FRESNO, Calif.—Fresno State edged CSU Bakersfield 6-4 Tuesday night at Beiden Field. 

Zach Ashford led off the Fresno State second with a single. With one out, McCarthy Tatum walked before Joe Prior grounded out to first. The ground out advanced both runners for Kolby Batesole. A Max Carter wild pitch allowed Ashford to score and Tatum to go to third. Carter worked out of the inning as he got Batesole to fly out to left for the third out.

Mahlik Jones led off the CSUB third with an infield single. He moved to second on a successful Dustin Frailey sacrifice bunt. Cody White reached on another infield single to bring up David Metzgar. Metzgar grounded into 6-4 fielder's choice, but Jones scored to tie the score. Carter hit a shot off of the leg of Fresno State starter Edgar Gonzalez, but Gonzalez was able to toss the ball to Kevin Viers at first to record the final out.

Carter hit Ryan Dobson to get the Bulldogs' third underway. With one away, Brody Russell, a Bakersfield native, doubled down the left field line to plate Dobson, returning the lead to Fresno State. Jake Stone, the Bulldogs' No. 3 hitter, walked. Like Russell, Ashford doubled down the left field line, this time scoring two Fresno State runs. Carter struck out Viers before Tatum struck out looking to end the inning. 

Russell walked to begin the Fresno State fifth. With one out, Ashford recorded his third hit, an opposite field single to left. With runners on first and second, Viers grounded out to first allowing both runners to move up a base. Tatum singled to left to drive in two runs. Tatum stole second on Moten's first pitch to Prior.

Carter reached on an infield single with one out in the top of the sixth and moved to second on an error by Batesole, the Bulldogs' shortstop. Chance Gusbeth worked out a walk off of Fresno State reliever Brennon Williams. Drew Seelman loaded the bases with an infield singled to third. Ryan Grotjohn recorded a sac fly to center that drove in Carter. Both runners advanced as Williams faced Joey Sanchez. Sanchez got his first hit in 12 at-bats on the season with single up the middle, scoring two. Rickey Ramirez relieved Williams. He would get Mahlik Jones with two outs on the board. Jones recorded his second double of the year to get Sanchez to third. Frailey lined out to right to conclude the frame.

Jones went 2-for-3 with a run score and pitched a scoreless sixth inning before being relieved by Adam Coats to start the seventh. Ashford would go 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI's before being lifted for a pinch-hitter Aaron Arruda in the seventh. Arruda singled to left to bring up Viers who flew out to left. With the count 1-1 on Tatum, Arruda stole second. Tatum worked out a walk for Prior's spot in the lineup. Jarrett Veiga relieved Coats as the Bulldogs went to pinch-hitter Torin Goldstein. Veiga's first pitch got away from White behind the dish, allowing both runners to move up 90-feet. With the count 2-0, Goldstein grounded out to second for the final out.

Gusbeth singled to begin the CSUB eighth but Seelman would strike out. Pinch-hitter Sergio Robles would also strike out as Gusbeth was caught stealing second for the double play. Guibor posted his second hit of the night, an infield single with two outs in the eighth. Gusbeth became the sixth pitcher of the night for the Roadrunners when he relieved Matthew Franco as CSUB sent the right handed throwing Gusbeth against the right handed hitting Russell. Up 1-2 in the count, Gusbeth hit Russell. Stone walked to load the bases. Arruda struck out looking to keep it a two-run game.

Fresno State closer Tim Borst came on in the ninth and began the inning by giving up a single to Sanchez. With one out, Frailey singled to left center. With the tying run at first, White struck out for the third time in the game. Metzgar struck out to end the game.

CSUB outhit the Bulldogs 11-8, but left eight on base and struck out eight times. Frailey and White both had two hits. Fresno State improved to 9-0 on the year.

“I thought we hit the ball really well, but we made a couple of mistakes on the mound that cost us the game,” said CSUB head coach Bob Macaluso. “We want to see who can earn a spot and help the team win. We want to get guys quality playing time so they are ready to go when they are called upon in the next couple of weeks and conference play.”

The Roadrunners (4-3) will return to the field this weekend at the University of Arizona Wildcat Classic. CSUB will play four games in Tucson, beginning Friday against Saint Mary's at 2 p.m. (MST).  The Roadrunners return home Mar. 11-13 when CSUB hosts UC Riverside. Tickets are available through the CSUB Ticket Office at (661) 654-BLUE or tickets@csub.edu, or online at Vallitix.com.

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