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Topics - Fresno State baseball 2008 section

'Dogs win unbelievable game

Fresno State roars back with a vengeance to force a finale for the national title.

Published online on Wednesday, Jun. 25, 2008

By Bryant-Jon Anteola / The Fresno Bee
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OMAHA, Neb. - You can feel it? Can you smell it? The finish line is right there. It's almost within reach.

The Fresno State Bulldogs survived another must-win situation Tuesday, beating Georgia 19-10 at Rosenblatt Stadium to force a deciding game at the College World Series of the NCAA Tournament.

One more win and Fresno State will wear a national baseball crown.

One more win and this Cinderella season avoids the strike of midnight.

One more win and the Bulldogs can conclude perhaps the greatest underdog story in the history of college baseball -- perhaps of any sport.

Click for photo slideshow Scenes from CWS Finals
Click to view PDF College World Series Bracket

CWS Finals Game 3

4 p.m. today

TV: ESPN2
Radio: KMJ-580, KCBL-1340 and KEZL-1400
Series: Tied 1-1

It comes down to today at 4 p.m., with Fresno State (46-31) and Georgia (45-24-1) meeting for a final time.

Lefty ace Justin Wilson (8-5, 4.34 ERA) will start for Fresno State, coming off three days of rest. Georgia will send right-hander Nathan Moreau (4-3, 5.22) to the mound; the team also has Josh Fields (3-2, 3.41), a first-round pick who hasn't pitched recently and will be waiting for a call out of the bullpen.

"This is for everything, everything we've worked for," Georgia coach David Perno said. "You've got a one-shot deal."

Fresno State survived Tuesday by overcoming a five-run deficit through three innings with an offensive surge that generated 19 hits, even though the team's pitching wasn't as sharp or its defense wasn't as sound as it has been.

Tommy Mendonca batted 2-for-5, including a three-run homer in the third inning that gave Fresno State its first lead. Steve Susdorf went 2-for-5 with four RBIs.

Fresno State led by as many as nine runs after five innings and built a lead so great that it could survive shaky performances by two pitchers who were working on little rest and a third who hadn't thrown in more than a month.

"This club has a lot of heart, and I keep saying that 'cause it's true," Fresno coach Mike Batesole said. "This team has just been going and going and going. And they're going to go for nine more innings."


The reporter can be reached atbanteola@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6362.

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