Freshman Jordan Luplow went 2-for-3 against Stanford ace Mark Appel, but the Bulldogs suffered their first loss in a week falling to Stanford 9-1 in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Junior Justin Haley struck out five, but suffered just his fourth loss of the season on Friday night.
2012 NCAA STANFORD REGIONAL Friday, June 1
Game 1: No. 2 seed Pepperdine 6, No. 3 seed Michigan State 2 Game 2: No. 1 seed Stanford 9, No. 4 seed Fresno State 1
Saturday, June 2 1 p.m. -- Game 3: No. 3 seed Michigan State vs. No. 4 seed Fresno State (Elimination Game)
6 p.m. -- Game 4: No. 2 seed Pepperdine vs. No. 1 seed Stanford
Sunday, June 3
1 p.m. -- Game 5: Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4
6 p.m. -- Game 6: Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5
Monday, June 4
6 p.m. -- Game 7 (if necessary)
By Stephen Trembley strembley@csufresno.edu GoBulldogs.com
STANFORD, Calif. --- The Fresno State baseball team suffered a 9-1 loss to the No. 13-ranked Stanford Cardinal and ace pitcher Mark Appel on Friday night in the opening round of the 2012 NCAA Stanford Regional.
The Bulldogs (30-27) kept the game close until the Cardinal (39-16) scored two runs in the fifth and three times in the sixth to build a 5-0 lead.
Fresno State got its only run of the game when redshirt junior Trent Garrison pulled a RBI double down the right-field line in the seventh to plate sophomore Jake Alvarez from second.
Appel, who is expected to be one of the top picks in the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft, threw a complete game four-hitter and struck out 11 Bulldogs in facing just 30 batters - three over the minimum.
Fresno State countered with right-handed pitcher Justin Haley after scratching southpaw Tyler Linehan due to injury. Haley provided a gutsy effort of 5.2 innings and earned five strikeouts, but allowed five runs, six walks and eight hits.
The loss sends the Bulldogs into their fourth elimination game of the season when Fresno State will face Michigan State at 1 p.m. PT in the first meeting between the schools in baseball.
The game can be viewed live on ESPN3 and also broadcast on AM 940 KYNO.
"Discover Fresno State Athletics!" - AM 940 KYNO is the flagship radio station for Bulldog Baseball.
