Fresno State Bulldogs baseball

Fresno State Bulldogs baseball
Fresno State Bulldogs baseball
2024 Fresno State Bulldogs baseball team
Founded	1922
University	California State University, Fresno
Head coach	Ryan Overland (2nd season)
Conference	Mountain West
Location	Fresno, California
Home stadium	Pete Beiden Field ; (Capacity: 5,422)
Nickname	Bulldogs
Colors	Cardinal red and blue;
NCAA Tournament champions
	2008
College World Series appearances
	1959, 1988, 1991, 2008
NCAA regional champions
	1988, 1991, 2008
NCAA Tournament appearances
	1954, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1966, 1967, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2019, 2024
Conference tournament champions
	1993, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2019, 2024
Regular season conference champions
	1988, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2016, 2019

The Fresno State Bulldogs baseball team represents Fresno State in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Fresno State athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Mountain West Conference. The Bulldogs play their home games on campus at Pete Beiden Field, and they are currently coached by Ryan Overland.

Fresno State in the NCAA Tournament

The 2008 NCAA Division I College World Series Champions.
- In one of the more improbable Cinderella stories in American sports history, the Bulldogs surmounted a daunting array of obstacles on their way to the NCAA title:^[2]^[3]
- Prior to winning the 2008 tournament, Fresno State's only championship in a men's sport was in 1968, when the men's tennis team won the national championship held in Fort Worth, Texas.^[4]
- Fresno State had previously won only two national championships in its school history, the 1968 NCAA College Division men's tennis championships and ^[5] the 1998 NCAA Women's College World Series.
- The Bulldogs entered the Western Athletic Conference tournament at 33–27; they would likely not have made the NCAA tournament without winning the WAC tournament, which they did.
- They were the #4 seed in their regional. Since only four teams play in each of 16 regionals, this is the equivalent of a team seeded #13 or lower in the NCAA basketball tournament. No #4 seed had advanced to the College World Series. By contrast, only one team #13 or lower seed has made the "Elite 8" of the men's basketball tournament, which is arguably equivalent to the eight-team College World Series.
- Six times in the NCAA tournament, including three times in the College World Series, they faced elimination with a loss. They won all six times.
- They won a total of 10 tournament games against six different teams ranked in the top 20. ESPN pointed out that in terms of the NCAA basketball tournament, Fresno State's run would be equivalent to a 13 seed beating a 4 seed in the first round, a 5 seed in the second round, a top seed in the Sweet 16, a second seed in the Elite 8, another top seed in the Final Four, and still another 2 seed for the championship.
- The Bulldogs' stellar underdog journey to the CWS Championship was nominated for an ESPY.

Fresno State's 30+ NCAA tournament appearances is good enough to rank in the top 10 all-time.

Notable alumni

Pat Doyle – Baseball coach.
Doug Fister – Pitcher, has been a fixture in the starting rotation for the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers, Washington Nationals, and the Houston Astros since his MLB debut in 2009. Signed with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in 2017.
Mark Gardner – Pitcher, 12-year MLB veteran drafted in 1989 by the Montreal Expos, Kansas City Royals, Florida Marlins and finished his career with the San Francisco Giants. Has been on the Giants coaching staff as their bullpen coach since 2003.
Matt Garza – Pitcher, starting pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers
Dan Gladden – outfielder with the Minnesota Twins for two World Series wins.
John Hoover – Set three career records and three Bulldogs single-season records, highlighted by his NCAA record of 42 career complete games and 19 complete games in a season, including 44 wins and 494 innings pitched in a career, and single-season marks of 18 wins and 205 strikeouts (Baltimore Orioles, first round, 25th pick, 1984 MLB draft).^[6]
Bobby Jones – Pitcher, selected by the Mets with the 36th pick in the 1st round of the 1991 amateur draft.
Aaron Judge – All-Star outfielder drafted by the New York Yankees in 2013, made his major league debut in 2016. 2017 American League Rookie of the Year, 2017 Home Run Derby Champion, broke Mark McGwire's MLB rookie home run record of 49, by hitting 52. American League single season home run leader passing Roger Maris’s mark of 61 with 62 in 2022.
Terry Pendleton – 3B, former All-Star and World Series Champion with the Atlanta Braves. Currently the 3B coach for the Braves. Was a 3-time Gold Glover (1987, 1989, 1992) and 1-time Batting Champ (1991 as well as 1-time League MVP (1991.
Dick Ruthven – Pitcher, drafted in 1973 by the Philadelphia Phillies he spent 13 years in MLB spending time with the Phillies, Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs. Was twice named an All-Star (1976, 1981) and won a World Series with the Phillies in 1980.
Jeff Weaver – Pitcher, 2006 World Series champion (St. Louis Cardinals). Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the first round of the 1998 amateur draft.
Jimy Williams – 1999 American League Manager of the Year (Boston Red Sox), 1995 World Series champion (third-base coach, Atlanta Braves), and 2008 World Series champion (bench coach, Philadelphia Phillies).
Austin Wynns - catcher for the San Francisco Giants
Taylor Ward - Outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels, was teammates with Aaron Judge in 2013.

References

^ Fresno State's Branding and Marketing - Color. April 11, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
^ "Fresno State reaches historic postseason heights". ESPN.com. June 23, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
^ "Fresno State shocks Georgia for first CWS championship". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 25, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
^ Reporter Bruce Farris, Fresno Bee
^ Fresno Bee, June 1968
^ Bulldog Blitz – Former Fresno State baseball ace John Hoover dead at age 51 Archived July 26, 2014, at the Wayback Machine

[1] Fresno State's Branding and Marketing - Color. April 11, 2022. Retrieved July 30, 2022.

[Fresno_obstacles-2] "Fresno State reaches historic postseason heights". ESPN.com. June 23, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2008.

[Fresno_title_game-3] "Fresno State shocks Georgia for first CWS championship". ESPN.com. Associated Press. June 25, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2008.

[4] Reporter Bruce Farris, Fresno Bee

[5] Fresno Bee, June 1968

[6] Bulldog Blitz – Former Fresno State baseball ace John Hoover dead at age 51 Archived July 26, 2014, at the Wayback Machine

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v t e Fresno State Bulldogs baseball
Venues	Pete Beiden Field at Bob Bennett Stadium (1966–present)
People	Head coaches
Seasons	1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
National Championships in bold; College World Series appearances in italics

v t e Mountain West Conference baseball
Teams	Air Force Falcons Fresno State Bulldogs (leaving in 2026) Nevada Wolf Pack New Mexico Lobos San Diego State Aztecs (leaving in 2026) San Jose State Spartans UNLV Rebels Washington State Cougars (leaving in 2026)
Future teams	Hawaiʻi Rainbow Warriors (joining in 2026)
Championships and Awards	Mountain West Conference baseball tournament

Fresno State in the NCAA Tournament

Notable alumni

See also

References