University Southern California Trojans
NCAA Baseball Los Angeles Regional - Post-Game Story
May 26, 2001 | Baseball
May 26, 2001
LOS ANGELES - Unranked Fresno State scored both its runs in the top of the first and Bob Runyon pitched a 5-hit complete game as the Bulldogs eliminated No. 25 Oral Roberts, 2-1, in the third game of the NCAA Baseball Los Angeles Regional before 618 fans at USC's Dedeaux Field on Saturday afternoon (May 26).
Fresno State, which now plays again on Saturday at 7 p.m. in an elimination game against the loser of Saturday's USC-Pepperdine contest, improved to 40-24. Oral Roberts concluded its season with a 48-13 mark.
Fresno State wasted no time getting on the scoreboard off of ORU starter Rene Recio. With 2 outs in the top of the first inning, Josh Labandeira singled and Brandon Gemoll walked. Casey McGehee then doubled, with Labandeira scoring and Gemoll also coming in when centerfielder Erick Donaldson bobbled the ball.
Oral Roberts' only run came in the sixth when Danny Boyle singled and Steve Holm doubled him home with no outs. Brandon Gemoll followed with a walk and both runners advanced on Trevor Leu's sacrifice bunt, but the Golden Eagles left them stranded.
"I though Runyon pitched an awesome game," said Fresno State head coach Bob Bennett. "A 2-1 game with aluminum bats is always a classic. Both pitchers did a heck of a job."
Runyon stuck out 7 and walked just 3 to up his record to 10-1. Labandeira and Tobey Riday-White had 3 hits each for the Bulldogs, while McGehee had 2 hits.
Recio, a freshman, went 7 1/3 innings and surrendered 10 hits while taking the loss to fall to 8-2.
"In the first inning, we got 2 outs and then just like yesterday (a 12-4 loss to USC), we couldn't get the third out," said Oral Roberts head coach Sunny Golloway. "We never got the lead, never got in a comfort zone."
