• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

July 15, 2008

LOS ANGELES - After an amazing run that led to the College World Series and NCAA championship, the Bulldog baseball team continues to be America's darling team.

That has led to appearances on national radio talk shows and countless invitations to be honored. Recently the team appeared on the California State Assembly and Senate floors. A resolution was read honoring the Bulldogs in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Tuesday members of the team arrived in Los Angeles for the popular ESPY Awards show.

The Bulldogs have been nominated for an ESPY award and were invited to participate in the show's many festivities by ESPN. The Dogs were invited to participate in the Style Studio at the Standard-Downtown Hotel and will join other nominees and celebrities for the ESPY Pool Party and Major League All-Star Game watch party at the hotel.

On Wednesday, the group will attend the Kelloggs' ESPN breakfast where the first annual Youth Achievement Awards will be handed out. They will attend a reception for all nominees and presenters in the afternoon, leading up to the Red Carpet walk at the Nokia Theatre. The awards ceremony will be held between 6-8 p.m.

Representing Fresno State at the ESPY Awards are head coach Mike Batesole, outfielders Steve Detwiler and Steve Sudsorf and pitcher Justin Wilson. All three of those Bulldog players were named to the 2008 All-College World Series team.

College World Series MVP Tommy Mendonca was also invited by ESPN but couldn't attend because he's playing for Team USA in Europe.

Detwiler hit two homeruns and drove in all six runs in Fresno State's 6-1 win over No. 8 Georgia in the national championship game. Wilson was the winning pitcher for the Bulldogs in two games at the CWS, including the title game.

Fresno State has been nominated in the category of "Best Upset" in sports, competing against the New York Giants which beat New England in the Super Bowl, Appalachian State which won at Michigan last September in college football and horse racing's Da'Tara, the Belmont Stakes winner over Big Brown.

The Bulldogs became the lowest seed in NCAA sports history to win a national championship. The Bulldogs, a No. 4 regional seed (the equivalent to a 13-16 seed in the NCAA basketball tournament), earned eight wins over five teams ranked in the nation's top 10 to win the 2008 College World Series.

It started when the Bulldogs beat No. 11 Long Beach State and No. 6 San Diego (twice) to win the Long Beach Regional.

Fresno State advanced to the Super Regional round at No. 3 Arizona State and won two of three games to earn the school's first trip to the College World Series in 17 years.

In Omaha the Bulldogs wowed crowds in one of the most improbable and exciting national baseball championships in recent years.

The Dogs, who were called "WonderDogs" during their 16-days at the College World Sereis, beat No. 5 Rice, No. 2 North Carolina (twice) and defeated No. 8 Georgia in the national championship series to earn the program's first NCAA title.

Fresno State had a flare for the dramatic winning all six of its elimination games during the 2008 NCAA tournament.

Last year's best upset ESPY winner came from the NBA, as the Golden State Warriors won after defeating top-seeded Dallas in the first round of the playoffs.

This the second consecutive year that a WAC school has been nominated for an ESPY Award. Last year, Boise State won an ESPY for "Best Play" for the Statue of Liberty against Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.

Of the Bulldogs, Susdorf traveled the farthest for the awards show, arriving Tuesday from the East Coast where he's been playing for the Williamsport (Pa.) Crosscutters baseball team of the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Susdorf picked up where he left Omaha by hitting a grand slam in his first professional at bat and adding another homer in his second game. Susdorf was thankful the Phillies' brass, including his manager Dusty Wathan, granted him permission to attend the ESPYs. Susdorf will rejoin his team in Burlington, Vt., Thursday for a game.

"They have been great," said Susdorf, who flew to Philadelphia last week to sign his contract and join the organization. He joined the Phillies for batting practice at their ball park before heading to his assigned team in Williamsport.

"They told me this is a once-in-lifetime opportunity," he said. "This is tremendously exciting for our program and the school. We are excited to represent Fresno State and all of college baseball at the ESPY awards."

Susdorf invited his dad, Bill, to attend the awards ceremony.

The Bulldogs spent Tuesday afternoon being treated to a "Studio Style" show and mingled with other nominees and presenters on the rooftop at the pool party. Basketball player Greg Odom, Minnesota Vikings Running Back Adrian Peterson, Davidson College basketball star Stephen Curry, Annika Sorenstam and nearly a dozen members of the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants were at the party with the Bulldogs. Fourteen of the World Champion Boston Celtics and two dozen members of the Giants are expected to attend the 2008 ESPYs.

The ESPY Awards will be held Wednesday night at the Nokia Theatre in the downtown Los Angeles beginning at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs will walk down the "red carpet" with the other sports celebrities prior to the ESPY Awards show.

Singer/actor Justin Timerlake will host the 2008 ESPY Award, scheduled to be televised Sunday, July 20, at 6 p.m. PT on ESPN.

Other celebrities presenting awards during the ESPY Awards include: Lance Armstrong, Brendan Fraser, Kristen Bell, Ashanti, Zac Efron, Samuel L. Jackson, Jet Li, Steve Nash, David Ortiz, Danica Patrick, Annika Sorenstam and Luke Wilson.

The Arthur Ashe Courage Award will be given to 1968 U.S. Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos. There will be two other special awards as well. The Jimmy V Award for Perseverance will honor former Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett, who was severely injured in last year's season opener but has begun to walk again.

The Best Comeback award will be given to Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers.

Tiger Woods, Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant and Alex Rodriguez are the contenders for best male athlete. Golfer Lorena Ochoa, basketball player Candace Parker, auto racer Danica Patrick and skier Lindsey Vonn are the finalists for best female athlete.

The Boston Red Sox, New York Giants, Boston Celtics, Detroit Red Wings, Kansas men's basketball and Tennessee women's basketball are nominated for best team.

There are 37 categories in which fans will determine the winners. Online voting concluded July 12. Last year, more than 12.5 million votes were tabulated.

Woods has won 18 ESPYS, the most in history. Michael Jordan and Pete Sampras have 10 each. Annika Sorenstam has eight ESPYS and is nominated again in golf.

Join the State - Fresno State! The Bulldog baseball team will appear on the ESPY Awards Sunday night at 6 p.m. on ESPN.

back to Bulldogs Baseball home