Portland musters only nine hits combined as Fresno State takes both games of a doubleheader 7-2 and 3-0
FRESNO, Calif. --- The Portland Pilots dropped both games of a doubleheader as the host Fresno State Bulldogs won 7-2 and 3-0 at Pete Beiden Field on Saturday afternoon. The teams played a double dip after the first game of the three-game series was wiped out by rain on Friday.
Portland opens the season at 2-8, while Fresno State improves to 10-8.
The Pilots struggled at the plate in the first game getting only three hits in the loss. The Bulldogs scored four in the first and never trailed. Portland starter Ari Ronick (0-2) settled down after the first and went six innings. He only gave up an unearned run after the first, while scattering eight hits and striking out three.
Relief pitcher Peter Beringhaus gave up the other two Fresno State runs in the seventh inning.
With one out in the bottom of first inning, FSU got on the board with an RBI double from Kent Sakamoto. Brian Lapin followed with an RBI single, before Frank LoNigro capped the Bulldog scoring with a two-run triple.
Still down 4-0 in the sixth, the Pilots made it a two-run game. With runners on the corner, junior shortstop Jesse Rodgers brought home a run with a single to right field. Senior outfielder Matthew Peters then knocked in a run when the FSU shortstop committed an error.
The Bulldogs answered with a run in the bottom of sixth and two more in the seventh. Pitcher Andy Underwood, who came in relief of starter Justin Wilson in the second inning, pitched eight innings in the win.
Fresno State again struck first in the second game with a run in the first and another in the second off Portland starter Sean Sargent. Sargent (0-4) gave up three runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He struck out three and walked none.
FSU starter Eddie Romero held the Pilots to five hits in seven innings. Reliever Jason Breckley pitched two innings to pick up the save.
The Pilots threatened to score in the fourth, trailing 2-0. With runners on the corners and only one out, Romero got freshman catcher Paul Crowder to fly out to left field and ended the inning on sophomore Pat Geraghty’s ground out to third.
Fresno State scored its third and the game’s final run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Lapin.
Freshman second baseman Sean Nicol led the Pilots with two hits.
Portland and Fresno State play the final game of the series tomorrow at 1 p.m.
