FRESNO, California – Fresno State clipped HBU in a pair of one-run affairs in a non-conference baseball doubleheader, 7-6 and 3-2, Saturday afternoon at Bob Bennett Stadium.
In the first game, senior shortstop
Tyler Depreta-Johnson went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, an RBI and scored twice, while senior centerfielder
Spencer Halloran was 3-for-5 with a double, a home run, an RBI and also scored twice. Junior designated hitter
Grant Buck was 2-for-3 and drove in a run and junior rightfielder
Brady Batten hit a home run for the Huskies (3-4).
Lefthander
Matthew McCollough allowed five runs on eight hits and struck out five without a walk in six innings. Senior righthander
Matt Heck tossed a scoreless inning, but junior righthander
JT Newton (0-1) suffered his first loss as a Husky, giving up two runs on three hits in one inning of work.
Zach Ashford went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and scored a run for the Bulldogs (6-2) and McCarthy Tatum went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and scored. Zach Presno hit a two-run home run, JT Arruda went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and scored, while Nick Warren went 2-for-4 and scored a run.
Nikoh Mitchell (1-0) threw four innings of relief, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out five without a walk to earn the win. Starter Oscar Carvajal gave up four runs on nine hits, struck out four and walked two in 4.1 innings.
Back-to-back doubles by Depreta-Johnson and senior first baseman
Carey Jones put the Huskies on the board first in the top of the second, then Buck followed with an RBI single. Pulcheon added an RBI single in the third to extend HBU advantage to 3-0.
In the fourth, Arruda delivered an RBI double, then Presno tied the game with a two-run homer to leftcenter.
Halloran led of the fifth with an opposite-field, solo shot to right center, but Fresno State answered with and RBI single by Carter Bins and an RBI double by Tatum to take its first lead of the series at 5-4.
Depreta-Johnson tied the game with a solo home run to left to lead off the eighth, then two batters later, Batten's opposite-field solo blast put the Huskies back on top, 6-5.
Newton came on in the eight and allowed a leadoff single to Warren, then Nate Thimjon tied the game with an RBI triple to center. Ashford came through with an RBI single to put the Bulldogs ahead for good.
Edgar Gonzalez (2-0) shut the Huskies out for eight innings, allowing only three hits, striking out 17 without a walk in the nightcap. Chad Wilson and JJ Santa Cruz each allowed a run in the ninth, but Santa Cruz held on for his first save of the season.
Halloran went 1-for-4 with a double and scored a run for HBU, while junior centerfielder
Jonathan Ducoff went 2-for-3. Pulcheon and junior catcher
Erik Voller each drove in a run.
Bins went 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs for the Bulldogs and Jeremiah Burks hit a solo shot.
In his first career start at HBU, senior righthander
Marshall Herron allowed three runs on six hits with a strikeout and a walk in five innings. Junior lefty
Taylor Franzman threw two shutout innings and senior righty
Tanner Luna threw a scoreless eighth.
Fresno State rallied for three runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. Burks hit a solo shot to leftcenter off Herron, then Korby Batesole was hit by a pitch and Bins followed with a two-run homer to left for a 3-0 lead.
Halloran led off the ninth against Wilson with a double off the top of the leftfield wall, then
Brady Batten drew a walk. After Heck struck out, Pulcheon delivered an RBI single to right and pinch runner
Anthony Jones went to third on the play. Depreta-Johnson walked to load the bases and Voller lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Jones and moving pinch runner
Zach Carter to third with the second out. Junior designated hitter
Jake Scott battled to a 3-2 count and took ball four for a walk. The ball skipped away from the catcher, so Carter broke for home, but Santa Cruz blocked the plate and tagged Carter for the final out.
The series concludes with a 3:05 p.m. CST first pitch Sunday. The Legacy Sports Network audio broadcast with
Russ Reneau will be available on HBUHuskies.com, beginning at 2:55 p.m. CST with the pregame show.
