June 2008 Archives
My Monday evening walk took me by Rosie's Flower Shop, located on Kern Street between E Street and F Street in the heart of Chinatown. Pasted on the storefront windows for the passing public to relish were three pages from The Bee's June 26 edition.
There was the A section's first page, devoted entirely to a photo of the Fresno State baseball team's celebration immediately after beating Georgia 6-1 in the College World Series championship game. Headline: "CHAMPS!"
There was the Sports section's front page, with some of the Bulldogs holding the championship trophy high over their heads. Headline:"BELIEVE IT".
And there was a page from inside the Sports section filled with color photos of key moments during and after the championship game. Headline: "A night to remember".
I'm 58 years old. I got my start in journalism in 1965 as a Bee sports stringer, phoning in Lindsay High School scores. I realize the Internet is here to stay.
But there's a reason why the people at Rosie's Flower Shop didn't paste their laptop computers in those windows. Sometimes, nothing beats an old-fashioned newspaper.
Over on The Beehive they usually talk about entertainment, but today they take a look at how the nation is looking at Fresno. This entry is from Mike Osegueda.
This whole Fresno State winning the College World Series thing has really put a hamper on my Internet searches for mentions of Fresno. Because, uhhhh, they're all saying Fresno.
Fresno State survived another eventful ninth, but closed out the game with its best reliever in Brandon Burke and got the job done.
Fresno State beat Georgia 6-1 to capture its first national championship and complete its improbable dream season.
"Unbelievable," outfielder Steve Susdorf said afterward. "Just unbelievable."
Columnist Matt James and beat reporter Bryant-Jon Anteola are feverishly putting together the full postgame report on tonight's championship victory.
Meanwhile, get more coverage on fresnobee.com:
Celebrate the 'Dogs
The final pitches and celebration:
Georgia placed runners on first and second with no outs and Gordon Beckham on deck. But Wilson got Matt Olson to fly out to center field to get out of the inning. Fresno State leads 6-0 through seven innings.
Allison has began to throw in the bullpen. Look for closer Brandon Burke to get the call too at some point.
The Georgia Bulldog faithful on the live game thread on this fan board are having stout, squash-faced puppies. (The site requires free registration to use the forums, but believe me, it's worth the effort. Once you're set up, click on Forums List, select the DawgPost forum and browse away).
The game is, of course, far from over. But these Georgia fans, still proud but a bit shellshocked from Tuesday's result, are reeling.
Wednesday's game drew an announced crowd of 18,932 and brings the entire attendance total to a College World Series all-time high to 330,099 over 16 games.
Fresno State's No. 2 starter Clayton Allison is in the bullpen in the bottom of the seventh, but stretching not throwing.
He has yet to throw. In fact, not one Fresno State pitcher has yet to throw a warmup pitch in the bullpen with Wilson in command.
Georgia's Matt Cerione swung and lost handle of his bat, with the bat sailing into the Fresno State dugout and almost hitting reliever Jake Floethe.
Making fun of the situation, Fresno State players duck each time just prior to the next three pitches to Cerione.
Cerione eventually grounds out to Tommy Mendonca at third base to end the inning.
Fresno State leads 6-0 through six innings.
Wilson has now thrown 100 pitches (69 for strikes).
Steve Detwiler hit his second home run of the game, a three-run blast into the left-field stands that sent Fresno State ahead 6-0 after 5 1/2 innings.
Detwiler becomes the fourth player to hit two homers in a championship game. It was Detwiler's 12th homer of the year.
Entering the day, Detwiler was hitting .256 for the season and just .231 in six College World Series games (6 of 26).
The lefty has tossed five scoreless innings now and upped his strikeout total to eight.
WIlson has been Fresno State's best big-game pitcher the past couple of years and the Buchanan High graduate is coming through again as we speak.
Georgia, meanwhile, has switched pitchers, inserting RH Dean Weaver (6-1, 3.91 ERA) to start the sixth in place of Nathan Moreau.
Wilson has thrown four shutout innings and has seven strikeouts. He's allowed four hits and no walks.
Fresno State leads 3-0 entering the bottom of the fifth.
Fresno State outfielder Steve Detwiler drove in another run, his third of the game, to put Fresno State ahead 3-0.
Steve Susdorf had advanced from first to third on a wild pitch then throwing error by Georgia catcher Joey Lewis.
Susdorf scored on Detwiler's double, which marked his 207 career run, which ties him with Tom Goodwin atop the career leader chart.
Fresno State leads 2-0 after three innings.
Wilson throwing in the low 90s and has four strikeouts with no walks. He's allowed three hits.
Wilson has thrown 56 pitches, 39 for strikes so far.
It won't be a sell-out crowd for the final game of the College World Series.
The stands in general admission (beyond the outfield walls) are far from filled and there isn't too much traffic in the walk ways to think people simply aren't sitting in their seats.
Two weeks of games tends to die out the enthusiasm of the local fans. And neither Georgia nor Fresno State traveled extremely well.
Fresno State leads 2-0 after 2 1/2 innings.
Fresno State shortstop Danny Muno committed two errors in the second inning, and Justin Wilson allowed a single between the errors and loaded the bases.
Georgia leadoff hitter Ryan Peisel came to the plate. He was hitting .344 with 12 home runs entering the game.
Peisel swung for the fences and the ball neared the wall. But Peisel's shot to center field landed in the warning-track area and into Gavin Hedstrom's glove to end the bottom of the second.
Fresno State leads 2-0 still through two.
Fresno State took 2-0 lead after Steve Detwiler hit his 11 home run, coming on a full count, with an opposite field shot that barely cleared the right-field fence.
Had it been timed just right, right fielder Matt Olson might have been able to snag the ball on his jump.
Detwiler was moved up to No. 6 in the order, two spots up, with Georgia throwing a lefty on the mound.
And does just fine.
Starting off three days of rest, Wilson was clocked at 89 mph in the first inning and tossed a scoreless first inning (strikeout, groundout, single, the flyout).
Fresno State coach Mike Batesole is wanting to get at least five innings out of Wilson.
Gavin Hedstrom got on base with a single but was caught stealing to end the inning.
Fresno State has been pushing the envelope the entire postseason. But it hasn't been too successful lately.
It was thrown out or picked off four times in two games against North Carolina.
And now again.
Fresno State vs. Georgia for the national title.
Game's about to start.
It's humid (61 percent) and hot (87 degrees).
Fresno State is the away team and wearing its red jerseys with red caps and white pants. Georgia is in its all-white uniforms.
Fans from both teams are chanting back and forth.
As expected, LH Justin Wilson (8-5, 4.34 era) will start for Fresno State. LH Nathan Moreau (4-3, 5.22) will take the mound for Georgia.
Because Moreau is a lefty, Fresno State has adjusted its lineup, with Jake Johnson replacing Jordan Ribera at designated hitter, Danny Grubb at catcher in place of Ryan Overland, and Tommy Mendonca moved down a spot to No. 7 and Steve Detwiler moved up two spots at No. 6.
The winner will be crowned national champ.
Fresno State wins 19-10 to force a final game at 6 p.m. Wednesday (CST) with a national title at stake.
Fresno State held Georgia to a scoreless eighth with Jake Hower still on the mound, and continued to score in the bottom half.
Fresno State leads 19-10 entering the ninth inning.
FYI... Erik Wetzel tied the school single-season record with 112 hits.
The bases are loaded with no outs.
Holden Sprague is done, giving up a run and loading the bases.
Fresno State coach Mike Batesole is turning to one Jake Hower (2-1, 6.95), who is making his first appearance of the postseason and first appearance since May 17.
All Hower does is strike out leadoff hitter Ryan Peisel. But on a grounder to first base, Alan Ahmady gets a bit greedy and goes for an inning-ending double play. But Ahmady's throw is low and shortstop Danny Muno can't make the out, instead turning into a run-scoring error that put Georgia within 15-9.
A RBI sacrifice fly by cleanup hitter Rich Poythress with the bases loaded makes the score 15-10.
And Bryce Massanari grounds out to Muno to end the inning.
Georgia scored four runs in the top of the seventh.
Can Fresno State close it?
Again, Holden Sprague trots out to the mound for the start of the seventh. Fresno State did not score in the bottom of the sixth, marking the first time since the second inning that Fresno State was held scoreless.
Fresno State leads 15-6. No other pitcher has yet to warm up for Fresno State.
Steve Susdorf hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth that capped a four-run inning. Also happening in the fifth, Gavin Hedstrom hit an RBI double and Erik Wetzel had an RBI single.
Holden Sprague marches to the mound again for the sixth inning with Fresno State leading a whopping 15-6.
Sprague is throwing in the low 80s.
Danny Muno drove in two runs with triple then scored when Erik Wetzel's liner richoted off the glove of shortstop Gordon Beckham that put Fresno State ahead 9-6.
Then with the bases loaded and two outs, catcher Ryan Overland hit a soft single between left fielder Lyle Allen and shortstop Gordon Beckham that scored two runs and put Fresno State ahead 11-6.
Fresno State has now scored six runs in the third and five runs in the fourth. Anyone care to bet if the Bulldogs can score four runs the next inning?
FYI . . . Tommy Mendonca tied a College World Series record by hitting his fourth homer of the CWS, tied with seven others.
Also, Overland was removed from the game in the bottom of the fourth his fourth-inning hit, replaced by Danny Grubb (though Blake Amador pinch ran for Overland).
Georgia scored in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from Gordon Beckham to make it a 6-6 tie.
How long can Sprague last? No one has yet to warm up in the bullpen.
Fresno State scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, capped by a three-run homer from Tommy Mendonca that put Fresno State ahead 6-5 through three innings.
Fresno state scored its first run in the bottom of the third, when Nick Montgomery threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded. Still, Fresno State trailed 5-1.
Then with the bases loaded, Steve Susdorf delivered on a 3-1 count, with a two-run single that cut Georgia’s lead to 5-3.
Georgia RH Steve Dodson (5-4, 4.09 ERA) replaced Montgomery with one out and runners on second and third.
Alan Ahmady pops out then Tommy Mendonca hit a three-run homer on the first pitch to put Fresno State ahead 6-5.
Here's the problem, though.... Fresno State still has to play defense and trot out pitchers who just might be running on fumes.
Typically flawless on defense, Fresno State failed at two play it has made throughout the NCAA Tournament.
Danny Muno jumped for a line drive but failed to bring down the out, instead the ball bouncing off his glove,
Then, catcher Ryan Overland dropped a foul ball for what would have been the final out of top of the third.
Fresno State trails 5-0.
Fresno State had just one hit through two innings and still had not scored.
Georgia, meanwhile, has runners on first and second with a four-run lead.
Georgia scored again on an RBI single from David Thoms to build a 5-0 lead with runners on first and third with two outs.
How long have these innings been for Fresno State defensively... Georgia starting pitcher Nick Montgomery is warming up in the bullpen again for the second time this game.
Holden Sprague is replacing Justin Miller, who obviously was not ready to pitch.
Georgia scored yet again in the top of the second, now with a 4-0 lead after leadoff hitter Ryan Peisel scored on a sacrifice fly by Rich Poythress.
Fresno State has not had to play from behind much in the NCAA Tournament. And never by this much, at least not in games it has won.
After a 26-minute delay, Fresno State gives up three runs off four hits then fail to do anything in the bottom of the order.
Is the run coming to an end?
The second game of the College World Series championships is still scheduled to be played... just pushed back to 6:35 p.m. (CST). Justin Miller (6-4, 5.10 ERA) is scheduled to start for Fresno State.
Nick Montgomery (4-2, 4.30) will start for Georgia on the mound.
The game was pushed back 30 minutes because of rain.
It has been raining in Omaha for much of the day, and still is. But the rain is light, the field has been prepped and the National Anthem was just completed.
So it's about five hours before the first pitch is scheduled for the second game of the College World Series championship series.
It's currently raining, nothing too bad that would stop tonight's game. But there's a 60% chance of thunderstorms later in the day.
There's already been one CWS game that was postponed and another that was delayed for about two hours. So adjusting to unfriendly weather is nothing new at this year's CWS.
Sure, it'll be bad for attendance and drive away fans.
But, the rain could help Fresno State, considering its pitching appears to be depleted and fatigued after playing three straight days and going on its fourth, if tonight's game happens.
Every Fresno State pitcher has taken the mound except Jake Hower in the past three days.
Here's a breakdown of Fresno State's pitching load the past week (number of innings pitched)
Justin Miller started Tuesday (4) and pitched in relief Saturday (1 1/3)
Justin Wilson started Saturday (5 1/3)
Clayton Allison started Sunday (6)
Holden Sprague pitched in relief Tuesday (2 2/3), Saturday (1) and Sunday (1)
Brandon Burke pitched in relief Tuesday (1), Sunday (1) and Monday (1)
Kris Tomlinson pitched in relief Tuesday (2/3), Saturday (1/3) and Monday (1 1/3)
Jason Breckley pitched in relief Tuesday (1/3) and Monday (2)
Sean Bonesteele started Monday (3)
Jake Floethe pitched in relief Monday (2/3)
Think Fresno State wants a rainout today? You bet.
Georgia closer Josh Fields retired the top three hitters of Fresno State's lineup -- Danny Muno, Gavin Hedstrom and Erik Wetzel to end the game and send Fresno State on the verge of elimination.
The teams will play against at 6 p.m. Tuesday, with Fresno State needing to win two games to claim the national crown.
Georgia just must win one of two games to seal the deal.
After Fresno State scored three runs in the top of the eighth, Georgia followed with four runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 7-6 lead.
Georgia brings in closer Josh Fields with Fresno State's top of the lineup coming up in the ninth.
Field was selected by the Seattle Mariners in the first round, with the 20th overall pick.
But not all hope should be lost... though there is a good chance...
Fields gave up four runs in his last outing (to Stanford but Georgia still won 10-8).
Georgia star Gordon Beckhman crushed a two-run homer in the eighth inning off closer Brandon Burke to reduce Fresno State's lead to 6-5.
Burke is pitching for the second straight day after throwing two innings Sunday.
Beckham now has 27 home runs for the year, which ranks second in the nation.
Fresno State trots out closer Brandon Burke after Breckley surrendered a hit to start the bottom of the eighth. Breckley was working on his third inning.
Fresno State leads 6-3 with no outs and a runner on first in the eighth inning.
Burke pitched two innings Sunday in Fresno State's 6-1 win against North Carolina.
Erik Wetzel drew a walk to start the eighth and then Steve Susdorf came to the plate.
Georgia huddles on the mound to discuss the possible scenarios. Will Susdorf, the cleanup hitter, bunt?
Georgia third baseman Ryan Peisel played in, but it didn't matter.
Susdorf loaded up and hit a double to right center field.
That put Fresno State ahead 4-3. Then, Tommy Mendonca hit a solo home run and Steve Detwiler added an RBI double.
Fresno State now leads 6-3 and stand six outs from victory. Jason Breckley remains on the mound, entering his third inning.
Closer Brandon Burke went to the bullpen to warm up but the extra runs might allow coach Mike Batesole to save Burke for another day.
Maybe.
If Burke throws today, it'll mark his second straight day, almost assuring that he won't pitch Tuesday if he enters today.
Still, Burke is warming up in the eighth.
The game is tied at 3-3 with two innings left.
Jason Breckley just retired the side in the bottom of the seventh.
No one has been seen warming up in the Bulldogs dugout for a while.
Georgia has changed pitchers now, sending lefty Alex McRee to the mound. McRee (7-1, 3.64) has 64 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings and sports the second-lowest ERA for Georgia.
Fresno State's heart of the order is up to bat.
Tied again . . . Matt Cerione hit a single up the middle that scored Rich Poythress from second with two outs. Game is tied 3-3 after six innings.
Steve Susdorf hits a triple to deep right, center field.
Then, Ahmady walks to place runners at first and third.
But Tommy Mendonca strikes out and Ryan Overland flies out to bring Fresno State's count to four runners left on base.
Jason Breckley takes the mound now for Fresno State to start the bottom of the sixth.
Georgia lefty hitter Matt Olson was so perplexed by the offspeed pitches of Fresno State reliever Kris Tomlinson that Olson lost a handle of his bat.
Yes, Olson's bat sailed out of his hands and almost in the first-base dugout occupied by Fresno State. The players, who were standing along the rail, all ducked as the bat came toward them.
Many were laughing and smiling afterward, with the ESPN cameras zooming in on their reaction. Before Olson's next swing, all the Fresno State players intentionally ducked behind the dugut's rail fencing.
Fresno State leads 3-2 through five innings. Jake Hower has been warming up in the bullpen. So is Jason Breckley.
First No. 9 hitter Jordan Ribera.
Now No. 8 hitter Steve Detwiler.
Detwiler hit a two-run homer over Holder in the fifth that put Fresno State ahead 3-2.
Detwiler has been playing with a torn ligament in his thumb. Not sure if this was caught on TV, but there was a funny moment that happened after Detwiler touched home .... Fresno State players didn't hi-five him or celebrate all rowdy. Instead, they gave gentle golf claps as Detwiler returned to the dugout. Quite amusing.
Jake Floethe almost provided a productive inning. Instead, he lasted just 2/3 of an inning after he allowed a hit then issued a walk on full count.
Then with runners on first and second and two outs, Floethe surrendered an RBI single to one of the weakest sticks in the Georgia lineup with Joey Lewis (.253) coming through with with a shot right field to bring in Bryce Massanari from second. Fresno State right fielder Steve Detwiler fired a throw from right field, but the ball simply was dragging on the grass a bit too long to get to Detwiler, and his throw to catcher Ryan Overland was just a tad too late.
Lefty specialist Kris Tomlinson replaced Floethe and ends the inning by inducing an out. Fresno State trails 2-1.
Fresno State's three best power bats were retired in order with Steve Susdorf flying out in the warning track in left field, Alan Ahmady popped out to shortstop and Tommy Mendonca grounding out at first.
Fresno State is changing pitchers now, with freshman Jake Floethe (1-1, 8.51 ERA) replacing Bonesteele.
Floethe and Bonesteele are good friends. Floethe, a sinker ball pitcher, has the second-worst ERA on the team. Teams are hitting .333 against him. He has 20 strikeouts in 24 1/3 innings.
Georgia keeps hitting the ball hard but to Fresno State defenders.
Floethe has pitched twice in the postseason, but both in garbage team when Fresno State was well out of the game in losing 12-4 to Arizona State and 15-1 to San Diego. So this is the first time Floethe is in a situation in which is actually matters.
Fresno State and Georgia were tied 1-1 through three innings after Bonesteele retired the side in order.
Through three innings, Bonesteele has not walked a batter, allowed two runs for one hit.
Fresno State third baseman Tommy Mendonca flashing the glove still. He made a diving catch all the while playing in on the field, for what easily will be a Top-10 sports Center play of the day.
Fresno State No. 9 hitter Jordan Ribera hit a solo home run to start the third inning, connecting on the first pitch he saw for a shot in the left, center-field wall.
Ribera came into the game hitting .198 with 4 homers, 15 RBIs and 11 runs in 86 at-bats. He has the potential to become a good hitter some day but has struggled to identify and hit offspeed pitches. But, Ribera has shown more discipline at the plate over the past two weeks. He drew two walks Sunday against North Carolina and also was 1 for 1.
A shot by Danny Muno hits Georgia pitcher Trevor Holder on the leg, which delays the game for seven minutes.
But Holder is able to retire Gavin Hedstrom and Erik Wetzel to make it through the inning, with the game tied 1-1.
When your pitcher's ERA is a 6.75, you gotta feel relieved each time an inning goes by and no damage has been done.
Bonesteele makes it through the second inning by retiring the No. 6-8 hitters in order.
Up next for the Bulldogs to start the third is No. 9 hitter Jordan Ribera.
Fresno State gets another batter on base, but strands Alan Ahmady.
OK, lets talk about this Georgia starting pitcher Trevor Holder.
Entering the game, he was 8-4 with a 4.45 ERA. He has 64 strikeouts in 91 innings and teams are hitting .292 against him. So his numbers aren't great but they're not that bad, either.
Just OK.
He hasn't been overwhelming by any means so far. But maybe it's me, but I get a sense that Fresno State is fatigued right now.
Fresno State starting pitcher Sean Bonesteele gave up a double to the first batter he faced in Georgia's Ryan Peisel.
But he got the next two batters out but he kept a pitch up against Rich Poythress and surrendered a run as Georgia took a 1-0 lead.
Bonesteele last started May 6 when Fresno State lost 2-1 at Long Beach State.
But it wasn't a "true start" for Bonesteele, since he pitched just two innings, and gave up a run somehow without allowing a hit or a walk. He struck out one.
Fresno State leadoff hitter Danny Muno reached third base via walk, wild pitch and ground out. But Steve Susdorf struck out to keep Muno on base to end the inning.
Before the game, Susdorf had gotten upset that he wasn't getting good pitches to swing at during batting practice. Perhaps that's affected his plate discipline?
Is that a stretch???? We'll see...
Sean Bonesteele's turn on the mound.
It's another nice day at Rosenblatt Stadium in a "Dog meet Dog" College World Series championship.
Fresno State plays Georgia in a best-of-three series.
Fresno State will turn to Sean Bonesteele on the mound. Bonesteele (2-2, 6.75 ERA) pitched two innings in relief when Fresno State played Rice to start the CWS.
Georgia will go to RH Trevor Holder (8-4, 4.45).
The main Georgia player to watch: Shortstop Gordan Beckham, who is batting .403 with 26 homers, 72 RBIs and 94 runs. He even has 17 steals.
Yes... can you say future 5-tool, first-round fantasy baseball pick!
Beckham was drafted the Chicago White Sox with the eighth overall pick.
FYI... there have a few dark clouds that could possibly be headed this direction. If the game were to be postponed, that would have Fresno State out tremendously. Of course, that's likely not going to happen.
Fresno State has played two straight games with today being its third.
Fresno State is wearing its gray uniforms with navy caps. Georgia is wearing its all-white uniform and caps.
The wind is blowing quite strong out in center field, and the stands are starting to get filled in.
Enjoy the game.
We here at The Bee have seen a recent increase in letters regarding the Fresno State baseball team. Here are two of the most recent:
From Sam Chen of Wahiawa, Hawaii:
“I hate everything about Fresno State. I hate the football team, the basketball team, and any team that plays for Fresno. Nothing can compare to the satisfaction of beating one of your teams here in Hawaii, or especially there in Fresno. So for the past week, I watched with amazement at the success of the underdog baseball team. They played with a ton of heart and guts, and displayed class and sportsmanship to boot. You make all of us in the WAC proud. Can't believe I'm saying this, but for the next 3 days, give 'em hell Fresno State. Go Dogs!"
From Cpt. Travis Marks in Iraq:
"I am a Fresno native and Bullard graduate, who is currently deployed to Iraq. I just wanted to show my support of our outstanding Bulldog baseball team. Watching games is tough here because they are on from 2-5 a.m., but I try anyway. When ESPN said on Saturday night that Fresno is a community that really rallies around their college team, I couldn't help but think how true that statement was, especially since I had the urge to watch the game over in the desert. Go DOGS!"
Count at least one columnist from Honolulu among those cheering along as the Fresno State baseball team continues its inconceivable run through the College World Series.
Ferd Lewis of the Honolulu Advertiser wrote a column Friday praising the Bulldogs' accomplishments to that point. He acknowledged that H