New outlook for Bulldogs breeds winning
Attitude, confidence will play a huge role in getting back to postseason
Ryan Tubongbanua / The Collegian
Above: Becoming a leader is something that has helped Christian Vitters and the young Bulldog baseball team reach success early on in the 2006 season.
Below: Third base coach Matt Curtis gives Fresno State's Beau Mills some words to remember after Mills advanced to third base.
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By Darrell Copeland III
The Collegian
The beginning of the season has also been the end of the season for the Bulldog baseball team—in years past.
Luckily for the 2006 Diamond Dogs, this year is another year.
Players who were once considered young and inexperienced are now more along the lines of a veteran.
Junior shortstop Christian Vitters would fall into that category.
Vitters has made a huge breakthrough defensively this season, having made only one error in nine games, a year after making 19 errors in 59 games.
“Being a junior and going through it for two years helps a lot,” Vitters said.
Not only has Vitters drastically decreased his errors, but he has also expanded his range and now routinely makes the spectacular plays.
After a 1–9 start last season and an 0-–3 start to this season, it looked as though the Bulldogs were going to be in for another whirlwind season under head coach Mike Batesole.
But since then, Fresno State has rolled off victories in four of its last six games, including taking 2 of 3 from then No. 11 ranked Pepperdine.
The Bulldogs themselves were ranked No. 21 this preseason by Baseball America, but fell out after being swept by unranked Cal Poly.
High expectations, and absolutely the highest expectations under Batesole's reign have been placed on this year's squad.
"This year has to be the year," Vitters said.
 Technically speaking, it doesn't, but for Vitters and the rest of his teammates, including third baseman and designated hitter Beau Mills, it may have to be the year if pride carries any validity.
Not to say this has to be the year for a national title, but making the postseason and getting back to the 40-win-a -year seasons that the Bulldogs had under former coach Bob Bennett would be sufficient.
Mills, however, does not throw the possibility of a national championship out of the question.
"I think the team we have right now is good enough to go all the way," Mills said.
This weekend, Utah Valley State comes to visit for a three game series with the Bulldogs after losing 3 of 4 to Southern Utah last weekend.
That should spell good news for the Bulldogs, who seemed to have found new life in some capacity this season.
"I think the attitude with everyone has changed," Mills said.
Fresno State expects to handle the Wolverines, and if its play of late is any sign, it should.
"We definitely expect to sweep," Vitters said. "We don't want to come out and play lazy ball."
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