FRESNO, Calif. - A bases-loaded walk-off hit by pitch in the 11th inning to Zach Morgan drove in the game-winning run on Saturday evening as the Bulldogs defeated UNLV, 8-7 at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
For the second straight night and fourth time this season, Fresno State (25-26, 13-13 MW) went to extra innings coming up victorious for the first time in 2022.
A back-and-forth contest all game long, the 'Dogs finished with 13 hits as a team with the wealth spread around to eight different Bulldogs.
Morgan launched his sixth home run of the season as part of a three-hit performance while freshman Bobby Blandford went for a season-high three hits smacking his second homer.
Andrew Kachel and Nate Thimjon added home runs as the 'Dogs now have 62 as a team.
On the pitching side, Jake Dixon made his 14th start going 6.0 innings, his sixth start of six or more frames, allowing four runs, two earned and struck out four.
Kyle Pruhsmeier retired all nine Rebels he faced in three flawless innings before the final two innings went to Tommy Hopfe who earned his second win on the mound this season.
How It Happened
The Bulldogs raced out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning on Morgan's two-run blast to left.
A solo home run to right field by Blandford in the second pushed the 'Dogs lead to 3-0, but the Rebels answered back with a two-run homer of their own in the third by Austin Kryszczuk.
UNLV brought home two in the fifth taking advantage of two Bulldog errors to go up 4-3, but Kachel drilled the 'Dogs third long ball of the game with a solo shot in the bottom of the frame that barely found its way inside fair territory down the left field line.
The Rebels again jumped back into the lead in the sixth with two runs on a pair of RBI base knocks to go up 6-4.
The 'Dogs answered back, this time in the eighth with a two-out, two-run jack by Thimjon to left to knot the game at six apiece.
A scoreless ninth and 10th brought a wild 11th inning with the Rebels able to bring home a run a one-out RBI single from former Bulldog Cole Andavolgyi, but Hopfe was able to limit the damage retiring the next two batters.
Not giving in, the 'Dogs rallied with Blanford getting the rally started with a single followed by back-to-back throwing errors by the UNLV pitcher that allowed pinch-runner Blake Wink to tie the game. An intentional walk to Kachel loaded the bases and two batters later, Morgan was plunked to bring home Travis Welker to seal the win.
Up next
The 'Dogs and Rebels close out the weekend on Sunday for Senior Day at 1:05 p.m.