Fresno State’s Batesole: ‘A lot of people didn’t think we were going to do that’ in opener

Answers don’t come in Game 1, or in one game. But the Fresno State Bulldogs baseball team on Friday night dropped some fairly strong clues that a young lineup, their biggest question headed into 2020, does indeed have some chops.

Facing UC Irvine right-hander Trenton Denholm, the Big West Conference pitcher of the year a year ago, the Bulldogs worked counts, took good at-bats top to bottom and took advantage of the few mistakes presented to them in an opening 3-1 victory at Beiden Field.

Junior Nate Thimjon crushed a 2-0 pitch from Denholm over the fence in left field in the fourth inning and sophomore Jeff Jamison drilled the first pitch he saw in the fifth for a two-run homer.

“He’s a fastball pitcher and our plan was fastballs and 2-0 count, that’s what I was looking for and connected with it,” Thimjon said.

“Definitely a lot of people didn’t think we were going to do that, so definitely it feels good to come out here and win.”

Denholm in 99⅔ innings last season had allowed just one home run.

He also had an ERA of 1.81, and allowed opposing hitters to bat just .178.

No-doubt home runs

But he made two mistakes with fastballs, and Thimjon and Jamison did not leave much doubt. Both pitches were crushed, the first getting Bulldogs starter Jaime Arias even and the second a lead.

“That’s a kid who is going to pitch in the big leagues right there,” coach Mike Batesole said of Denholm. “Anytime you can get a win off a kid like that, you have to fight it out every pitch.”

Batesole credited his Bulldogs with three hard hits including Emilio Nogales’ line out to right field in the first inning as Denholm went 5⅔ innings. “That’s how good he was.”

Arias, who closed games for the Bulldogs last season when they won 40 games and Mountain West Conference regular-season and tournament championships, pounded the strike zone for six innings.

He worked ahead in the count, allowing just three hits and one run while striking out three.

“That’s good stuff, man,” Batesole said. “Jaime came out and beat an All-American and don’t think he didn’t know that going in. That guy was an All-American. Jaime was an All-American last year and wasn’t preseason All-American … how are you All-American last year and not preseason All-American this year?

“I’m pretty sure that was in his craw a little bit tonight, so good for getting that one done.”

Nik Cardinal worked a scoreless seventh for the Bulldogs. Ryan Sullivan struck out junior Riley Kasper, the Anteaters’ No. 3 batter and a .382 hitter last season, with runners at second and third to get out of the eighth.

Kevin Larson walked the first batter he faced to start the ninth, but then came back with two strikeouts and a fly ball to record the save.