Stanford Hoping to Continue Dominance of Fresno State in Weekend Series

Stanford is in need of some wins this weekend, and have dominated Fresno State in recent seasons

Feb 28, 2025; Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardinal first baseman Rintaro Sasaki (3) bumps fists with center fielder Charlie Bates (10) before the game against the Xavier Musketeers at Sunken Diamond. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

After a midweek exhibition win over Waseda University from Japan, Stanford has a big weekend ahead of them. With high expectations and a start to the season that has fallen short of expectations, the Cardinal are ready to pounce this weekend.

However, it won’t be easy. Stanford has Fresno State, one of the best mid-major programs in the sport, coming to town. The Bulldogs are always a tough test, and that will be no different this weekend.

Stanford is currently 4-4, getting big wins over No. 24 Arizona and Nebraska. However, they have lost to both Michigan and No. 12 Oregon State, as well as a series split with a struggling Cal State Fullerton program. The Cardinal are in need of a series win this weekend.

Fresno State is coming into the game with a slightly better record than the Cardinal. The Bulldogs are 4-3, getting a series win over Pepperdine, winning three of four, but falling to Utah during opening weekend, losing two of three. The Diamond Dogs certainly haven’t had their best start to the year either.

Stanford has dominated the matchups between these two teams this century, winning nine straight series over the Bulldogs. The Cardinal haven't lost a series to Fresno State since 1999, and in 2019, it was Stanford that defeated Fresno State in the Stanford Regional to advance in the NCAA Tournament.

Stanford is primarily a hitting team in the early going, as JJ Moran, Charlie Bates, and Tatum Marsh have done a great job so far this season at the plate.

Pitchers Aidan Keenan and Parker Warner have stepped up recently, but the pitching staff is a clear focal point for the Cardinal this season. Stanford has scored 10+ runs twice, and the recent pitching has seen no opposing team score more than four on the Cardinal in the last week, including the midweek exhibition against Waseda.

Fresno State has also had some offensive outbursts of their own, scoring 10+ runs in each of their last three games, including putting up 14 in the Sunday game against Utah. The Bulldogs are led by graduate senior Sky Collins, as well as two impressive freshmen, Brady Hewitt and Barclay Ovalle. The mix of experience and youth has immensely helped the Bulldogs offensively.

We are going to pick the Cardinal to take two out of three in this series. Their offense is strong, and their pitching is making steps in the right direction. In addition, Stanford has dominated the recent series, and it’s expected that they continue their win streak against the Bulldogs.

With that being said, Stanford hasn’t proven enough this season to pick a sweep. The Cardinal have struggled too much against all types of opponents, making it more likely that they drop a game over the weekend, despite playing tough teams closely in the early going.