April 23, 2008

Final Stats

(Fresno, CA) - A solid seven innings from San Francisco starter Evan Fredrickson and a 4-3 lead couldn't hold off Fresno State as the Bulldogs (25-17) came back to earn the 5-4 victory. USF (23-18) had a lopsided 13-6 hits advantage, but couldn't capitalize on nine runners left on base.

Freshman left fielder Connor Bernatz had a career high five hits in the contest, just one less than the entire Fresno State lineup. Bernatz added an RBI and a run scored, and is now batting .396 on the season. Sophomore catcher Ryan Lipkin had two hits, including a homerun and two RBI. Senior first baseman Mitchell Bialosky also had two hits and an RBI. Sophomore center fielder Bobby Ethel doubled, as did junior designated hitter Zach Kim. Senior second baseman Joey Railey and senior shortstop Tavo Hall each had singles.

Junior left-hander Evan Fredrickson left the game after 7.0 innings, holding a 4-3 lead. Fredrickson settled down after allowing three runs in the third. He gave up a double to the first batter of the fourth, but then retired the next nine consecutive batters he faced, before giving up a single in the seventh. Fredrickson allowed the three runs off four hits and six walks, but struck out 12 Bulldogs. The 12 strikeouts are the second double figure count for the Virginia Tech transfer this season. His previous high was 13 against Cal in the Dante Benedetti Classic at AT&T Park on April 1.

Sophomore right-hander Alex Kalogrides (3-2) took the loss in relief, allowing two earned runs off two hits, one walk and struck out one Bulldog in 1.0 inning.

USF put up single runs in the second, fifth, seventh, and eighth to hold the 4-3 lead going into the bottom of the eighth. In the second, Lipkin hit his second homerun of the season, a solo shot to center field. In the fifth, Bernatz singled and scored an out later on Bialosky's single. Bernatz had a RBI single in the seventh, scoring Hall who had singled earlier in the frame. Kim doubled with one out in the eighth, and scored on Lipkin's single through the left side.

Fresno State scored all of their runs in the third with two outs. A double and three consecutive walks plated the first run, a wild pitch scored the second, and the third scored on another wild pitch. In the eighth, the Bulldogs had to work a little harder. Their first run came off two singles and a walk, but the second scored much like the runs in the third. A wild pitch advanced a runner to third, which then scored on a throwing error by Dons freshman catcher Travis Higgs.

USF had a runner as far as second in the top of the ninth, but couldn't come all the way back.

Bulldog's senior right-hander Jason Breckley (1-0) earned the win in relief, getting the last out of the eighth inning.

USF returns to action this weekend, hosting Portland for a West Coast Conference weekend set at Benedetti Diamond. Friday's contest is set for 3:00 PM, while Saturday's and Sunday's games are scheduled for 1:00 PM.