Diamond 'Dogs clinch a spot in the MW Championship

USAF ACADEMY, Colo. – The Fresno State baseball team dropped game two of the final regular season series with a 14-13 walk-off loss to the Air Force Falcons on Friday afternoon.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Diamond 'Dogs came out firing early in the first. Eddie Saldivar led off with a double down the left line and Rocco Peppi followed with a fly ball that dropped in the middle of three Falcon fielders who had lost it in the sun. The 'Dogs got on the board as Tommy Hopfe doubled to right center, plating Saldivar. Grady Morgan cranked a 515-foot home run over the 30-foot wall in right-center to give the Bulldogs a four-run first.

The Falcons answered with a run scored on an RBI groundout and a solo home run in the bottom of the frame.

After a scoreless second inning, Air Force tied the game at four with another two-run homer to right center. Three doubles in the fourth added three more runs. The Falcons extended their lead to five with solo home runs in the 5th and 6th inning.

The seventh inning started with a signature Newton double followed by a hit batsman to put runners on first and second. Tyler Davis hit a floater that drifted over the right-field fence to score three runs. Michael McKernan walked and was driven in by a triple from Eddie Saldivar, who crossed the plate himself after a sacrifice fly. Morgan closed out the explosive seven-run inning with his second home run of the game to give Fresno State an 11-9 lead.

A single and a home run ended the Bulldog lead in the seventh as the Falcons scored four runs on three hits.

With their backs against the wall, the Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the ninth with a two-run double from Murf Gray. The Falcons quickly loaded the bases and scored the go-ahead run from an RBI single to end the game.

NOTES

The Bulldogs led off six of nine innings with a hit, two of which were doubles.

Ben Newton extended his season double count to 25 to lead the Bulldogs.

Despite the loss, the Bulldogs have clinched a spot in the Mountain West Championship, hosted by San Diego State at Tony Gwynn Stadium on May 23-25.

UP NEXT

The Diamond 'Dogs will close out the regular season against Air Force at 11:05 p.m. PT at Erdle Field on Saturday.


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