Wolf Pack baseball splits with Bulldogs

Wolf Pack baseball splits with Bulldogs

Appeal Staff Report

University of Nevada senior Kyle Howe pitched a complete game as the University of Nevada baseball team defeated Fresno State 4-1 in the first game of a Western Athletic Conference doubleheader at Pete Beiden Field in Fresno, Calif., on Saturday.

Nevada settled for a split after losing the nightcap 11-1. The loss dropped the Wolf Pack to 5-2 in WAC action and to 13-11 on the season while the Bulldogs improved to 4-3 in conference play and 14-13 overall.

After five scoreless innings in the opener Nevada scored a run in the sixth inning to take a 1-0 advantage. Jason Sadoian laced a one-out double down the left-field line and with two out Jason Rodriguez singled to left field to score the first run of the game.

In the seventh the Wolf Pack scored a pair of runs to extend its lead to 3-0. Mike Hale singled and moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Rodland. Former Western Nevada College standout Tyson Jaquez drove him home with an RBI single. David Ciarlo followed with an RBI double and it was 3-0.

Fresno State scored a run in the seventh when Erik Wetzel started the inning with a double and scored on Steve Susdorf's single to pull the Bulldogs within two at 3-1.

Nevada added an insurance run in the ninth when Jaquez walked and was replaced by pinch runner Trevor O'Sullivan. O'Sullivan moved to second base on a bunt single by Ciarlo. Sadoian attempted to bunt both runners into scoring position but reached safely on an error. Pinch hitter Dan Eastham's sacrifice fly to center field scored O'Sullivan with the Pack's fourth run of the game.

In the bottom of the ninth Wetzel singled with one down but a double play ended the game as the Pack held on for the 4-1 victory.

Howe (3-0) tossed the first complete game of his Wolf Pack career. He allowed one run on six hits, struck out four and did not walk a batter in the game. Bulldogs starter Clayton Allison (1-3) suffered the loss giving up three runs on nine hits in seven innings of action.

Hale had three of Nevada's 12 hits in the game. Ciarlo, Sadoian and Jaquez added two hits each. Wetzel had two hits for Fresno State.

In the nightcap Fresno State got a two-run homer in the second Alan Ahmady to go in front 2-0. The Wolf Pack scored an unearned run in the third to close within one when Travis Simas doubled and later scored on an error by Bulldog second baseman Wetzel to make the score 2-1.

A pair of two-run homers by Ahmady and Tommy Mendonca in the third made it 6-1. Susdorf blasted a three-run homer in the fourth and the Bulldogs were in front 9-1. Susdorf doubled home the final two runs of the game in the fifth to make the final score 11-1.

Nevada starter Chris Garcia (0-3) lost allowed six runs on nine hits in 2 1/3 innings on the mound. Bulldog starter Justin Miller (4-0) gave up just one run on three hits. Miller struck out eight and walked just two, pitching a complete game.

Dayton's Matt Bowman, Garrett Patterson and Simas and Simas accounted for Nevada's hits.

Susdorf had three hits and five RBI in the game while Ahmady hit a pair of two-run homers. The final game of the four-game series is slated for 1:05 p.m. today.