FRESNO, Calif. - Powered by a nine-run third inning, the Diamond 'Dogs topped Nebraska Omaha, 13-4 on Saturday afternoon at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
Fresno State (4-2) smacked a pair of grand slams, one from Nikoh Mitchell in the second inning and the second from Tommy Hopfe in the third, as the Bulldogs exploded for 13 runs on nine hits.
All nine starters for the 'Dogs registered a hit or reached base on a walk with Ben Newton, Grady Morgan and Tyler Davis adding doubles to give the Bulldogs five extra-base knocks.
On the mound, southpaw Jake Dixon improved to 2-0 tossing five innings allowing eight hits, three earned runs, one walk and struck out six.
Jaykob Acosta, Will Springer and Aidan Cremarosa combined to toss the final four innings holding the Mavs to five hits, one run and struck out three.
How It Happened
The 'Dogs jumped on Nebraska Omaha starter Preston Tenney early in the second inning getting a single from Payton Allen and walks to Sammy Augustine and Travis Welker to load the bases for Mitchell. The sixth-year senior cleared the bases with a grand slam to right field for a 4-0 lead.
After a pair of two-run RBI base hits from Welker and Newton in the third extended the 'Dogs lead to 8-1, a walk to Morgan loaded the bases for Hopfe, who drilled a grand slam to left to extend the Bulldogs lead to 12-1. A fielding error by the Mavericks allowed Bobby Blandford to score an unearned run and give the 'Dogs their final run of the contest.
A two-run home run by the Mavs in the fourth and one final run in the eighth rounded out the scoring.
Game Notes
Four different Bulldogs scored a pair of runs with the other five starters each scoring a run as well.
Dixon has already surpassed his 2022 win total (1) in two starts.
It was Mitchell's first career home run.
Cremarosa made his Bulldog debut on the mound.
Up next
The Bulldogs and Mavericks wrap up the four-game series on Sunday at 12:05 p.m. All veterans and active military get in to the game for free.