FRESNO, Calif. – The Fresno State baseball team locked in its fourth consecutive series win after defeating No. 9 UC Santa Barbara in an afternoon match-up on Saturday at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.
Reining Mountain West Freshman of the Week Murf Gray led the 'Dogs with four RBIs, a new career high, after hitting his first and second career home runs in back-to-back at-bats.
Nikoh Mitchell went 2-3 at the plate with a single and a double, with two runs scored.
Starting pitcher Jack Dixon spent eight innings on the mound with nine strikeouts recorded and held the Gauchos scoreless through six.
Fresno State advanced to 15-10 on the season (7-4 MW) and gave UCSB (17-6) their first series loss in 2023.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Jake Dixon started the game with four straight three-up, three down innings with four strikeouts recorded.
The 'Dogs led-off single from Grady Morgan, followed up by a double from Ben Newton. Consecutive RBI ground balls from Bobby Blandford and Jaden Sheppard brought Morgan and Newton across the plate and gave Fresno State an early lead after the first.
The 'Dogs tallied two more runs in the second and third, one from Marco Pirruccello off of a wild pitch and a single from Murf Gray to bring Nikoh Mitchell home.
Murf Gray opened the bottom of the sixth inning with his first home run in his collegiate career. Ben Newton followed up with a sac fly to right field to give the 'Dogs a 6-0 lead.
A solo shot from Gaucho Aaron Parker put UCSB on the board for the first time in the top of the seventh. Murf Gray answered back with the second home run of his collegiate career, a two-run frozen rope that put the 'Dogs up seven.
UCSB rallied in the final two frames of the game, with an RBI single and a three-run homer. Reliever Zach Statzer held off the Gauchos' offense to finalize the 8-5 win over UC Santa Barbara.
UP NEXT:
Fresno State will look for another series sweep as they wrap up the weekend against UCSB on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium.