FRESNO, Calif. – The Diamond 'Dogs celebrate the 15th anniversary of winning the 2008 College World Series in a nationally recognized Underdog to Wonderdog story.
The Fresno State baseball team became National Champions after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs 6-1 in game three of the finals at Rosenblatt Stadium in Omaha, Neb. on June 25, 2008.
"When we beat ASU and went to Omaha, hearing all the doubters, people saying 'who are they?', 'Don't worry about them', 'they'll be two and barbeque'… Hearing all the doubters didn't just impact me, but it impacted the whole team," former third baseman and Most Outstanding Player Tommy Mendonca explained. "We didn't let any of that get to us. We stuck to our plan and executed it perfectly!"
Fresno State won every elimination game, eventually leading them to the Finals against Georgia. The 'Dogs would go on to lose 7-6 to Georgia in the opening round of the best-of-three finals but retaliated with an unforgettable 19-10 win to tie the series at 1-1.
With their backs against the wall, the Diamond 'Dogs secured the National Championship with a 6-1 win over Georgia, with all six runs driven in by heavily injured right fielder Steve Detwiler.
"I saw a video of my family and all their friends the moment the final out was made. I remember being so emotional and thankful to have a family that sacrificed so much for me and a village that was so full of love and so supportive," Detwiler recalled. "It doesn't matter what others think of you. When you believe in yourself and surround yourself with people who push you, support you, and have your best interest at heart, it's amazing what can be accomplished."
Detwiler caught the final out of the championship game in right field, and the Diamond 'Dogs immediately followed with one of the most iconic dogpiles in college baseball history in the infield of Rosenblatt Stadium.
"That was by far the best experience I had in my baseball career. We were led by a coaching staff that taught us the importance of team unity over individual success, which guided us to success," left fielder Steve Susdorf recalled of the experience. "Throughout the postseason, it was amazing to see a new player rise to the occasion each game to help us win. It took all of us on the team contributing to be the last team standing."
With the national title in 2008, Fresno State became, and remains the lowest-seeded team ever to win an NCAA championship in any sport to date and earned the second Division I national championship for Fresno State, aligning with the 1998 Fresno State softball team led by former Head Coach Margie Wright.
"I think it definitely lays the foundation for future players and teams of the future that it can be done, and it's been done, and you can get there and do it," newly named Head Coach and 2008 National Champion Ryan Overland explained. "Only one team out of 300 is the last one standing and there's a lot of really talented teams."
Overland played as a catcher on the 2008 College World Series Championship team, and in May was named Head Coach of the Fresno State baseball program after 12 years as an assistant coach and spending the 2023 season as the interim head coach. "That's the goal, to get a team back to Omaha and to come here and be a part of championship teams, and to be the best player you can possibly be," Overland said.
The 2008 Diamond Dogs carved their legacy in the Valley and continue to be celebrated by the Red Wave for their epic Underdog to Wonderdog tale.