Preview: UC Davis Aggies at Fresno State Bulldogs

FRESNO, Calif. (Interstat) — The UC Davis Aggies and Fresno State Bulldogs, two teams looking to build momentum in the second half of the season, meet in a non-conference matchup Monday at Selland Arena.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. PDT under clear skies with a game-time temperature of 84 degrees.

The Aggies (17-20) enter after dropping two of three at Cal State Northridge, including a 5-3 loss Sunday. UC Davis has shown resilience, however, winning three of its last five series. The Bulldogs (11-24) have struggled recently, losing four straight and eight of their last ten, including a 10-2 defeat to San Jose State on Saturday.

A key player to watch for UC Davis is reliever Rowen Barnes. The right-hander has been excellent of late, not allowing an earned run in six of his last eight appearances. He tossed three hitless, scoreless innings with one strikeout in Sunday’s loss. Offensively, catcher Ryan Lee, who homered in that game, provides pop.

For Fresno State, right-hander Brandon Thomas will look to stabilize the pitching staff. He delivered a solid four-inning relief outing Saturday, allowing two earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts. Finding consistent offense will be critical for the Bulldogs, who have been held to three runs or fewer in six of their last ten games.

According to Interstat’s game simulator, UC Davis is projected to win 6-3.

The Aggies begin a three-game home series with Long Beach State on Friday. The Bulldogs start a Mountain West Conference series at home against San Diego State on Friday.