Alumni team forces extra-innings before succumbing to 2007 squad
Photo illustration by
Juan Villa / The Collegian
Tommy Mendonca, one of the newcomers on Fresno State’s baseball team, makes a bare-handed pick-up and throw to get the out at first base. The 2007 Bulldogs defeated the Bulldogs Alumni team 2-1 in extra innings. |
By Kim Anderson
The Collegian
Three up. Three down.
That’s how most of the innings went in the Fresno State baseball team’s 2-1 victory over the Alumni team Saturday.
“Playing with the guys from last season is always fun,” junior Steve Susdorf said. “It was just a fun and very laid back game.”
Players for the alumni included names well known not only in Fresno but also on a national level.
Among those playing on the Alumni team were Josh Labandeira, a member of the Florida Marlins organization and Brandon Gemoll, part of the Philadelphia Phillies organization.
Major league pitcher and World Series champion Jeff Weaver pitched the first inning for the alumni and allowed two hits.
“We had some good pitches to hit,” Susdorf said. “These guys are a lot of fun to play.”
Other familiar names included Nick Moresi, Christian Vitters, Matt Garza and Kent Sakamoto. All are recent graduates of Fresno State and part of last year’s championship team.
“This game was a lot of fun,” sophomore Danny Grubb said. “We know what we need to work on; we are just getting our feet wet.”
The game was scoreless until the fifth inning when Eric Wetzel hit a single and then advanced to second base on an error.
Next at bat was Grubb who hit the first RBI for the ‘Dogs, bringing Wetzel in from second and putting the Bulldogs up, 1-0.
The alumni tied it up in the seventh inning when Moresi hit a home run.
The game stayed tied until the bottom of the 10th inning when Ozzie Lewis hit a single and then advanced to second base on a failed pick-off attempt. Susdorf then hit an RBI double down the left field line to score Lewis and end the game.
“Pitching did very good and our hitting was alright,” Susdorf said. “Overall, it was a productive day.”
The Fresno State pitching staff allowed five hits in 32 at bats while the ‘Dogs offense had 10 hits in 36 at bats.
“We know we can hit,” Grubb said. “We are getting ready for San Francisco. That will be the real test.”
The Bulldogs will start their season with a three-game non-conference weekend series against San Francisco at Pete Beiden Field. First pitch is Friday at 6:05 p.m.
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