Fresno, Calif. – Center fielder Dylan Johnson laced a two-out, bases-clearing single in the bottom of the first, and the Bulldogs never trailed, racing past CSU Bakersfield, 13-2, in the season opener for both teams.
Johnson finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored to lead the Bulldogs who pounded out 17 hits, including eight for extra bases.
CSUB finished with eight hits, including a pair from senior right-fielder Nick Grossman. Senior Evan Berkey was 1-for-2, with a pair of walks.
Angel Saldivar put the `Runners on the board in the fifth inning, leading off the frame with a deep drive that easily cleared the left-field fence.
Bakersfield struck again in the seventh, when Eric Charles tripled, before coming around to score on an Aaron Casillas RBI ground out.
Ethan Skuija took the loss for CSUB, allowing five earned over two innings pitched, on four hits and four bases on balls. Skuija had three of the Roadrunners 10 strikeouts on the afternoon.
Fresno's starter Jamison Hill lasted six innings, scattering six hits and walking a pair and allowing just one earned run.
The two teams will square off again on Saturday, with first pitch set for 3:05 P.M., at Fresno's Beiden Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
First Inning | 3-0, Fresno
Two-walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs in the Fresno State first. `Runner starter Ethan Skuija nearly escaped the jam with a pair of strikeouts, but Johnson's two-out, three-run triple staked Fresno State to an early lead.
Second Inning | 5-0, Fresno
Zach Presno followed a two-out walk, with a towering home run to center field increasing the Bulldog advantage.
Third Inning | 6-0, Fresno State
With two outs in the frame, Josh Lauck reached on a doubled to left-center field. Lauck would advance to third on a passed ball, before scoring on a Cody Tucker balk.
Fifth Inning | 9-1, Fresno State
Angel Saldivar's solo shot put the `Runners on the board, but FSU answered with three more runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. Zach Morgan plated Johnson with a sacrifice fly to Jacen Roberson in center field, before Andrew Kachel ripped a two-out single through the left-side to score two more Bulldogs.
Sixth Inning | 12-1, Fresno State
Fresno State recorded four hits in the inning, including three-consecutive RBI base hits from Lauck, Morgan and Matt Ottino.
Seventh Inning | 13-2, Fresno State
Senior Eric Charles reached on a one-out triple to left, and sophomore Aaron Casillas followed with an RBI ground out in his first at bat of the season. The Bulldogs answered again, when Nick Thimjon belted a 1-1 fastball over the left-field fence.
NOTABLE:
• Newcomers Jashia Morrissey and Evan Ianniciello each collected the first hit of their college careers. Morrissey finished 1-for-3, while Ianniciello was 1-for-4.
• Saldivar's fifth-inning homer was the first of his career.
• Tyler Jorgensen finished 0-4, failing to reach base for the first time since the 2019 season finale. Jorgensen reached base in all 14 games, recording at least one hit
in 12 contests, during the abbreviated 2020 campaign.
• The Bulldogs scored nine runs with two outs, hitting 9-for-17 with two outs for the game. Fresno State also finished 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position.
• Alternatively, CSUB was just 2-for-13 with runners on base and 0-for-7 with men in scoring position.
• Bakersfield has lost four-straight season openers. The `Runners lost the 2020 season opener to Washington State, before bouncing back to take the final two games
of the series.
QUOTABLE:
"We can learn as much from this game as we can from a 1-0 loss. Our guys will evaluate their experience today and learn from it and get better. It started on the mound, falling behind in the majority of our pitch counts early in the game. Fresno is too experienced of a lineup to allow that to happen and expect success. Momentum was never in our dugout today and that made it hard once we fell behind. Tomorrow is a new day and new opportunity to get better"
- CSUB Head Coach Jeremy Beard
"Today's result is not what we wanted, but I'm fully confident in this team and know we'll bounce back, starting tomorrow. It wasn't our day, but the guys competed and when we get into a groove I know we'll pitch and run our offense at the level were capable of reaching. I'm proud of the guys and excited about watching our team get after it and progress this season."
- Angel Saldivar
