Baseball Ready for Four Game Series at Fresno State

Thursday, February 23

Fresno, Calif.

3 p.m.

Omaha

Fresno State

Baseball Ready for Four Game Series at Fresno State

Feb 22, 2023 | Baseball

Game_Notes_at_Fresno_State.pdf

Leading Off
The Omaha baseball team continues its California road trip this week as they take on Fresno State in a four-game slate, beginning Thursday at 8 p.m. (CT).

Weekend Schedule
Thursday: 8 p.m. in Bob Bennett Stadium
Friday: 8 p.m. in Bob Bennett Stadium
Saturday: 5 p.m. in Bob Bennett Stadium
Sunday: 8 p.m. in Bob Bennett Stadium

Around the Horn

The Mavericks (0-3) were swept in their opening weekend at UCLA, being outscored 47-2 across three games.
Mike Boeve entered the season at ninth on Omaha's all-time doubles list with 39. In his very first at bat of the season he inched ever closer to eighth place with a one-out double to left. The very next game, he again started his day with a double to left to get within two of eighth place.
Preston Tenney showed great composure on the mound in his Mavericks debut on Sunday, going four innings and allowing two earned runs. After running into trouble in the second and fourth innings, Tenney was able to significantly limit the damage by working around multiple errors and stranding two Bruins in each inning.
Mavericks ace Caleb Riedel also had several dominant moments during his season debut, striking out six in 3.2 innings of work.
Newcomers Alex Potter, Rans Sanders, and Luke Gainer all showed promise in their respective debuts in relief. Potter was the first one out of the pen on Opening Day, firing 3.1 innings and striking out two while allowing two earned runs. Sanders threw Omaha's only 1-2-3 inning on Saturday and allowed just one run in his first 2.1 innings of work. As for Gainer, he went three strong innings on Sunday, holding UCLA scoreless for two innings and ultimately striking out three and allowing two earned runs
Zach Lechnir had the biggest hit of the series for Omaha as he recorded the first home run of the season for the Mavericks with a solo shot in game three. He ended the series as the team leader in batting average at .375.
Fellow newcomer Haiden Hunt had the first RBI of the season for Omaha in top of the fifth in game one, lining one through the left side to drive in Devin Hurdle
In his only at bat of the series, Cam Frederick came off the bench in game two and nearly hit his first home run of the season, instead settling for a double to the warning track.

Scouting Fresno State
Fresno State is 1-2 to begin its 2023 campaign. Participating in the three-day MLB Desert Invitational, the Bulldogs fell 2-6 to Michigan on Opening Day, before notching their first win of the season with a 5-0 shutout of Arizona and later closing out the tournament with a 4-7 loss to Michigan State.

Among position players, Payton Allen leads the Bulldogs with four RBIs and has the team's lone home run so far, blasting a two-run shot in their win over Arizona. He batted .303 last year with three home runs and 28 RBIs.

Meanwhile, outfielder Bobby Blandford leads Fresno State with seven total bases, going 4-for-12 with a double vs. Arizona and a triple against MSU. Last season, he hit .239 and clubbed four home runs. Outfielder Grady Morgan, in his first season with Fresno State, went 6-for-12 in the Invitational to lead the Bulldogs in hits and OPS (1.038).

Regarding the probable starting pitchers LHP Ixan Henderson allowed three earned runs and struck out eight batters on the bump on Opening Day after posting a 4.69 ERA with 98 strikeouts in 14 starts last season.

LHP Jake Dixon earned the win last Saturday after firing six shutout innings vs. Arizona. He owned a 4.56 ERA and struck out 84 batters in 16 appearances (14 starts) in 2022. RHP Jack Anker is set to make his first collegiate start on Saturday after throwing 4.2 innings in relief vs. Michigan, allowing three runs and striking out four. He struck out 129 batters and owned a 1.29 ERA as a high school senior.

Interim Head Coach Ryan Overland is in his first season leading the Bulldogs after spending 10 seasons as an assistant coach under Mike Batesole. Over the past five seasons, he has been in charge of the pitching staff, guiding them to 126 wins. 1.879 strikeouts, and a 5.01 ERA in 2001 innings.