Juan Villa / The Collegian

Diamond Dogs reflect on unlikely ‘Cinderella’ run to NCAA title

Fresno State right fielder Steve Detwiler may not live in Hollywood, but he has become one of the biggest celebrities in Fresno.

The junior, from the northern California town of Forest Knolls, said he has received standing ovations at restaurants this summer in Fresno and can̢۪t remember how many autographs he has had to sign.
He even received a marriage proposal. Don̢۪t worry ladies, he turned her down.

“I tried to stay away from her,â€Â Detwiler said with a grin. “I’ve been a small-town boy my whole life so this has been new for me.â€Â

In case you missed it, Detwiler and the Fresno State baseball team took home the school̢۪s first men̢۪s NCAA title in any sport this summer when they won the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Detwiler drove in all six of the Bulldogs̢۪ runs in their 6-1 championship game victory over Georgia and also hit two homers.

He did this all with a torn ligament in his left thumb.

Juan Villa / The Collegian

“[My thumb] is doing a whole lot better actually,â€Â Detwiler said. “I’ve been doing rehab, but I can’t quite bend it all the way yet. I’ll be in a cast for six weeks.â€Â

From small-town boys to hometown heroes

Detwiler enjoyed the peace and quiet of the small-town life while he was recuperating back home. He said in Forest Knolls he is just a normal guy, not a celebrity.

But, with the amount of love and support he received from the Fresno community this season, he feels like he can call two different places his hometown.

“It’s actually nice to feel like you were born in a community,â€Â Detwiler said. “It’s so cool when everybody’s cheering you on and recognizes you. The fans were amazing for us.â€Â

Although the fan support was enormous, Detwiler said the greatest amount of support the Bulldogs received during their Cinderella run came from each other.

Fresno State played 18 postseason games, all of which were on the road. The 25 members of the team became a family and a tight-knit group of athletes striving for the same goal.

That made the experience all the better, according to Detwiler.

“This was the greatest group of 25 guys you could ever play with,â€Â Detwiler said. “It made every moment amazing.â€Â

College World Series MVP Tom Mendonca feels the same way as Detwiler and even has a similar injury.

Played through dislocated fingers, Mendonca was still able to knock in 11 runs, hit four home runs and play flawless defense at third base in Omaha.

If Mendonca had it his way, he would have a different approach in regards to the College World Series MVP trophy he received.

“I would have given it to the whole team,â€Â Mendonca said. “It meant a lot and it’s something nice to have, but I would have given it to everybody.â€Â

Fresno State recognized worldwide

Mendonca, like Detwiler, garnered celebrity status this summer, but it wasn̢۪t limited to the confines of Fresno.

The Turlock native took a trip to Europe this summer and received praise from people in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands for his efforts in Omaha.

Mendonca spanned the globe in other ways as well.

The day after the championship parade, he took a flight to North Carolina to be a part of the U.S. National Collegiate Baseball Team.

Mendonca̢۪s team took home the gold and became the first international team to go undefeated in U.S. history.

He knows that if he and Fresno State want continued success it starts right now in the fall. The team̢۪s first practice is scheduled for today and they̢۪re coming in with a clean slate.

“It doesn’t matter what we did last year,â€Â Mendonca said. “We need to learn early on in the season that it’s not only one person that can change the game.â€Â

Batesole puts grades first

National Coach of the Year Mike Batesole knows that the work on the field needs to start early, but he is more concerned with getting his players set up in the classroom.

“We made sure they went to class and now they have degrees to go with their rings,â€Â Batesole said. “We’re in it to make sure these kids get degrees.â€Â

Batesole is not known for relishing the spotlight, but said he enjoyed the ESPY Awards ceremony and the attention his played received this summer.

After starting the season 8-12, the Diamond Dogs proved to their fans and the entire nation that Fresno State baseball is a now a legitimate force to be reckoned with.

“The coolest thing is we had a group of kids who did it the right way,â€Â Batesole said. “They excelled in the classroom, on the field and it’s been really enjoyable.â€Â