The Fresno State baseball team will host top-ranked Stanford in a three-game series beginning today and ending Sunday. This is the first time the ‘Dogs have hosted a No. 1 seed in nine years, when then-No. 1 Rice made the trip in April 2003.

The Bulldogs hope to upset the Cardinal, but will need to get past their elite bullpen, led by preseason All-American Mark Appel. Appel will get the start in today’s game. The right-hander is 2-0 and posts­ 1.29 earned-run average.

Sophomore pitcher Tyler Linehan will get his third start for the ‘Dogs today. Linehan, who was named a Louisville Slugger National Pitcher of the Week on Feb. 13, is 1-1 with a 0.59 ERA. The lefty has struck out 19 batters, allowing only one earned run and nine hits in 15.1 innings on the mound.

The ‘Dogs, 4-5, are coming off a 7-1 loss to UC Santa Barbara on Tuesday as they head into today’s game.

Stanford, 8-0, is off to its best start since 1998, defeating two top 10 opponents to start the season in No. 10 Vanderbilt and No. 7 Texas.

The three-game series will be first meeting between the two schools since 2006, when Stanford won the series 2-1.

On Saturday, the Cardinal will start fourth-year junior Brett Mooneyham­ while senior Cody Kendall will be on the mound for the Bulldogs. Mooneyham is 2-0 with a 2.57 ERA and Kendall is 1-0 in two starts with a 4.50 ERA.

Probable starters for the final game of the series will be freshman John Hochstatter for Stanford and left-hander Thomas Harlan pitching for Fresno State.