James Ramirez / The Collegian
The Diamond ‘Dogs burst through gate of the first series of the season, taking three of the four games against the Butler Bulldogs on opening weekend.
In Friday’s opener sophomore Tyler Linehan had a career night on the mound, striking out a career-high 13 batters in 7.2 innings on the mound. The lefty gave up just five hits and two walks in Fresno State’s 3-0 victory, the first shutout on opening day for Fresno State since 2003. The pitching performance earned Linehan recognition as a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper.
Senior Patrick Hutcheson led off the scoring in the game with a lead-off home run when he sent the third pitch of the game over the Beiden Field fences.
Fresno State wouldn’t score again until the fifth inning when Hutcheson again provided a scoring opportunity. After being walked, Hutcheson stole second and reached third on a bad throw to the outfield. Freshman Jordan Luplow brought in Hutcheson home with a sacrifice to center.
Chris Mariscal, the second of three freshmen to start in the opener for the ‘Dogs, drove in the last run of the ball game in the sixth inning.
Saturday presented a different tempo for the ‘Dogs who split the doubleheader, giving Butler its only win of the weekend.
After jumping to an eight-run lead through two innings of the first game, Fresno State allowed Butler to battle back, falling 12-9 in 10 innings.
Fresno State opened the first inning scoring five runs on three hits. Instead of leading the game with a home run, Hutcheson drew a walk and once again used his speed to steal second. Sophomore Aaron Judge later batted in Hutcheson for a run.
The first inning saw all nine batters come up to the plate. Junior Austin Wynns collected an RBI on a single and junior Justin Charles added three on a double to right field. Butler’s starting pitcher Kevin Lenkman was not able to get out of the inning and was pulled after only two-thirds.
The second inning brought more good fortune to Fresno State, as it added three more runs thanks in part to the sloppy Butler defense. An error by Butler shortstop Griffin Richeson and a wild pitch by Kyle Allen led to all three of Fresno State’s runs. All three runs in the second inning were unearned.
In the fourth inning Butler proved that a game is never out of reach until the final out. The visiting Bulldogs scored four runs off of four hits and added their final run in the fifth.
Sophomore J.D. Salles relieved Cody Kendall in the sixth inning, but didn’t have any luck with the Butler offense either, giving up the lead as he was gashed for four runs, three of them earned, in just a third of an inning
Fresno State answered back in the sixth with a run when Kenny Wise grounded into a double play with the bases loaded, allowing Luplow to score and tie the game at nine-all.
Right-hander Justin Haley attempted to finish off the game for the ‘Dogs, entering in the sixth, but Butler had different plans for the junior who hadn’t allowed a hit in three innings.
Butler put together three runs on four hits in the tenth inning to back the lead that they had relinquished in the sixth, bringing the score to its final 12-9 standing. The win was Butler’s only one of the series.
Fresno State was unable to come back in the bottom of the inning as Butler’s Chase Byerly struck out both batters he faced after Hutcheson walked against Brad Schnitzer.
The second leg of the doubleheader brought redemption for Fresno State as it won 6-0. Senior Tom Harlan took the mound for the Diamond ‘Dogs, going the full nine in the second complete game of his career. The senior struck out a career-high eight batters and gave up only one extra-base hit in his first win of the season. The left-hander’s shutout performance earned him WAC Pitcher of the Week honors.
Fresno State first broke through in the fourth inning with two runs, proving to be more than enough during the nightcap. Fresno State would end the night scoring another run in the fifth, two in the sixth and one more in the eighth.
Sunday’s game was an onslaught as Fresno State rolled to a 17-2 victory. The ‘Dogs used the game to implement the most of their roster, allowing 22 players to take the field throughout the game.
Freshman William Munro started for the Bulldogs, going five innings, striking out seven and not allowing a run.
Almost every position player was given a breather at their position except freshmen Luplow and Mariscal, who played the game to its entirety.
Fresno State scored runs in six of its eight innings up to bat with five innings being crooked number innings.
The ‘Dogs, who are off to a 3-1 start this season, travel to Cal State Bakersfield today for their first road contest of the year.