The Fresno State baseball team went down swinging in the Los Angeles Regional of the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
After claiming a tournament bid with their Mountain West title, the Bulldogs looked to continue their hot stretch.
The four seed Diamond ‘Dogs took on the top-seeded University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and the two seed University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) at Jackie Robinson Stadium over the weekend.
The team entered the tournament on a roll, having scored seven or more runs in all three of the Bulldogs’ conference tournament games, but the ‘Dogs couldn’t replicate their offensive output in the NCAA Tournament.
Fresno State started the Los Angeles Regional, falling to the Bruins 19-4 on Friday, May 30.
Pitcher Jack Anker took the mound, giving up six runs on 10 hits, striking out just two batters.
After giving up four runs in the first, Anker settled in and allowed just two runs over his next four innings.
The Diamond ‘Dogs found themselves down 6-2 in the seventh inning before disaster struck.
The Bruins rattled off six runs, including a three-run double in the bottom of the seventh.
Now down 12-2, the Bulldogs continued to battle with two solo home runs from second baseman Eddie Saldivar and right fielder Bobby Blandford in the top of the eighth inning.
UCLA responded with a run of its own that included two home runs, ballooning its already double-digit lead.
The Bruins dominated the Bulldogs, winning 19-4.
The Diamond ‘Dogs then had a quick turnaround and took on UC Irvine on Saturday, May 31.
Backed by Mountain West Pitcher of the Year Aidan Cremarosa, the Bulldogs looked to bounce back from Friday’s loss.
Much like the Bruins, the Anteaters’ bats got hot early.
A hit by pitch and walk put two men on with two outs in the top of the second. Then, third baseman James Castagnola hit a three-run home run, giving the Anteaters an early 3-0 lead.
Irvine added to its lead with a solo home run in the top of the third inning.
The Bulldogs didn’t score until the bottom of the fourth, already down 5-0.
With two outs, shortstop Lee Trevino hit an RBI single to cut into the lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Diamond ‘Dogs added another run thanks to Saldivar’s solo home run.
Cremarosa went six innings and allowed five runs on seven hits but struck out seven Anteaters in the process.
Both teams added more runs in the eighth inning.
The Bulldogs found themselves down five runs, looking for a late rally, but failed to find it. First baseman Griffen Sotomayor grounded out to the Anteaters pitcher, ending Fresno State’s season with an 8-3 loss.
The Diamond ‘Dogs finished the 2025 season with a 31-29 record and a Mountain West championship.
