It’s almost spring time.

Days will start getting longer, flowers will bloom and the weather will start warming up.

The best part of spring, though, is baseball season.

The start of Fresno State’s baseball season had a little different ring to it this year.

The sun wasn’t shining and the Bulldogs didn’t look quite like the Western Athletic Conference champions from last season.

Instead, the rain came and went at the wrong times.

If this wasn’t the perfect metaphor of the weekend, I don’t know what is.

The first two games played were less-than-stellar.

The Aggies dominated and beat the Bulldogs twice, leaving hopes of taking the last two games to a minimum.

However, skies cleared up for the Bulldogs — figuratively speaking.

As the cold came back Saturday afternoon, so did the Bulldogs.

And even though it got colder and gloomier, that stopped nothing. In fact, it seemed to help a little.

As the temperature seemed to drop, the Bulldogs were getting warmed up.

Last season in the opener against San Francisco, Fresno State lost the first two games but won the third.

Could this be an indication of things to come? Maybe this team has a pattern of some sort.

In its four-game series against UC Davis this weekend, Fresno State started off looking dry and cold.

After the first two games the Bulldogs came alive. The cold, wet weather seemed to provide the needed motivation for the ‘Dogs to play ball.

And there was no lack of fan support, that’s for sure.

Even in the rain, people were out at the field — ponchos and all — ready to cheer on their Bulldogs.

One fan in particular defined what a fan is all about.

Heck, he might even be the perfect meaning of a Fresno State fan.

He’s loud. He’s ruthless.

He is a strong voice for Bulldog baseball. And you don’t miss him until he’s gone.

In his absence Sunday afternoon, the stands were a little less exciting.

There was no taunting the Aggies players or whistling as Erik Wetzel came up to bat.

Instead it was quiet.

It’s okay because there’s a good lesson in this. One missing element can affect the entire game.

Let’s hope this isn’t the case for Bulldog baseball this season.

As the ‘Dogs go on the road for their next five games, we’ll see if any pattern starts to develop.

And even though this season’s start reflects very little of spring time, there is something growing on the diamond.