GAMES 25-27: FRESNO STATE (16-8, 6-3 MW) at UNLV (13-11, 3-6 MW)
THE GAMES
Dates: March 28-30, 2024
First Pitch: Thurs., March 28 at 6 p.m. | Fri., March 29 at 6 p.m. | Sat., March 30 at noon.
Stadium: Earl E. Wilson Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev.
FOLLOW ALONG:
Watch Live: Mountain West Network
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Listen Live: FOX Sports AM 1340
Twitter (X): @FresnoStateBSB
THE MATCHUP
All-Time: Fresno State leads 69-46 over UNLV
Last Meeting: Fresno State defeated UNLV, 8-5 on May 14, 2023, in Fresno, Calif.
Current Streak: Fresno State, W6
LAS VEGAS – The Fresno State baseball team continues its road trip with a three-game series against the Hustlin' Rebels of UNLV at Earl E. Wilson Stadium.
STREAKS
The Bulldogs have won nine straight series, including six series this season.
Rocco Peppi has the longest-running hit streak of the season at 18 and has reached base in 24 straight games.
Eddie Saldivar has the second-longest hit streak at 12 and has reached base for 12 straight games.
THE .300 CLUB
Fresno State has six batters with an average of over .300.
Rocco Peppi leads the team with a .368 average with 32 hits in seven at-bats.
Closely behind him is Eddie Saldivar, who leads the team with 36 hits.
Only two other teams (New Mexico and Nevada) have more athletes batting over .300 on their rosters across the league.
THE LEADERBOARD
The Bulldogs are competing for the top of the national statistic leaderboard, landing in the top 50 in several categories.
Jack Anker is 17th in the country for least walks allowed per nine innings (1.01), 15th in WHIP (0.81), 13th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.75) and THIRD in the country for victories (five).
Weekend starting pitchers Jack Anker, Noah Beal and Jake Dixon are tied at 24th for the most starts with six.
With 10 doubles, Ben Newton sits at 33rd in the country.
Fresno State leads the country in least walks allowed per nine innings with 2.66.
The Bulldogs are also in the top 50 in WHIP (15th, 1.28), strikeout-to-walk ratio (fourth, 3.55), shutouts (26th, 2), hit by pitch (36th, 45), ERA (30th, 4.07), doubles per game (17th, 2.50), doubles (16th, 60) and double plays (44th, 20).
TOP OF THE CHARTS
Fresno State leads the Mountain West in 20 categories: 10 team and 10 individual.
On the mound, the Bulldogs are the best in the MW in ERA (4.07), batters struck out (220), least runs allowed (112), least doubles allowed (30), lowest opponent batting average (.258), batters struck out looking (69), least earned runs allowed (95), wins (16), and least walks allowed (62).
Fresno State also leads in batters hit by pitches (45).
Second baseman Eddie Saldivar leads the conference in runs scored (30) and hits (36).
Jake Dixon (2.23) and Jack Anker (2.27) own the best ERAs in the conference while Tommy Hopfe has recorded the most saves with four).
Jake Dixon also holds opposing batters to a league-best .198 average and Jack Anker has earned the most wins (5) and the least number of walks (4).
RUB SOME DIRT ON IT
Fresno State batters have been hit by pitches the most this season with 45.
Rocco Peppi has braved 10 of those pitches, the most in the league.
KINGS OF THE MOUND
The Fresno State pitching staff continues to wow with a team ERA of 4.07 to lead the Mountain West.
Jake Dixon has the lowest ERA in the conference at 2.23.
Noah Beal is one strikeout away from leading the conference with 40 on the season.
THE RETURN
Clovis native Noah Beal is returning to Earl E. Wilson Stadium for the first time since transferring to Fresno State from UNLV for his senior season.
The starting pitcher has made an immediate impact on the Bulldogs with 33.0 innings pitched, a team-leading 40 strikeouts and only six walks allowed.
Beal starts the weekend with a 3.55 ERA in six starts and holds opponents to a .277 average.