SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco State baseball team returned home for the first time since Feb. 10, but Cal State Dominguez spoiled the festivities by taking both games of a doubleheader on Friday at Maloney Field. The Gators came up on the short end of a 7-5 decision in the opener before dropping the nightcap by an 8-1 count. With the sweep, SF State falls to 4-8 on the season and 0-6 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while the Toros improve to 9-5 overall and 5-1 in league play.
In game one, CSUDH jumped out to a 5-0 advantage in the fifth inning before the Gator bats came to life in the bottom half of the frame.
Patrick Haugen (Cayucos, California, Cuesta College) got things rolling with a two-out double to right center field to drive in
Greg Kline all the way from first. Shortly thereafter, Haugen scored on a wild pitch, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
SF State kept the momentum going in its half of the sixth, loading the bases on singles by
Sean Proni (San Francisco, College of Marin),
Ryan Williams (Woodland, Yuba College) and
Jeff McCall (Santa Rosa, California, Piner, Santa Rosa Junior College). Kline then smacked a three-run triple on a 2-0 count to knot the score at 5-5. However, the Toros reclaimed the upper hand, scoring single runs in the eighth and ninth inning, respectively to account for the final outcome.
Michael Cruz (2-0) pitched 3 1/3 innings of relief to pick up the victory, allowing no runs on three hits and one walk, while
Spencer Kreisberg (Tigard, Oregon, Tigard, Los Medanos College) (1-2) took the loss after giving up five earned runs on 11 hits in 7 1/3 innings of work. At the plate, Kline had three of the Gators' 14 hits, while Proni, McCall and Williams added two apiece.
SF State was unable to get its offense clicking in game two, as CSUDH's Matt Hopps (1-1) gave up just one run in seven innings while striking 10 batters en route to the win. Starter
Jeff Henning (Chico, California, Pleasant Valley, Shasta College ) (1-1) also pitched well for the Gators, but was ultimately saddled with the defeat after allowing three unearned runs on nine hits and two walks in six innings.
SF State plated its lone run of game two in the bottom of the first after
Zack Anderson delivered one of his three hits in the contest with an RBI double to knock in
Keith Garcia (Ventura, Oxnard College).
The Gators and Toros wrap up their four-game weekend set on Saturday, Feb. 28, with another doubleheader at Maloney Field. First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m.
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
