Bryan Cole / The Collegian
When: Thursday and Friday at 3:30 p.m., Saturday doubleheader starts at noon
Where: Hornet Field (Sacramento)
Radio: KMJ-AM 580 or listen online at KMJ580.com
Fresno State Bulldogs
(24-27, 8-12 WAC)
Fresno State is in a very unfamiliar position heading into its final regular season series – last place.
The Bulldogs have not won a conference series this season, after winning all but two last year.
Mike Batesole̢۪s squad sits at 8-12 in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and will head north to take on the Sacramento State Hornets in the final series of the season.
The Diamond ̢۪Dogs took three out of five from the Hornets last season, including a 3-2 win in the first game of the 2008 WAC Tournament.
Playing in this season̢۪s WAC tourney in Hawaii may be a longshot, though, if the Bulldogs don̢۪t take care of business this weekend.
Fresno State will need to win three out of four of the games if they hope to have a chance at defending its national title.
A four-game sweep would guarantee a spot in the tournament, as fellow cellar-dweller Sac State is 8-10 in conference play.
Easier said than done.
The Bulldogs haven̢۪t swept a series this season after winning two four-game sets last year.
Fresno State opened WAC play at the losing end of a four-game sweep to Louisiana Tech and has split every WAC series since.
The main difference from last season: inconsistency from the pitching staff and defense.
The Bulldogs surrendered 36 runs last weekend to Hawaii and committed five errors.
This doesn̢۪t bode well coming into Sacramento as the Hornets hit .320 as a team.
Fresno State̢۪s team ERA is 5.95 and is tied for last in the conference with only seven saves.
Offensively, Fresno State has been solid thanks to Alan Ahmady̢۪s current hot streak. The junior first baseman hit .333 in his last six games with eight runs scored, nine RBIs and three roundtrippers.
Tom Mendonca leads the Bulldogs with 22 home runs and 67 RBIs.
Projected Lineup
C Trent Garrison, Fr.
1B Alan Ahmady, Jr. (RIGHT)
2B Danny Muno, So.
3B Tom Mendonca, Jr.
SS Isacc Vivas, So.
LF Dusty Robinson, Fr.
CF Gavin Hedstrom, Sr.
RF Brennan Gowens, Fr.
DH Kenny Wise, Fr.
Starting Rotation
Thurs. – Matt Morse (2-2)
Fri. – Derek Benny (2-3)
Sat. – Cody Kendall (2-1)
Sat. – Holden Sprague (5-3)
Sacramento State Hornets
(27-23, 8-10 WAC)
The Sacramento State baseball team has a chance for revenge this weekend at Hornet Field.
Fresno State defeated Sac State in last season̢۪s conference tourney and what better way to return the favor than knock out the defending national champs.
The Hornets are on a hot streak, taking three of four games from Nevada last weekend at Peccole Park in Reno.
Sac State is led offensively by senior first baseman Blake Crosby, the younger brother of Oakland A̢۪s infielder Bobby Crosby.
Blake Crosby is batting .403 this season as the Hornets̢۪ cleanup hitter and has 46 runs driven in.
The true superstar, however, is center fielder Tim Wheeler, a projected first round draft pick in June.
Wheeler is a five-tool player who can hit for power and average and is a superb defensive outfielder.
The junior has 18 homers, 69 RBIs and has stolen 15 bases. He̢۪s hitting .396 on the season.
Sac State̢۪s table-setters are both hitting over .350 as well.
Leadoff hitter Hunter Martinez is batting .369 with 14 stolen bases and No. 2 hitter Josh Powers is batting .360 with 37 RBI.
Similar to the Bulldogs, the Hornets̢۪ pitching staff has been the weak point of the ballclub.
The team̢۪s ERA is 6.05 and opposing batters are hitting more than .300 against Hornet pitchers.
Fowler native Jesse Darrah has been the unofficial ace of Sac State̢۪s pitching staff this season.
The freshman right-hander is 9-2 on the season and leads the team with 53 strikeouts in 76.2 innings pitched.
This weekend̢۪s series should be interesting as both teams are offensive juggernauts, but lack depth and experience in their pitching staffs.
The battle for the final spot in the WAC should come down to the final pitch in Saturday̢۪s doubleheader.
Projected Lineup
C Brent Hottman, So.
1B Blake Crosby, Sr.
2B Hunter Martinez, Sr.
3B Josh Powers, Jr.
SS Derrick Chung, So.
LF Ivan Otsuka, Fr.
CF Tim Wheeler, Jr. (LEFT)
RF Justin Mezzaneras, Jr.
DH Justin Lamb, Fr.
Starting Rotation
Thurs. – Tommy Elrod (4-3)
Fri. – Jesse Darrah (9-2)
Sat. – Jeff Roth (2-2)
Sat. – Brandon Sandoval (5-4)
WAC Standings
Team WAC record
San Jose State 11-7
Louisiana Tech 11-9
Nevada 10-9
New Mexico State 10-10
Hawaii 11-12
Sacramento State 8-10
Fresno State 8-12
By the Numbers…
FS Sac
Avg. .279 .320
HR 70 62
Runs 365 379
SB 39 59
ERA 5.95 6.05
K 322 288
BB 180 175
SV 7 11
FPct. .962 .971