Fresno State baseball: Bulldogs hit Mountain West’s rocky roads, starting at New Mexico

The road in the Mountain West Conference has been unkind to the Fresno State baseball team.

Sometimes downright brutal.

Especially when its pitchers leave the cozy confines of California for higher elevations, gusty winds blowing out to the fences and maybe even a snowstorm while visiting Air Force, New Mexico, Nevada and even UNLV.

It’s a big reason why Fresno State is 10-21 in Mountain West road games played outside its home state since joining the conference for the 2013 season. The Bulldogs have been outscored 208-174 while allowing an average of 6.71 runs per game.

And it likely won’t get easier for Fresno State (21-9, 9-3) this weekend, playing at New Mexico (20-9, 9-3) in a showdown of the Mountain West’s co-leaders.

New Mexico has been the toughest place to play in the conference, with the Lobos 71-29-1 at home since the Bulldogs joined the Mountain West – including 8-1 against Fresno State in Albuquerque.

“As far as college baseball is concerned, it’s fair to say that pitching in the Mountain West is as difficult to pitch as anywhere – it’s hard to think of a more difficult challenge than the Mountain West for pitching,” said Bulldogs pitching coach Steve Rousey, who prior to joining Fresno State in fall 2010 coached at Cal State Northridge of the Big West.

“It’s offensive conditions, the altitude, the warm weather. That’s a challenge for pitchers. The good news is that it’s a challenge for the other team’s pitchers, too.”

Also good news for Fresno State is that the Bulldogs this season will deal with the adversity while boasting their best pitching staff since entering the Mountain West.

Friday starter Ricky Thomas (4-2, 1.94), Saturday starter Jimmy Lambert (6-0, 1.61 ERA) and Sunday starter Edgar Gonzalez (2-0, 2.32) rank third, second and fourth in the Mountain West in ERA.

The Bulldogs, at 2.97, are the only team in the conference with a sub-4.00 ERA (New Mexico is at 4.81). Thomas leads the conference and ranks 26th in the nation with 54 strikeouts. Lambert is 11th in the country with a 9.75 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

“Going into New Mexico, you got to say this is the biggest series of the year, especially going on the road with the two teams tied for first,” Lambert said. “It’s a big one, you want to try to get two and stand alone in first place.”

Lambert, a junior, added that the experience of pitching in the hitter-friendly ballparks eases some of the nervousness.

“The conditions aren’t going to be what we’re accustomed to, but that’s the Mountain West,” the San Dimas native said. “No matter where you’re pitching, you want to be down in the zone and mixing your pitches. If you’re missing up in the zone, it could cost you more. Fly balls can become home runs if you miss your spot up in the zone.

“But it’s an exciting challenge.”

Baseballs have been known to fly out of New Mexico’s Santa Ana Star Field, which is at an elevation of 5,102 feet (compared to Beiden Field’s 336).

In 1999, Fresno State and New Mexico combined for a still-NCAA record 68 hits as the Bulldogs lost 27-26. The second most in history is 59.

And the combination of thin air, wind and usually dangerous Lobos hitters continues to create problems for opposing pitchers.

This season, the Lobos rank 24th in the nation with 221 runs, 11th with a .415 on-base and .492 slugging percentage, and are tied for 31st with 28 home runs – the most in the Mountain West and 12 more than runner-up Fresno State.

The Bulldogs lead the nation with 41 sacrifice bunts but might veer from their small-ball ways this weekend to keep up with the potential offensive onslaught. Fresno State coach Mike Batesole, though, likes the Bulldogs’ offensive versatility.

“You got to be able to do everything in this league,” Batesole said. “Sometimes the parks are airports. Sometimes the wind is blowing in 40 mph. Sometimes it blows out 40 mph.

“Sometimes it’s snowing. Sometimes it’s 80 degrees. You got to be able to do a little bit of everything, adjust and adapt for what the situation calls for.”

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 8:45 PM with the headline "Fresno State baseball: Bulldogs hit Mountain West’s rocky roads, starting at New Mexico."