Fresno State Diamond Dogs headed to the NCAA tournament

SAN DIEGO (KFSN) -- For the 36th time in program history, and the first time since 2019, Fresno State baseball has earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament after winning the Mountain West Tournament Sunday afternoon at Tony Gwynn Stadium, in San Diego.

In the highest-scoring final game in Mountain West Championship history, the Diamond Dogs' bats were too much for defending champion San Jose State in a 16-11 win.

San Joaquin Memorial grad Tyler Davis and fellow catcher Justin Stransky brought in half of Fresno State's runs as both went 3-for-5 with four RBIs. Exeter native Jaykob Acosta earned the win, striking out seven and allowing one run in 3 innings in relief of Jake Dixon who started his second game of the week.

Madera South product Murf Gray was named the MW Championship Most Valuable Player. The sophomore was 11-for-21 at the plate in five games, driving in seven RBIs and scoring eight runs. Seven of his 11 hits went for extra bases, recording five doubles and two home runs.

Gray was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Acosta, Stransky, Clovis High's Noah Beal, Tommy Hopfe and Jake Riding.

NOTES

• Fresno State won its second Mountain West tournament championship and its first since 2019.
• Fresno State captured its 10th conference tournament title overall.
• Fresno State will head to the NCAA Regionals for the first time since 2019.
• After entering the 2024 tournament with a 6-6 record in Mountain West elimination games, the Bulldogs won four straight this weekend.
• Fresno State won its first game on Day 4 of a Mountain West tournament. The 'Dogs were previously 0-3.
• Heading into their third game of the tournament, Fresno State had lost four straight games to Air Force and three straight to San Jose State. The Bulldogs eliminated the Falcons before twice defeating the Spartans.
• Fresno State's 16 runs are the most in a Mountain West championship-clinching win since 2012.
• The 16 runs are the second-most ever in the final game of a MW tournament.
• The 27 combined runs are the most in the final game.
• Fresno State's pitching staff recorded a tournament record 67 strikeouts, 18 more than the previous record of 49 set by San Diego State in 2001. Acosta, Jake Dixon and Noah Beal each accounted for 12 strikeouts.
• Murf Gray's five doubles this week tied the tournament record.
• Tyler Davis had a team-high eight RBIs in the tournament while Gray and Tommy Hopfe each scored eight runs.

The Diamond 'Dogs will await Monday's announcement of where they will be headed for the NCAA Regionals. The selection show can be watched tomorrow on ESPN2 at 9 a.m. PT.