SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco State baseball team ended a seven-game losing streak on Sunday with a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over 16th-ranked Chico State at Maloney Field. Zack Anderson's two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning erased a 4-3 deficit, while Jake Moore (Palisade, Colorado, Palisade, Cerritos College) scored an insurance run on Nick Nyman's (Susanville, California, Lassen, Lassen College) squeeze bunt in the eighth to help the Gators (6-16, 2-14 CCAA) defeat the Wildcats (14-10, 10-6 CCAA) for the first time in 10 meetings.
Keith Garcia (Ventura, Oxnard College)got things rolling for SF State with a lead-off double in the first and advanced to second when Bobby Carini (Pleasant Hill, California, De La Salle, Canada College) was hit by a pitch. Sean Proni (San Francisco, College of Marin) then drove in Garcia with a single to center field. A throwing error on the play allowed Proni and Carini to move up one base, and the Gators promptly took advantage. A Ryan Williams (Woodland, Yuba College) groundout brought home Carini, while Proni crossed the plate on Jeff McCall's (Santa Rosa, California, Pinor, Santa Rosa Junior College) single to left, giving the host team a 3-0 bulge.
The Chico State bats awoke in the top of the fourth, as the visitors scored four runs on five hits to take a 4-3 lead. Josh Meagher homered to lead off the inning, while Eric Stephens and Adam Arakawa followed with singles and promptly scored on Cody Dee's double to left center. Then Bryan Willson delivered a two-out single to bring in Dee, putting the Wildcats in front for the first time in the contest.
With a heavy drizzle falling, the Gators rallied in the bottom of the sixth to reclaim a 5-4 advantage. Greg Kline (Las Vegas, Nevada, San Joaquin Delta College) drew a two-out walk and advanced to third on Moore's double down the left field line, which chased Chico State starter Mike Robbins. Reliever Bryan Save came in, but the strategy backfired as Anderson laced a single through the left side, scoring Kline and Moore.
SF State later increased the margin to 6-4 with a crucial run in the eighth. Moore reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to third on a single by Anderson and a Wildcat error. Nyman then laid down a perfect squeeze bunt on a 1-0 pitch to bring in Moore.
The Gators endured some anxious moments in the ninth after Arakawa hit a one-out homer to center field to pull the Wildcats to within 6-5. Chico State then put runners on first and second following consecutive singles by Dee and Willson. However, SF State starter Patrick Haugen (Cayucos, California, Cuesta College) kept his composure, inducing a pop-up and a line-out to end the game.
Haugen (3-3) tossed his third complete game of the year, giving up five runs on 12 hits and one walk, while Robbins (1-3) took the loss after allowing five runs on five hits and one walk in 5 2/3 innings.
Carini went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead the Gators' 14-hit attack, while Garcia, Anderson and Nyman added two hits apiece.
SF State returns to the diamond next weekend when it takes on Sonoma State in a four-game set, March 20-22. Rohnert Park will be the site for single games on Friday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.), while a doubleheader is scheduled for Saturday at Maloney Field beginning at 11 a.m.
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