BSB | Fresno State's Slam Holds Off Gaels
4/18/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 17, 2018
FRESNO, Calif. -- The Saint Mary's baseball team erased an early 3-0 deficit Tuesday as the bats continued their awakening on the road, but a fifth-inning grand slam by host Fresno State would prove to be the difference as the Bulldogs beat the Gaels, 8-5, in a non-conference game at Pete Beiden Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Saint Mary's (19-16) had just pulled even at 3-3 in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly from Joey Fiske after Conor Thane had led off the inning with a double. Fresno State (22-14) had gone ahead 3-0 after scoring twice in the second and again in the third. But Kevin Milam's second home run in as many games and Edward Haus' RBI single -- all with two outs -- cut the deficit to 3-2.
- SMC reliever Ty Madrigal (1-1) put the leadoff man on in the bottom half of the fifth with a hit-by-pitch, but he was nearly out of the inning later with two outs and men on the corners. After a five-pitch walk loaded the bases, he needed just one more pitch to head back to the dugout with a tie game. But instead, nine-hole hitter Nick Warren drove Madrigal's 0-2 pitch over the left-center field wall with the wind blowing out that direction, giving Fresno State a 7-3 advantage.
- Saint Mary's didn't quit. Haus doubled home Matt Green in the top of the sixth to make it 7-4. And Austin Piscotty's second home run of the season -- a solo shot to the same spot as Warren's grand slam -- made it 7-5 in the seventh. Fresno State picked up an unearned insurance run in the bottom of the eighth to give itself three runs of breathing room heading to the ninth.
- The Gaels had the tying run on deck in the ninth after Piscotty hit a one-out single and Fiske reached on a fielder's choice. But the game ended on a strikeout to stop SMC's rally from ever starting.
NOTABLE NUMBERS
- 2: Saint Mary's hit two home runs Tuesday for the second straight game. It marked the Gaels' second multi-homer game after logging their first on Sunday at San Diego. Milam has contributed a long ball in each of those games.
- 4: Four Gaels logged multi-hit games. It was the third straight game at least four Gaels had two or more hits, and the sixth straight game that SMC had multiple players with multiple hits.
- 7: Madrigal had seven strikeouts in three innings pitched. He struck out six of the first eight batters he faced, including entering in the bottom of the third with the bases loaded and only allowing an infield single before striking out the side.
COMING UP
- Saint Mary's continues play in the Central Valley, playing a three-game West Coast Conference series at Pacific starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Fans can find all live coverage links on SMCGaels.com.
Players Mentioned
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