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`Runners Return Home to Play Dartmouth

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The CSU Bakersfield baseball team will host its first series since the start of the 2018 season this weekend at Hardt Field.  The Roadrunners host the Big Green of Dartmouth College for a four-game series beginning on Thursday and continuing through Sunday. 

Series History
This series is the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Scouting Dartmouth
The Big Green has played just six games this season as they head west for a 10-game road trip.  Dartmouth will play UC Santa Barbara tonight, before making the trip to Hardt Field for a four-game set. 

Dartmouth was swept to start the season by Georgia Tech before sandwiching a loss to Northeastern University with victories over Villanova University and Georgetown University.  The Big Green should be well rested as they have not hit the diamond since March 4.  Last season, Dartmouth recorded a 22-17 record and finished second in the Ivy League. 

Probable Starters
 
CSUB Dartmouth
Thursday Ben Cutting (0-3, 7.31 ERA) Cole O'Connor (1-1, 2.25 ERA)
Friday Davonte Butler (1-2, 5.16 ERA) Jack Fossand (0-1, 7.71 ERA)
Saturday TBD Clay Chatham (1-0, 4.38 ERA)
Sunday TBD TBD

Team Comparison
 
CSUB Dartmouth
Batting Average .246 .278
Scoring Average 3.8 6.3
On-Base Percentage .321 .329
Slugging Percentage .293 .375
Extra-base hits 20 13
Stolen Bases 10 4
ERA 6.84 7.24
WHIP 1.92 1.88
Strikeouts 110 41
Fielding Percentage .950 .960

Category Leaders
CSUB Dartmouth
Batting Average Penner .381 Sullivan .417
Runs Scored Berkey 12 Sullivan 7
On-Base Percentage Penner .473 Sullivan .462
Slugging Percentage Berkey .458 Calamari .480
RBI Koch 7 Holbrook 6
Extra-base hits Berkey 5 Ostmo 3
Stolen Bases Penner 2 4 tied with... 1
Innings Pitched Butler 22.2 Chatham 12.1
ERA Daily 0.00 O'Connor 2.25
Strikeouts Butler 17 O'Connor 11


Last Time Out
The `Runner ran into some trouble in South Carolina as the College of Charleston took all three games over the weekend tilt. 

On Sunday, CSUB was defeated by the Cougars in the series finale, 10-1.  Trailing 1-0 after the `Runners knotted the score at one in the top of the third.  With one out in the inning, Austyn Tengan got things going for the visitors with a single through the left side.  Jassen Oliver traded places with Tengan after hitting into a fielder's choice and eventually moved all the way to third on a failed pickoff attempt by the Cougar hurler.  Noah Barba singled up the middle to score Oliver and get CSUB on the scoreboard.  Andrew Penner followed Barba with another single to extend his hitting streak to seven games, but the `Runners would not score again. 

CSUB was unable to solve the Charleston pitching staff and was held to just two hits the rest of the way.  The bullpen was a bright spot for the `Runners as Kyle King, Alec Daily and Naithen Dewsnap didn't allow an earned run over the final five innings.  Daily has yet to allow an earned run this season and has eight strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings pitched.  Dewsnap tossed his second-straight scoreless frame and lowered his ERA to 2.53 for the season. 

Freshman Davonte Butler started out strong against the Cougars on Saturday.  After allowing a leadoff single to start the game, he retired 10 straight batters before giving up a double in the fourth inning.  Charleston scored two in the inning and added three in the fifth to chase the freshman.  His final stat line was five innings pitched, seven hits, four earned runs and a strikeout against a strong Cougar lineup. 

"Our guys have plenty of fight inside them," said CSUB manager Jeremy Beard following Saturday's contest.  "The key to our long-term success is our attitude and will to get better.  These guys are relentless and we need to understand what our strengths are and work from there.  It's never easy when you don't have experience and that has shown up in the preseason so far. 

Strong Schedule
The `Runners have played a tough non-conference schedule to open the 2018 season.  Currently, CSUB ranks 67th in the country in strength of schedule.  So far this spring, their opponents have compiled a 117-89 record and two teams have cracked the top-25 rankings.  Charleston has not received a national ranking yet, but are rated 25th in the last RPI rankings. 

Seniors Coming Through
Daily and Dewsnap have been critical pieces to the `Runner pitching staff so far in 2018.  Daily has made three appearances and has yet to allow an earned run in 6 1/3 innings pitched, while Dewsnap has struck out 16 batters in just 10 2/3 innings and sports a 2.53 earned run average. 

Daily picked up the win for CSUB against UNLV last week after he tossed three innings and struck out five against the nationally-ranked Rebels. He also performed well on the mound and at the plate at Charleston.  Daily made two starts at first base and went 2-for-6 with a RBI before heading to the mound. 

Dewsnap has given up an earned run in just one appearance so far in 2018.  Cal touched him for three earned runs in two innings pitched on Feb. 25.  Since then, the preseason all-American and all-conference selection has struck out 10 batters in 6 2/3 innings and has yielded just one extra base hit.  The senior struck out the side in his only inning against No. 23 UNLV. 

Ortega Shutting Down the Running Game
Do not steal on catcher Jake Ortega.  The junior has thrown out nine potential base stealers on only 14 attempts.  That number leads the WAC by three as New Mexico State University's Mason Fishback is second in the league with just six.  At the plate, Ortega is hitting .255 with a triple and five RBI.  He ranks fourth on the team with 14 hits and is second on the squad with nine runs scored. 

Penner Producing
Penner continues to perform at a high level in the batter's box this spring.  He is carrying the `Runner offense and leads the team in batting average (.381), hits (24), total bases (28), walks (8) and on-base percentage (.473). 

The senior is currently riding a seven-game hitting streak and leads CSUB with nine multi-hit games.  Penner has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games after not get on in the in the season opener against UC Davis.  He currently ranks sixth in the conference in batting average and trails only NMSU's Fishback in hits (27).  Penner's 24 hits rank 55th in the country.  He is also the most difficult batter in the WAC to strikeout, as he has fanned just once in every 12.6 at-bats this season. 

Friendly Confines of Hardt Field
CSUB is 3-3 in home games this fall, but went 20-8 at home in 2017, including an 8-3 mark in conference play.  All-time, CUSB is 152-107 at Hardt Field and has been under .500 for the season just twice.  The `Runners best mark at home came in 2013 when they went 23-9 and had wins over Nebraska, USC and had two victories against Fresno State. 
 
 
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Players Mentioned

Alec Daily

#5 Alec Daily

P/1B
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
L/L
Naithen Dewsnap

#22 Naithen Dewsnap

P
6' 4"
Senior
R/R
Jassen Oliver

#13 Jassen Oliver

OF
6' 1"
Senior
R/R
Jake Ortega

#33 Jake Ortega

C/INF
5' 10"
Junior
L/R
Andrew Penner

#7 Andrew Penner

C/OF
5' 11"
Senior
R/R
Austyn Tengan

#12 Austyn Tengan

INF
5' 8"
Sophomore
L/R
Ben Cutting

#51 Ben Cutting

LHP
6' 1"
Junior
L/L
Kyle King

#36 Kyle King

P
5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
L/L
Noah Barba

#2 Noah Barba

OF
5' 11"
Junior
L/R
Davonté Butler

#15 Davonté Butler

OF/P
6' 0"
Freshman
R/R

Players Mentioned

Alec Daily

#5 Alec Daily

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
L/L
P/1B
Naithen Dewsnap

#22 Naithen Dewsnap

6' 4"
Senior
R/R
P
Jassen Oliver

#13 Jassen Oliver

6' 1"
Senior
R/R
OF
Jake Ortega

#33 Jake Ortega

5' 10"
Junior
L/R
C/INF
Andrew Penner

#7 Andrew Penner

5' 11"
Senior
R/R
C/OF
Austyn Tengan

#12 Austyn Tengan

5' 8"
Sophomore
L/R
INF
Ben Cutting

#51 Ben Cutting

6' 1"
Junior
L/L
LHP
Kyle King

#36 Kyle King

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
L/L
P
Noah Barba

#2 Noah Barba

5' 11"
Junior
L/R
OF
Davonté Butler

#15 Davonté Butler

6' 0"
Freshman
R/R
OF/P
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