The 2008 Fresno State Bulldogs baseball team represented California State University, Fresno in the NCAA Division I baseball season of 2008. They played their home games at Beiden Field in Fresno, California. The team was coached by Mike Batesole who was in his fifth season at Fresno State. Under Batesole, Fresno State has won three Western Athletic Conference championships in a row, and he has a 172-134 record with the Bulldogs.

In a Cinderella run through the postseason, the Fresno State Bulldogs defeated the Georgia Bulldogs in the 2008 College World Series finals to win its first NCAA Division I Championship in baseball. This led to their 3rd national championship in the NCAA organization, adding to their championships in Softball (1998) and Men's Track & Field (1964-Division II).

Schedule and results Before the season occurred, Fresno State entered the season ranked in the Collegiate Baseball newspaper's Fabulous 40 for the third consecutive season, at #21. Fresno State was also ranked #21 by the preseason magazine Baseball America.Baseball America Preseason College Top 25 Fresno State also was preseason pick of the WAC coaches as the favorite to win the 2008 season; additionally, seven players were selected to the Preseason All-WAC Team, including the preseason Player of the Year Steve Susdorf and Pitcher of the Year Clayton Allison

2008 Fresno State Bulldogs baseball game logRegular seasonFebruary Date Opponent Location Result February 22, 2008 Fresno, CA L 4-2 February 23, 2008 UC Davis Fresno, CA L 3-1 February 23, 2008 UC Davis Fresno, CA W 7-0 February 24, 2008 UC Davis Fresno, CA W 6-3 February 28, 2008 vs San Diego, CA L 14-4 February 29, 2008 at San Diego, CA L 5-2March Date Opponent Location Result March 1, 2008 vs San Diego, CA L 2-1 March 2, 2008 at San Diego, CA W 9-2 March 4, 2008 at Santa Clara, CA L 6-5 10 March 8, 2008 Fresno, CA W 6-2 March 9, 2008 Indiana Fresno, CA W 9-4 March 10, 2008 Fresno, CA L 13-8 March 11, 2008 Fresno, CA L 3-2 March 12, 2008 Indiana Fresno, CA L 11-1 March 13, 2008 Fresno, CA W 10-1 March 14, 2008 Fresno, CA W 10-0 March 15, 2008 Portland Fresno, CA W 12-3 March 18, 2008 San Francisco, CA L 13-8 March 20, 2008 at Honolulu, HI L 4-0 March 21, 2008 at Hawaii Honolulu, HI L 2-0 March 22, 2008 at Hawaii Honolulu, HI W 5-0 March 22, 2008 at Hawaii Honolulu, HI W 4-2 10 March 25, 2008 Cal Poly Fresno, CA W 10-9 March 26, 2008 Cal Poly Fresno, CA W 13-11 March 28, 2008 Fresno, CA W 12-4 March 29, 2008 Nevada Fresno, CA W 11-1 7 March 29, 2008 Nevada Fresno, CA L 4-1 March 30, 2008 Nevada Fresno, CA W 13-3 7April Date Opponent Location Result April 1, 2008 Fresno, CA W 7-6 April 2, 2008 at California Berkeley, CA L 5-4 April 9, 2008 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CA L 8-5 April 11, 2008 Fresno, CA W 14-5 April 12, 2008 Louisiana Tech Fresno, CA W 9-8 April 12, 2008 Louisiana Tech Fresno, CA W 11-1 7 April 13, 2008 Louisiana Tech Fresno, CA W 8-0 April 15, 2008 at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, CA L 10-7 April 18, 2008 at Las Cruces, NM W 13-10 April 19, 2008 at New Mexico State Las Cruces, NM W 9-5 April 19, 2008 at New Mexico State Las Cruces, NM W 13-1 7 April 20, 2008 at New Mexico State Las Cruces, NM W 24-6 Mercy 7 April 22, 2008 Santa Clara Fresno, CA L 10-8 April 23, 2008 San Francisco Fresno, CA W 5-4 April 25, 2008 at Nevada Reno, NV W 9-3 April 26, 2008 at Nevada Reno, NV L 4-1 April 26, 2008 at Nevada Reno, NV L 7-3 April 27, 2008 at Nevada Reno, NV L 12-11 April 30, 2008 at San Francisco San Francisco, CA L 7-6May Date Opponent Location Result May 2, 2008 New Mexico State Fresno, CA W 11-8 May 3, 2008 New Mexico State Fresno, CA L 9-2 May 3, 2008 New Mexico State Fresno, CA L 12-7 May 4, 2008 New Mexico State Fresno, CA W 6-4 May 6, 2008 at Long Beach State Long Beach, CA L 2-1 May 9, 2008 Fresno, CA W 11-3 May 10, 2008 San Jose State Fresno, CA W 9-8 May 10, 2008 San Jose State Fresno, CA W 5-3 May 11, 2008 San Jose State Fresno, CA L 2-1 May 16, 2008 at Sacramento, CA L 9-8 May 17, 2008 at Sacramento State Sacramento, CA L 4-0 May 17, 2008 at Sacramento State Sacramento, CA W 6-4 May 18, 2008 at Sacramento State Sacramento, CA W 13-6Postseason Date Opponent Location Result May 22, 2008 vs Sacramento State Ruston, LA W 3-2 May 23, 2008 vs San Jose State Ruston, LA W 7-3 May 24, 2008 vs Hawaii Ruston, LA W 11-4 May 25, 2008 vs Nevada Ruston, LA W 6-4 May 30, 2008 at Long Beach State Long Beach, CA W 7-3 May 31, 2008 vs San Diego Long Beach, CA W 6-0 June 1, 2008 vs San Diego Long Beach, CA L 15-1 June 2, 2008 vs San Diego Long Beach, CA W 5-1 June 7, 2008 at Tempe, AZ L 12-4 June 8, 2008 at Arizona State Tempe, AZ W 8-6 June 9, 2008 at Arizona State Tempe, AZ W 12-9 June 15, 2008 vs Omaha, NE W 17-5 June 17, 2008 vs North Carolina Omaha, NE W 5-3 June 21, 2008 vs North Carolina Omaha, NE L 4-3 June 22, 2008 vs North Carolina Omaha, NE W 6-1 June 23, 2008 vs Georgia Omaha, NE L 7-6 June 24, 2008 vs Georgia Omaha, NE W 19-10 June 25, 2008 vs Georgia Omaha, NE W 6-1

Roster

Coaches Name Title First season at Fresno State Alma materMike BatesolePlayer Bio: Mike Batesole @ GoBulldogs.comHead coach2003Fullerton State University (1990)Pat WaerPat Waer Bio @ GoBulldogs.comAssistant coach2006Washington State University (1995)Matt CurtisPat Waer Bio @ GoBulldogs.comAssistant coach2002Fresno State University (1996)Mike MayneMike Mayne Bio @ GoBulldogs.comAssistant coach2007University of California—Riverside (1968)

Players No. Players Position Year Ht/wt Bats/throws Hometown (last school)3Erik WetzelINFJR6-1/180R/RChino, CA (Don Lugo HS)4Danny GrubbCJR5-11/185R/ROrange, CA (Orange Lutheran HS)5Trent SoaresOFFR6-0/180L/RFresno, CA (San Joaquin Memorial High School)7Nick HomINFFR6-0/180R/RBenicia, CA (De La Salle HS)9Alan AhmadyINFSO5-11/195R/RFresno, CA (Clovis West HS)10Jason BreckleyRHPSR6-1/220R/RMoorpark, CA (Moorpark HS)11Todd SandellINFSR6-2/190R/RSomis, CA (Camarillo HS)14Tanner ScheppersRHPJR6-4/220R/RLaguna Niguel, CA (Dana Hills HS)15Steve DetwilerOFSO6-1/220R/RForest Knolls, CA (San Rafael HS)16Danny MunoINFFR5-11/170S/RThousand Oaks, CA (Loyola HS)19Jordan RiberaINFFR6-0/220L/RFresno, CA (Clovis West HS)21Justin WilsonLHPJR6-3/210L/LClovis, CA (Buchanan HS)24Ryan OverlandCSR6-2/200L/RAtascadero, CA (Atascadero HS)25Brandon BurkeRHPSR6-3/200R/RSan Diego, CA (Rancho Bernardo HS)27Steve SusdorfOFSR6-1/195L/LNewhall, CA (Hart HS)29Gavin HedstromOFJR6-1/190R/RIrvine, CA (Woodbridge HS)30Blake AmadorOFSR6-0/190L/LTurlock, CA (Modesto JC/UNLV)32Tommy MendoncaINFSO6-1/200L/RTurlock, CA (Turlock HS)33Justin MillerRHPJR6-5/195R/RBakersfield, CA (Bakersfield College)34Jake JohnsonCFR6-2/205R/RLa Mirada, CA (La Mirada HS)37Sean BonesteeleRHPSO6-5/220R/RSanta Ana, CA (Foothill HS)38Jake FloetheRHPFR6-3/195R/RLafayette, CA (Acalanes HS)40Clayton AllisonRHPSR6-5/230R/RVisalia, CA (College of the Sequoias)42Gene EscatRHPFR6-4/190R/RHanford, CA (Hanford HS)43Kris TomlinsonLHPJR6-0/180L/LVisalia, CA (Golden West HS)47Holden SpragueRHPJR6-2/210R/RFresno, CA (Bullard HS)50Jake HowerRHPSR6-4/190R/RRoseville, CA (American River CC)

Awards and honors Player Award/Honor Clayton Allison WAC Pitcher of the Week (April 16 - April 27) Alan Ahmady WAC Player of the Week and NCWBA National Player of the Week (March 24 - March 30), First-Team All-WAC, WAC All-Tournament Team. Steve Susdorf WAC Player of the Week (April 16 - April 27), First-Team All-WAC WAC Player of the Year 2008,The College Baseball Blog | 2008 WAC All-Conference Teams Announced ESPN The Magazine Academic All-AmericanESPN - Susdorf, Bulldogs thriving in role as underdogs on road to Omaha - College Sports Justin Wilson WAC Pitcher of the Week (May 7 - May 13) Mike Batesole NCBWA National Coach of the Year AwardBatesole Named National Coach of the Year

2008 Major League Baseball draft The following members of the 2008 Fresno State baseball team were drafted in the 2008 MLB draft.

Player Position Overall MLB team Justin Wilson LHP 144 Pittsburgh Pirates Erik Wetzel 2B 407 Colorado Rockies Justin Miller RHP 483 Texas Rangers Steven Susdorf OF 586 Philadelphia Phillies Clayton Allison RHP 817 Los Angeles Dodgers

References