Games 1-3: UC Riverside (0-0, 0-0 Big West) at Fresno State (0-0, 0-0 MW)
First Pitch:Â Feb. 18-20 - Fri: 6:05 p.m., Sat: 6:05 p.m., Sun: 1:05 p.m.
Stadium:Â Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium
Surface:Â Grass
Dimensions:Â 330 (LF), 400 (CF), 330 (RF)
All-Time Series:Â Fresno State leads 4-3
Last Meeting:Â Fresno State defeated UC Riverside, 11-5 (March 27, 2018 in Fresno, Calif.)
Video: Mountain West Network
Radio (Fri.):Â Bulldog Sports Network (96.7 FM/1400 AM)
Live Stats:Â bulldogslive.com
Twitter:Â @FresnoStateBSB
Tickets: Purchase
Promotions
- All Weekend: Celebrating 100 Years of Bulldog Baseball
- Friday: Youth Jersey Friday - Wear your youth team jersey and get in FREE!
- Sunday: Salute to Sunday - Get in FREE with a military ID!
Bulldog Headlines
- The Diamond 'Dogs open their 100th season on the diamond this weekend hosting UC Riverside.
- The 'Dogs are coming off a 20-25 record in 2021 and a fifth-place finish in the Mountain West.
- This will be the 'Dogs first meeting against UC Riverside since 2018 and the Bulldogs currently leads the series, 4-3.
- The Bulldogs were picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West preseason poll and third baseman Andrew Kachel and catcher Zach Morgan were tabbed preseason All-MW.
- The Diamond 'Dogs led the nation in double plays per game (1.16) and were fourth in double plays (52) last season.
- The Bulldogs led the MW in walks (191), were second in home runs (58), fourth in runs (303), scoring (6.7) & slugging percentage (.476) last season.
- Kachel returns after being a first-team All-MW selection last season hitting .328 with 11 HR.
- Junior southpaw Jake Dixon returns after leading the 'Dogs with six wins & 50 K's last season.
Fresno State vs. UC Riverside - The Series
- Fresno State and UC Riverside have met seven times on the diamond.
- The two teams last squared off in 2018 in a midweek game in Fresno in 2018 with the 'Dogs winning, 11-5.
- Six of the previous seven meetings have come in Fresno.Â
- The Highlanders will be one of five Big West opponents the 'Dogs will see this season along with Long Beach State, Hawaii, Cal Poly & CSU Bakersfield.
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time: Fresno State leads, 4-3
Last Meeting: March 27, 2018 (Fresno, Calif.) - W, 11-5
Current Streak: W3
Last Fresno State Win: March 27, 2018 (11-5) - Fresno, Calif.
Last UC Riverside Win: Feb. 25, 2017 (6-4) - Fresno, Calif.
Bulldogs Selected Fourth in Mountain West Preseason Coaches Poll
As a team, the Diamond 'Dogs were predicted to finish fourth in the MW preseason poll tallying 23 points overall coming in only two points behind San Diego State who came in third with 25 points.
Nevada, who won the Mountain West title and made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2000 last season, was selected to win the conference garnering six first-place votes and 36 points while UNLV got the other first-place vote and had 29 points.
Air Force, New Mexico and San José State rounded out the poll.
Kachel & Morgan selected to Mountain West Preseason All-Conference Team
Junior infielder Andrew Kachel and redshirt junior catcher Zach Morgan represent the 'Dogs on the MW preseason team.
A two-time All-Mountain West selection, Kachel was one of five infielders selected to the preseason All-MW team after starting all 45 games for the 'Dogs last season tying for fifth in the MW with 11 home runs while ranking second on the team hitting .328 from the dish and led the team with 19 multi-hit games.
Morgan enters his fourth season as a Bulldog this season coming off appearing in 43 games last season while making 39 starts with 35 behind the plate. He totaled 44 hits, scored 26 runs, drove in 19 RBIs and belted three home runs & five doubles and posted a .990 fielding percentage behind the plate to tie for 13th in the MW committing only three errors on the season.
Bulldogs look to extend Season-Opening Winning Streaks
Fresno State has won its last 13Â season-openers dating back to 2009. The 'Dogs have also won their last 13 home-openers over that time frame. The 'Dogs opened 2021 with 13-2 win at home over CSU Bakersfield.
Date           Opponent          Result
Feb. 26, 2021      CSU Bakersfield         W, 13-2
Feb. 14, 2020    UC Irvine           W, 3-1
Feb. 16, 2019    Utah Valley         W, 6-3
Feb. 16, 2018      Michigan State          W, 5-4
Feb. 18, 2017      Oregon                  W, 9-1
Feb. 19, 2016      Creighton               W, 2-1
Feb. 13, 2015      UC Irvine               W, 5-4
Feb. 14, 2014      at UC Irvine            W, 2-0 (10)
Feb. 15, 2013      UC Santa Barbara   W, 8-1
Feb. 17, 2012      Butler             W, 3-0
Feb. 19, 2011      Gonzaga           W, 10-4
Feb. 19, 2010      Nebraska               W, 7-5
Feb. 20, 2009    Washington           W, 5-4
2022 Preseason Honors
D1Baseball: 'Dogs picked 5th in MW; Dixon (7th), Morgan (8th), Kachel (13th), Bergman (25th) & Nate Thimjon (30th) ranked as top 30 Mountain West prospects for 2022 MLB Draft.
Perfect Game: Dixon & Kachel named preseason All-MW
A look at the UC Riverside Highlanders
UC Riverside went 15-36 overall in 2021 with a 12-28 mark in the Big West to finish 10th in the conference.
The Highlanders hit .268 as a team in 2021 with redshirt senior Nathan Webb being UCR's top returner after hitting .324 a year ago and was a second-team All-Big West selection last season.
On the mound, UCR's Tucker Juline had a team-high three wins and Zach Jacobs had a team-leading 61 strikeouts.
13Â For 13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
The 'Dogs are 14-5 in home openers under Batesole and have won their last 13 home openers at Bob Bennett Stadium. The last time the Bulldogs lost a home opener was on February 22, 2008, falling 4-2 to UC Davis.
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Batesole picked up just one victory in his first six home openers (after joining the 'Dogs prior to the 2003 season) before enjoying the recent success string of victories. Since 1979, Fresno State is 27-16 in both season and home openers.
Fresno State Home Openers Under Batesole
2021 - W, 13-2 vs. CSU Bakersfield
2020 - W, 3-1 vs. UC Irvine
2019 - W, 6-3 vs. Utah Valley
2018 - W, 5-4 vs. Michigan State
2017 - W, 9-1 vs. Oregon
2016 - W, 2-1 vs. Creighton
2015 - W, 5-4 vs. UC Irvine
2014 - W, 10-1 vs. Grand Canyon
2013 - W, 8-1 vs. UC Santa Barbara
2012 - W, 3-0 vs. Butler
2011 - W, 10-4 vs. Gonzaga
2010 - W, 7-5 vs. Nebraska
2009 - W, 5-4 vs. Washington
2008 - L, 4-2 vs. UC Davis
2007 - L, 6-2 vs. San Francisco
2006 - L, 7-2 vs. Pepperdine
2005 - L, 7-4 vs. UCLA
2004 - W, 3-1 vs. Stanford
2003 - L, 12-0 vs. CS Fullerton
Fresno State vs. Big West Conference opponents
With 10 of the 11 Big West opponents in the state of California, in addition to Hawai'i, the 'Dogs have a long history with foes from the Big West.
The Diamond 'Dogs are very familiar with the Big West with winning records against nine of the teams and have a 482-330 (59.4 pct.) all-time record.
Bulldogs All-Time Record vs. Big West opponents (year teams last played)
Cal State Fullerton: 39-55 (2019)
Cal Poly: 98-56 (2020)
CSU Bakersfield: 17-15 (2021)
CSUN: 54-26 (2018)
Hawai'i: 81-54 (2018)
Long Beach State: 61-52 (2018)
UC Davis: 39-17 (2015)
UC Irvine: 36-11 (2020)
UC Riverside: 4-3 (2018)
UC Santa Barbara: 53-41 (2019)
UC San Diego: N/A
New 'Dogs in action
Nine Bulldogs, including four true freshman, will enter their first years at Fresno State this spring while the 'Dogs will get the services of five transfers.
Included in that group are CSUB transfer Roman Angelo (RHP), Zach Statzer (RHP - San Joaquin Delta College), Trevor Garcia (RHP - Allan Hancock College) and a pair of junior college infielders in Payton Allen (College of Sequoias) & Travis Welker (Allan Hancock College).
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