The Fresno State baseball team ended its 2024 season and College World Series hopes with a 7-5 loss to the No. 2 seeded University of San Diego in the Santa Barbara Regional on Saturday.

The elimination game was a chance for redemption after the Bulldogs fell to top-seeded and host UC Santa Barbara 9-6 on Friday.

This was the Bulldogs’ first regional performance since 2019. They came into the tournament as the No. 4 seed and the Mountain West’s lone representative in the NCAA regionals.

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Game Highlights

Jakob Christian hit a two-run home run in the first inning and San Diego held off Fresno State, who had a chance to win it late in the game.

The Bulldogs threatened when with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Tommy Hopfe and Eddie Saldivar each singled to put runners at first and second. Murf Gray — who earlier drove in four runs — grounded into a double play to end Fresno State’s season.

After each team added a run, the Toreros (41-15) scored three after sending eight batters to the plate and extended their lead to 6-1 in the top of the fifth. Fresno State got right back in it in the bottom of the fifth when Gray hit a three-run homer and Justin Stransky singled to score Tyler Davis after he doubled to center field.

Austin Smith pitched five innings, gave up eight hits and five earned runs but still secured the win to remain unbeaten (7-0) for the year for San Diego.

Hopfe finished 3 for 5 and scored two runs and Gray went 2 for 5 for Fresno State.

Oregon Wins the Regional

On Sunday, Kevin Seitter threw a complete-game four-hitter and Oregon dropped No. 14 national seed UC Santa Barbara with a 3-0 victory, earning the Ducks a spot in the super regionals.

Oregon (40-18) took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Mason Neville walked to lead off the inning, took second base on a sacrifice bunt by Chase Meggers and scored on a single by Drew Smith.

The Ducks added a run in the fifth after No. 9 hitter Bryce Boettcher walked with two outs, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Neville.

Oregon’s final tally came on Jacob Walsh’s home run leading off the bottom of the seventh.

Oregon won regional championships in 2012 and last season. The Ducks made their only College World Series appearance in 1954.

Fresno State Wrap-Up

The Bulldogs concluded the season with a 33-29 overall record. Not the ending they were hoping for, but this was a season full of adversity and a lot of positives.

Fresno State was not shut out in a single game this season for the first time since 2016.

They rallied back to claim the Mountain West Championship as a No. 4 seed and after losing the opening game. Gray, Jaykob Acosta, Noah Beal, Hopfe, Jake Riding and Stransky all earned All-MW Championship honors.

(Associated Press contributed to this article.)