Diamond 'Dogs look to ride Waves

By Darrell Copeland III
The Collegian

The Fresno State baseball team is 2–4, and they haven’t lost a game.

“We haven’t played a game that was lost yet,” Fresno State coach Mike Batesole said. “Every game that’s been played has been won, whether it’s been us or them.”

Regardless of who won or lost the games, the Bulldogs still have one front that they are trying to fix.

Through the first six games of the season, the Fresno State pitching staff has a team ERA of 7.02 and has accumulated 33 walks, an average of more than five per game.

That number will likely need to be dramatically lower with the No. 11 Pepperdine Waves coming into town for a three-game series.

The Waves come in with a 2–1 record after its series at UNLV last weekend.

Pepperdine also retains the WCC’s Pitcher of the Year in Paul Coleman.

The Bulldog bullpen is littered with youth and many of them have struggled pitching against potent offenses such as Cal Poly and UCLA.

“It’s just freshmen adjusting to Division I baseball,” Batesole said.

Batesole says that with patience, knowing there is an entire season ahead of his young ballplayers.

“You’ve got to keep the big picture in mind,” Batesole said.

That means the rest of the eight players on the field are not in stone either.

Sophomore Steve Susdorf has put the bat on the ball as good as any player on the team, yet is still a question mark to be in the lineup against left-handed pitchers.

"We have 30 guys on this club that have worked hard and deserve a chance," Batesole said.

Susdorf, of course, would rather play regardless of who is pitching, but said he most definitely wants whoever is in the lineup to succeed.

"Yeah, of course," Susdorf said.

That is the belief of the entire team, as Susdorf says the team is a very close group, definitely much more so now than any time in the past.

"We're a very close team this year," Susdorf said.

They will need to be with Pepperdine lurking in the horizon.

Luckily for the Bulldogs, the Waves will have to deal with the grind that comes with playing on the road, something Fresno State has endured the past two weekends.

Either way, Susdorf is looking forward to the challenge that a top-10 caliber team brings to the table.
"I'm looking forward to playing a real good team," Susdorf said.

Batesole said the Waves have outstanding team speed and always rank among the nation's elite in defense.

With that being the case, it is difficult to expect a sweep of the Waves, but that's not the mentality of the Bulldogs anyway.

"I don't think a sweep," Susdorf said. "The goal is to win the series—but a sweep would be nice."

Sweep or not Batesole said Bulldog fans will have plenty to be excited about during the three game series.
“You’re gonna see some exciting baseball,” Batesole said.

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