March 5, 2006
Box Score
Fresno, Calif. -
Brandon Burke put together a solid start in his second opportunity of the season, and the Fresno State offense did the rest in a 16-5 walk over Portland Sunday. Junior Loren Storey was 3-for-4 with four runs scored, senior Kent Sakamoto was 1-for-1 with three walks and five runs, and Beau Mills hit a three-run home run in the second inning to cap a perfect day from the plate for the sophomore.
Brandon Burke made the start after getting a save on Wednesday against San Francisco, and was in control early, making his way through the Portland lineup once before allowing a runner, by which time the game was hardly in doubt. Steve Susdorf led off the first inning with a hit, and after Portland starter Josh Roberts walked two batters to load the bases, Beau Mills doubled to right to score two runs, part of a 3-for-3 day for the sophomore third baseman. The Bulldogs would score three more runs in the inning, moving through the entire lineup in the first.
Roberts was able to get one out in the second inning, but a single from Loren Storey and Kent Sakamoto's second of three walks brought Roberts' day to an end. Reliever Blaine Hardy did not fare much better, as Beau Mills lifted Hardy's first offering deep to left to put the Bulldogs ahead 8-0. Portland got on the board in the fourth, but Fresno State extended their lead in the frame anyway, scoring three runs after a leadoff double by Storey to move ahead 11-2, and added three more in the fifth inning.
Burke took an early seat to let some of the other bullpen members get some work, as
Rashad Tucker moved through the seventh in his second appearance of the year, and
Tanner Scheppers worked two hitless innings to close out the game for the Bulldogs.
Less than a month after grabbing the 350th total win of his career as a head coach, Bulldogs skipper Mike Batesole joined Pete Beiden and Bob Bennett as the only coaches to record 100 wins in the 83-year history of the program.
The Bulldogs will host San Francisco for two games this week on Tuesday and Wednesday against San Francisco with both games starting at 6:35 p.m. Following those games, the team will rest for a few days before playing seven games in seven days, starting with Bucknell on Sunday, March 12 before beginning the 2006 Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic on Monday, March 13.
