Catch-up doesn't cut it

'Dogs fail to come from behind, fall 9-7 to Dallas Baptist

By Zack Walton

You got the feeling it was going to be one of those nights.

Maybe it was the fact that the Bulldogs immediately fell behind in the first inning.

Or maybe it was because Fresno State (9-14) was playing a Dallas Baptist (14-7) team that took two of three from the Bulldogs at Beiden Field last week, outscoring them 24-6.

But it seemed that no matter what the Bulldogs did in Thursday night’s 9-7 loss to Dallas Baptist, or how close they got, they would not be able to pull out a win.

However, it wasn’t because of a lack of effort on Fresno State’s part.

The Bulldogs mounted rallies several times, including one in the eighth—to bring them within one run—and another rally in the ninth.

Down by two, with runners on first and second, sophomore Kent Sakamoto swung and missed for strike three—ending the game and the Bulldogs chance at victory.

“ It was frustrating, but we went out there and battled,” senior Brandon Marcelli said. “We have to keep our heads up. We didn’t put up the zeros we needed to after we scored and that’s something we have to keep working on as we get ready for conference.”

Helping to do their part to keep the Bulldogs just short of winning were Drew Noss and Cody Montgomery, who proved to be a thorn in the Bulldogs’ side, as the two Patriots paraded around the bases all night.

Noss, a senior lead-off hitter, continuously sat the table for Dallas Baptist—going 5 for 5 with two runs scored—skyrocketing his average 50 points, from .279 to .329.

Montgomery found himself following Noss in the batting order, as well as rounding the bases. The sophomore ended his night 3 for 5 with three runs batted in, including a two-run home run that put the Patriots ahead 8-5.

Montgomery’s sixth-inning blast off senior David Griffin, who relieved Fresno State starter Brandon Miller in the fifth, sailed into the darkness and over the left-field wall—for what proved to be the difference in the game.

Senior Ben Zorbist started the scoring in the first inning for Dallas Baptist, when he took Miller’s pitch off the left-field wall with the bases loaded, scoring all three runners to make the score 3-0.

Fresno State responded in the bottom half of the inning with three extra-base hits, the last a run-scoring triple by Sakamoto—who went 3 for 5—to pull the Bulldogs within one.

Sakamoto lined a 2-0 pitch to center fielder Drew Holder, who slipped while charging in and allowed the ball to bounce all the way to the wall. Sophomore Richie Robnett, who was on second after an RBI double, raced home to make the score 3-2.

Fresno State found themselves down 8-5 in the eighth until Sakamoto and senior Chris Patrick went back-to-back off Dallas Baptist reliever Aaron Klusman. The two solo home runs pulled Fresno State within one run, but it wouldn’t be enough.

“ Overall we played hard and left our hearts on the field,” Sakamoto said. “We can’t really leave here too disappointed. It just hurts losing.”

Fresno State faces Monmouth Friday night at 6:30 at Beiden Field.