting:
2B: Pirruccello, Marco 1 ; Andrews, Jr., EJ 1 ; Bologna, Vinny 1 ; Lauck, Josh 2
3B: Johnson, Dylan 1
HR: Presno, Zach 1 ; Thimjon, Nate 1
RBI: Kachel, Andrew 2 ; Presno, Zach 2 ; Thimjon, Nate 1 ; Johnson, Dylan 3 ; Lauck, Josh 1 ; Morgan, Zach 2 ; Ottino, Matt 1
SF: Morgan, Zach 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kachel, Andrew 1 ; Higgins, Ryan 2 ; Presno, Zach 2 ; Bologna, Vinny 1 ; Thimjon, Nate 2 ; Johnson, Dylan 2 ; Lauck, Josh 3
SB: Kachel, Andrew 1 ; Lauck, Josh 1
HBP: Bologna, Vinny 1 ; Lauck, Josh 1
Game Leaders
AB
5
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
2
R
3
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
2
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
Pitcher
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Outfield
/ Baseball
Pitcher
/ Baseball
Outfield
/ Baseball
Infield
/ BaseballInfield
/ Baseball
Catcher
/ Baseball
Infield
/ Baseball
Infield
/ Baseball
Catcher
/ Baseball
Pitcher
/ Baseball
Outfield
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