Bulldogs take two from San Jose State

Fresno State's baseball team (16-22, 4-5 WAC) wins two of three games in a weekend series at San Jose State

Staff Reports

The Fresno State baseball team had two bookend victories in a three-game series with Western Athletic Conference rival San Jose State in San Jose over the weekend.

The Bulldogs (16-22, 4-5 WAC) won the rubber match 5-2 Sunday, while freshman pitcher Brandon Miller worked a three-hitter through the first six innings.

The Bulldogs nearly took the early lead in the second inning when catcher Brandon Marcelli singled to left with first baseman Kyle Wilson on second, but Wilson was pegged at the plate trying to score from second for the second out of the inning.

One batter later, the Bulldogs did indeed get a score after Marcelli was able to steal second.

Designated hitter Kent Sakamoto doubled in Marcelli to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead. It was the first game of the series in which the Bulldogs were able to put a run across before the Spartans (16-17-1, 6-9).

Fresno State added another run in the fifth inning to take a 2-0 lead when outfielder Chase Moore singled in Sakamoto from third. Marcelli, Sakamoto and Moore each went 2 for 3 in the game.

San Jose State didn’t get to Miller until the bottom of the sixth when first baseman Brandon Fromm singled in left fielder Ryan Angel from third with two outs.

Miller got right fielder Travis Becktel to strike out swinging to end the inning one batter later.

The Bulldogs responded with two more runs in the top of seventh, securing the victory for Miller. Sophomore Matt Garza pitched the next three innings for Fresno State, giving up just one run in the bottom of the seventh and securing his conference-leading fifth save of the season.

Garza got his fourth save just two days earlier when the Bulldogs took the first game 4-2.

Sophomore righthander Rudy Quinonez came on to rescue starter David Griffin with one out in the sixth and runners on second and third and Fresno State trying to hold on to a 3-2 lead.

Quinonez got Angel to strike out to end a bases-loaded threat, much the way Miller did two days later—swinging.

Sophomore center fielder Richie Robnett led of the ninth with his team-high fourth home run of the season to give the Bulldogs a 4-2 lead. Garza came on to record the last two outs for Fresno State in the bottom of the ninth after Quinonez struck out five in his three innings of relief.

The Spartans were able to even the series Saturday when they took a three-run lead in the second inning against Bulldogs starter Michael Cooper. Cooper pitched four and a third innings and gave up four runs.

Fresno State was able to get back within one in the top of the sixth when Robnett tripled and Wilson homered him in to close the gap to 4-3. But the Spartans retaliated with a run in the bottom of the inning and shut out the Bulldogs the rest of the game.