Fifth-seeded Fresno State eliminated sixth-seeded Louisiana Tech 6-4 to advance to its seventh straight WAC Tournament championship round, where the `Dogs downed second-seeded Sac State 9-6 and forced a winner-take-all game against the Hornets on Sunday at noon.
The Bulldogs will face the Hornets one final time for the 2012 WAC Tournament Championship on Sunday at noon.
By Stephen Trembley strembley@csufresno.edu GoBulldogs.com
MESA, Ariz. --- The Fresno State baseball team did what it does best - win when it matters!
The Bulldogs rallied to stave off elimination twice on Saturday and beat both Louisiana Tech 6-4 and Sacramento State 9-6 to force a winner-take-all Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship game on Sunday at noon.
"Our kids played with a lot of heart," Fresno State head baseball coach Mike Batesole said. "We pitched really well and turned some big double plays when we needed them. We made a lot of mistakes today, but we plowed right through them. I was proud of the way we fought through it and kept getting to the next pitch time and time again. We played like a team that wants to win this."
Fresno State (29-26) has now played in the WAC title game in each of the past seven seasons and will go for its sixth tournament crown in those seven years when the 'Dogs and Hornets meet for the sixth time this season in the Sunday finale that will be featured live on AM 940 KYNO.
There is no television coverage for the contest, but a live video feed (subscription required) is available at www.wac.tv.
Sac State (31-27) was one of three regular season tri-champions, but the Bulldogs own the series edge between the schools as winners in three of the five meetings this year.
Fresno State is now 4-1 in this year's WAC Tournament and becomes the only school to ever play in six games in a single tournament.
GAME 9: No. 5 Fresno State 6, No. 6 Louisiana Tech 4 Taylor Garrison pitched 5.0 innings in relief with five strikeouts while not allowing a run to power Fresno State past Louisiana Tech 6-4 on Saturday.
Freshman Jordan Luplow led the Bulldogs at the plate with a 3-for-4 performance.
Luplow recorded a game-high four RBI in the victory.
Tyler Qualls led LA Tech with a 3-for-3 effort at the plate with two runs and two RBI.
GAME 10: Fresno State 9, Sacramento State 6
Fresno State used a four-run seventh inning to come-from-behind to defeat Sacramento State 9-6 on Saturday night, forcing a winner-take-all showdown on Sunday at noon for the 2012 WAC Tournament title.
Gene Escat picked up the win on the mound after going 3.1 innings with four strikeouts while giving up only one earned run in relief work.
Fresno State tallied five consecutive walks that led four runs scored in the seventh inning.
BULLDOG BONES
• Fresno State now owns a 26-4 record in the WAC Tournament games since 2006.
• Fresno State is now 84-31 during the month of May since 2006.
• Fresno State is now 11-4 in May games this season, which is the program's best record for the crucial month since the 'Dogs went 10-3 in 2007 and 13-0 in 2006.
• Under head coach Mike Batesole, the Bulldogs are now 40-14 in postseason play, including both the WAC and NCAA Tournaments combined.
2012 WAC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT (Mesa, Ariz.) Wednesday, May 23 GAME 1: No. 5 Fresno State 8, No. 4 Hawai'i 2
GAME 2: No. 3 Nevada 4, No. 6 Louisiana Tech 3
Thursday, May 24
GAME 3: No. 6 Louisiana Tech 9, No. 4 Hawai'i 6 (Hawai'i Eliminated)
GAME 4: No. 2 Sacramento State 15, No. 3 Nevada 5 (8) GAME 5: No. 5 Fresno State 15, No. 1 New Mexico State 8
Friday, May 25
GAME 6: No. 6 Louisiana Tech 15, No. 1 New Mexico State 12 (NMSU Eliminated)
GAME 7: No. 6 Louisiana Tech 18, No. 3 Nevada 5 (Nevada Eliminated) GAME 8: No. 2 Sacramento State 8, No. 5 Fresno State 3
Saturday, May 26 GAME 9: No. 5 Fresno State 6, No. 6 Louisiana Tech 4 (LA Tech Eliminated) GAME 10: No. 5 Fresno State 9, No. 2 Sacramento State 6
Sunday, May 27 (If Necessary) GAME 11: No. 5 Fresno State vs. No. 2 Sacramento State (Noon PT)
(Winner Receives Automatic Bid to NCAA Tournament)
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