FRESNO, Calif. - Fresno State gambled and it paid huge dividends.
Nick Moresi scored all the way from first on Brian Lapin's two-out single to center to tie the game, and Loren Story followed with a single to give the Bulldogs a dramatic 3-2 come-from-behind win over San Jose State Friday afternoon at Beiden Field.
The win sends Fresno State, winners of 13 straight and owners of a 41-16 record, into the winner's bracket finals today at 11 a.m.
San Jose State's Branden Dewing had scattered five hits over the first eight innings, and had the heavy hitting Bulldogs eating out of his hand.
He was one out away from winning when Moresi singled. With the outfield playing deep, Lapin lined a single up the middle. San Jose centerfielder Ryan Angel took too long to get to the ball and Moresi never stopped running. He was waved home by third-base coach Matt Curtis and easily beat shortstop John Shaffer's throw home.
"We were down to our last out," Curtis said. "The throw to the middle wasn't real firm. It just kind of came together. We had our best runner out there and we had a chance to steal a run."
"I saw the ball go out to the outfield and I knew I had to bust my butt to get over to third. I saw "Curty" waving me home. I do as I'm told. It was a big relief to get that run across."
Storey followed moments later with his game-winning hit, as Lapin was mobbed as he crossed home plate.
"I was batting fifth (that inning) and I knew I had a chance to hit," Storey said. "It was a fastball and I hit it hard. I started jumping up and down when he scored."
It was a tough defeat to swallow for Dewing, who allowed three runs on eight hits and certainly deserved a better fate.
"That's the second year in a row they have done that to me," Dewing said. "That's the way the game goes. I had everything working. I was throwing the ball down in the zone. I did make one bad pitch and Moresi did what he should have done with it (line drive off the fence in the seventh)."
San Jose State took a 2-0 lead in the fourth on Nick Epidendio's two-run homer. It was his first career homer.
Fresno State made it 2-1 in the sixth when Christian Vitters hit a sacrifice fly to score Erik Wetzel who had singled. Ozzie Lewis, who was on second when the play started, was called out for leaving second early on the flyout, killing a potential rally.
That's the way it stood until the ninth when the Bulldogs sent the Spartans packing.
"We had to play perfect," SJSU coach Sam Piraro said. "We played as hard as we can."
LA. TECH 14, SAC STATE 9
Two fortuitous hops led to nine fifth-inning runs, as the Bulldogs eliminated the sixth-seeded Hornets.
Marvin Hudson walked and Ryan Hamilton singled off Sac State starter Mitch Lively. Albie Goulder followed with a hard one-hopper that looked like a tailor-made double play. The ball bounced over the head of Gary Johnson, scoring Hudson and sending Hamilton to third. Amos Ramon followed with a bad-hop single off reliever Justin Deme, scoring Hamilton to tie the game at 5. Brian Rike walked and Joey McCarthy singled home Goulder to make it 6-5.
Mims Boyce, Tech's No. 9 hitter, pounded a three-run homer to left to make it 9-5. Matt Campbell came on and struck out Adam Cobb. Jericho Jones singled, Hudson walked and Hamilton blasted a three-run homer for a 12-5 lead.
"That's why we didn't bunt," Tech coach Wade Simoneaux said. "The ball was hopping out of control out there. We scored a few runs on hard-to-handle balls. That ground was so hard out there.
"Sac State is a gritty, aggressive team. They took two of our better arms to the limit."
Simoneaux was referring to starter Matt Lacy, who worked the first 3 1/3 before giving way to Andrew Alsup, who allowed only one earned run over the last 5 2/3 innings to earn the win.
"Andrew has done that all year," Boyce said. "He's been big for us."