VOL. XXXVII OCTOBER 2009 NO.1

We would like to thank all of the DugoutClub members as well as those communitymembers that supported us throughout the2009 season. Our special thanks to thosewho traveled with us throughout the postseason; first to Hawaii and then to Irvinefor our Regional. The team and thecoaching staff understand and greatlyappreciate the investment you made of yourpersonal time and resources to support OURteam on the way to our 4th consecutiveWAC Championship and our 4thconsecutive NCAA Regional .

The 2009 season began with thewelcoming of 17 freshman and 6 juniorcollege transfers. With a total of 23 newplayers, the fall was spent evaluating,teaching, and building team chemistry. Asthe spring began it was evident that many ofour freshmen would play a key role in ourteam’s success. Freshmen Derek Benny,Josh Poytress, Cody Kendall, Tom Harlan,and Taylor Garrison would join juniorcollege transfer Matt Morse on the moundto anchor our pitching staff. DustyRobinson earned Freshman All-American

Honors as an everyday outfielder. When itwas all said and done, the 2009 Bulldogsstarted 5 freshmen as we traveled toSacramento State needing to win 3 of 4 justto advance to the WAC tournament. Weswept all 4. We needed to win the WACTournament for the 4th consecutive year toadvance to a Regional. We did it by beatingNew Mexico State twice on the final day ofthe Tournament.

As the 2009 Season ended at the IrvineRegional, we said goodbye to some playerswho had Hall of Fame Bulldog Careers.Tommy Mendonca, the all-time BulldogHome Run King, Holden Sprague, whoarguably pitched the biggest and mostimportant innings in the history of ourprogram, and a senior class that won 4WAC Championships, played in 4Regionals (3 Regional Championshipgames), won a Super RegionalChampionship, and won the program’s 1stNational Championship; all are feats thathave never been accomplished in FresnoState history.

The off season has been a time ofbolstering recruiting efforts. Coach Curtisand Coach Waer spent the months of June,July, and the first part of August on the roadevaluating players so we could beginassembling our 2011 recruiting class. The

coaching staff worked diligently to find themost qualified student-athletes to fit theneeds of our program.

We are currently back on campus andclasses have begun for all of our returners aswell as the 11 first-year players who arejoining our roster for the 2010 season. Ourfall workouts have also begun and ourefforts will continue to be focused onteaching and building character both on andoff the field. We are excited to see ourreturning players in good health after asummer away playing baseball. We hadplayers who were playing in Alaska, CapeCod, Chicago, Humboldt, and everywherein between in order to continue gettingbetter.

As the fall practices begin, we are gettingcloser to our annual Wall of Fame Dinner.This event is a great time for us to celebratethe rich tradition of Bulldog Baseball. ThisWall of Fame Dinner brings into perspectivethe far reaching influence that BulldogBaseball has had over the generations asfamilies will gather to celebrate theaccomplishments from the recent past toteams and players of long ago. Thiscelebration allows us to stay connected tothose that built the tradition that we nowenjoy, and we, ourselves, can continue toenjoy and build upon.

MIKE BATESOLEHEAD COACH

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE BULLDOG FOUNDATION DUGOUT CLUB

BULLDOG BASEBALL SUMMER REVIEWBULLDOG BASEBALL SUMMER REVIEWMost Fresno State student-athletes spend the

summer enjoying time off from theirrespective sports, but the baseball seasoncontinues as the players head out all over thecountry to keep playing. Coach Mike Batesolehelped 12 Bulldogs find teams in varioussummer leagues across the nation. "It's greatfor our players to go out and play summerball," said Batesole. "It's a time for ourpitchers who threw less than 60 innings in2009 to gain experience against Division Ihitters and have the opportunity to work ontheir third pitch. Our hitters have theopportunity to get another 100-200 at bats in,while working on their inside game, two-strike approach or whatever their specificweakness may be."

The Bulldogs had four players in Alaska,three in Chicago, three in Humboldt, Calif.,two in Cape Cod, Mass., and one in Madison,Wis. The players spent most of the summerliving with host families, playing baseball andexploring their new surroundings. Junior JakeJohnson and sophomore Cody Kendall playedfor the Peninsula Oilers in Alaska.Sophomores Brennan Gowens (FairbanksGoldpanners) and Charlie Robertson (GlacierPilots) also spent the summer in Alaska. "Itwas a great experience," said Kendall. "Thehost families were awesome and the playerswere good. In summer ball there isn't as muchpressure."

Seniors Steve Detwiler, Isaac Vivas andjunior Gene Escat stayed in California andplayed for the Humboldt Crabs. Vivas had 22hits with a double and was selected DefensivePlayer of the Year. "Humboldt is a greatatmosphere for baseball," said Detwiler."Playing up there brings you back to littleleague and makes you realize why you lovethe game so much."

The windy city of Chicago was home forSean Bonesteele, Tom Harlan and KennyWise for the summer. All three played for theCrystal Lake Cardinals. "It was a great eyeopening experience to play baseball in a newplace," said Harlan. "It was different to meetpeople from all over and play in differenttypes of weather, but it was a fun different."

Junior Danny Muno spent the summer inCape Cod playing for the Orleans Firebirdswith his brother, Kevin Muno. SophomoreDaniel Moultrie played with the AtwaterAviators and outfielder Trent Soares was inWisconsin with the Madison Mallards. “Wehad some of the best competition in thenation," said Muno. "The atmosphere is greatand a lot like Fresno State, where the

community supports the team. We hadaround 5,000 fans at every game. Insummer ball you learn a lot about yourselfas a player and as a teammate."Preparations for next season began a few

weeks after the first day of classes with fallworkouts and scrimmages. The 2010 seasonopens in late February.

Theresa Kurtz, Media Relations

The Bulldogs had 12 student-athletes play on summer league teams including Brennan Gowenswith the Fairbanks (Alaska) Goldpanners and Gene Escat with the Humbolt (Calif.) Crabs.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGERon Primavera

We’re thankful for each and everyDugout Club Member and for all the fansthat have supported the Diamond Dogsover the years. We’re thankful for thecoaches who year after year takeseventeen and eighteen year old youngmen and piece them together into teamsthat play the game one pitch, one out, onerun at a time as it was meant to be playedand ensure that each player competesacademically and goes on to graduate.We’re thankful for the student-athleteswho have given us so much enjoymenteach spring and summer and, when theirstay at Fresno State is over, go on andmake all of us proud as responsiblecitizens of their communities. We’rethankful for the leadership that Hal Froesegave us the past two years and are hopefulthat his big shoes will fit as we head forthe 2010 season opener.

The Dogs are scheduled to kick the seasonoff against Nebraska on February 19-22,2010. They then travel to Washington forthree games before returning to BeidenField for a single game against Bakersfieldand a four game series against the OregonDucks. Then it’s tournament time as theDogs head south for the University of SanDiego/San Diego State Tournament. We’reback at home for another twenty-sevengames at Beiden Field, and finally we’re atthe WAC Tournament in Mesa, Arizona andlooking forward to the NCAA Regionals.

However before we get to the 2010season, the eighth under Coach Batesole, wetake a moment to acknowledge players thatfirst played for Fresno State under our twoother coaches whose surnames start with theletter “b”, Pete Beiden and Bob Bennett.

On October 22, 2009 the Fresno StateBaseball Wall of Fame Awards Dinner atPardini’s will feature the induction of threeformer players, the 1950 CaliforniaCollegiate Athletic Conference Champion

Three standout players, coach Pete Beiden’sfirst championship team, and two longtimededicated Dugout Club members will bepresented for induction into the Fresno StateBaseball Wall of Fame on Thursday, October22, 2009 at Pardini’s in Fresno. In addition,the 2009 WAC Champion Bulldogs willpresent their annual team awards. Here’s abrief look at the inductees’ accomplishments:

Dick Doepker (1959, Pitcher)Born on a farm in a tiny Canadian town,

Doepker attracted attention after joining anAmerican Legion baseball team in Saskatoon,and was soon recruited by COS coach RodTaylor. After battling arm trouble for twoyears, Doepker joined the Fresno State teamin 1959 and made an immediate impact withhis live fastball and devastating curve. Thatseason he defeated the University ofWashington to clinch Fresno State’s first tripto the College World Series, and then won apair of games in Omaha to propel the’Dogs toa third-place finish. After his baseball careerended, Doepker returned to Visalia to serve asa teacher, counselor, dean and principal atGolden West High School, where the baseballfield is named in his honor.

1950 Bulldog Baseball TeamIt was a team made up of some of Fresno

State’s finest and had the honor of beinglegendary coach Pete Beiden’s first of manychampionship teams. Wall of Famersincluded outfielders Fibber Hirayama, ArtShahzade, Howie Zenimura and GalenBowman, second baseman Franny Oneto,and shortstop Len Bourdet (who went on tobecome the winningest JC coach in Calif.History). The pitchers were future All-American Don Barnett, Jack Welton, theone-armed Allen Cropsey, Tom Yost, FlipDarrow and Bill Baird. The team wasrounded out by third baseman Don Curlee,utility man Clarence “Zip” Brown, firstbaseman Don Sachse, catchers Don Abbottand Don Notorangelo, and outfielderMarion Stephens. They finished 29-13 withthe California Collegiate AthleticAssociation title.

Larry & Joyce Buss(Meritorious Service)

Larry and Joyce Buss joined the DugoutClub in 1982 when their son Scott joinedthe Bulldog baseball team, and as they enterthe Fresno State Baseball Wall of Fame theyare still going strong. Both have served onthe Dugout Club Board of Directors, withJoyce continuing as membership chair andalways active in numerous club events andactivities. “The Dugout Club has becomelike a second family. I was involved in thebuilding of Beiden Field and putting up thefences,” said Larry. “Those early years wereexciting with the team winning 50 gameseach season, regularly going to the regionalsand our club reaching 1,000 members. Onething my wife and I are most proud of isacting as a host family for the Fresno StateClassic since the first year we joined. Joycestill stays in close contact with many of theplayers.” Larry says that everything he hasdone on behalf of the Dugout Club, Joycehas always been right there and more.

This year’s Wall of Fame Awards dinnerwill take place on Thursday, October 22 atPardini’s. A reservation form is included onthe back page of this issue. For furtherinformation, please contact Ron Schiller at(559) 297-8189, or the BDF at (559) 244-5600.

(Special thanks to Bruce Farris forcontributing to this article)

Casey McGeeHee (2001-03)McGeehee came to Fresno State from

Santa Cruz in 2001 and immediately won astarting job in left field. Spurred by a 32-game hitting streak in his sophomore year,he led the team with a 367 average and wasa first team All Western AthleticConference and a Baseball Magazine All-American. He ranks in the Bulldog top 10 inat-bats, hits and runs batted in. In 2003 hewas drafted by the Chicago Cubs and madehis major league debut in 2008. Signed byMilwaukee in the offseason, McGeeHee hasplayed most of the 2009 season at third basefor the Brewers.

Casey had a lot of big days at Fresno Statebut it’s safe to say nothing will rival themagical night in May 2009 at Milwaukee’sMiller Park. McGehee's two year-old sonMackail, who has cerebral palsy, threw outthe ceremonial first pitch and Casey cameoff the bench to deliver a go-ahead two-runhomer in a 7-5 win over Washington."Mack", as Casey and his wife Sarah calltheir son, was helped by Brewer’s big firstbaseman Prince Fielder. As Mack's pitchbarely rolled toward his tearful father, thecrowd gave them a standing ovation.

Adam Pettyjohn (1996-98)Although he pitched in the shadow of his

All American teammate Jeff Weaver, on anygiven day Adam Pettyjohn could beat thebest. The hard-throwing lefthander fromExeter pitched some memorable games forthe Bulldogs, among them a 1-0 victoryover #1 ranked Stanford and a shutout of#10 Northridge to make the regionals. Healso blanked Rice in a rare Bulldog sweepof the mighty Owls. In 1998 he was draftedand signed with the Detroit Tigers.

However, it is a minor miracle that he wasable to pitch after 2002 when he wasstricken with ulcerative colitis, had surgeryto remove his entire colon and lost 65pounds in the process. His comeback is thestory movies are made of, as his career inprofessional baseball now spans twelveyears. In 2007 he was named PCL Pitcherof the Year, Topps left-handed Pitcher ofthe Year, and led the Brewer’s minorleagues with 16 wins.

Adam and his wife Deanna have a year-old son Truett.

FRESNFRESNOO STATSTATEE BASEBALBASEBALLL WALWALLL OOFF FAMFAMEE DINNERDINNER

Fresno State Baseball Team, and Larry andJoyce Buss, who are being honored for theirmeritorious service to the baseballcommunity. The three players are PitcherDick Doepker, 1959; Infielder CaseyMcGeehee, 2001-03; and Pitcher AdamPettyjohn, 1996-98. For information ontickets please contact Chairperson RonSchiller @ (559) 297-8189 or the BDFOffice at (559) 244-5600.

We’ve been out to the field watching theplayers working out in the late summerafternoons, and although it’s football seasonit’s hard not to fast forward to spring.

We encourage everyone to honor our pastplayers and prepare for our 2010 team. Joinus at the Wall of Fame Dinner, buy yourseason tickets, and join us, the Dugout Club.We are baseball’s support program. Ourmantra is simple: raise the enthusiasm levelfor baseball. Whether it’s serving teammeals, raising funds for needed supplies andimprovements, or just encouraging the teamby our presence, we welcome yourinvolvement. GO DOGS….

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

FRESNO STATE BASEBALLWALLOF FAMEAWARDS DINNER

Honoring the 2009 Wall of Fame Inductees & Presenting the 2009 WAC Champion Bulldog Team Awards

Dick Doepker1959 Pitcher

Casey McGeeHee2001-03 Infielder

Adam Pettyjohn1996-98 Pitcher

Larry & Joyce BussMeritorious Service

1950 Fresno State Baseball TeamCCAAC Champions

Thursday Evening, October 22, 2009 ● Pardini’s - 2257 W. Shaw ●$50.00 per person ($25.00 children under 12)No Host Social 5:00 to 6:25 PM ● Dinner 6:30

Parade of P ast Inductees ● Interviews with Past Players ● Video Presentations

If guests wish to sit together, please mail your reservations at the same time. Tables may be reserved for parties of ten.

Please Reserve _____ seats @ $50.00 per person or _____ Tables of Ten @ $500.00 each

Name .

Street Address _______ .

City State Zip Phone Email .

Advance Paid Reservations Required. Contact Info: Ron Schiller (559) 297-8189Please make checks payable to: Bulldog Foundation Dugout Club, P.O. Box 26267, Fresno, CA 93729-6267

Please update your info regardless of attendance: 06gomes@gmail.com