The Bulldogs' pitching tandem of Tyler Linehan and Jordan Brink combined for 14 strikeouts and freshman Taylor Ward delivered the game-winner with a tenth-inning walk-off solo home run.
Jordan Luplow, who had missed five weeks due to a shoulder injury, returned to the Bulldogs' lineup as the designated hitter, but Fresno State drops series opener to UNLV.
Fresno State sophomore right-hander Derick Velazquez pitched 7.1 scoreless innings to help the Bulldogs even their series with Nevada and set up a rubber game on Saturday.
HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Shadow Hills High School, where he helped lead the team to a 20-5 record as a senior ... a two-time first-team De Anza League honoree ... named De Anza League Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year as a junior ... also named first-team All-CIF ... holds school records for batting average, hits, triples, home runs and RBI ... first athlete in school history to receive Division I scholarship ... following his senior season, drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 31st Round of the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft.
PERSONAL: Born Dec. 14, 1993 in Tipp City, Ohio ... hometown is Indio, Calif. ... parents are Joe and Samantha Ward ... has one brother, Wesley, and one sister, Kyndell ... enjoys baseball and playing video games ... favorite athlete is Mike Napoli because he is a flexible Major League catcher with a strong bat ... biggest athletic thrill is a combination of signing his National Letter of Intent to attend Fresno State, being drafted by Tampa Bay out of high school and hitting a grand slam in the playoffs as a senior in high school ... most admires his parents and brother ... chose to attend Fresno State because it is a great baseball school and the tradition of the program ... also recruited by UC Irvine, UC Riverside and UC Santa Barbara ... major is undeclared.
