SAN FRANCISCO – Ryan Williams (Woodland, Yuba College) drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning to score pinch-runner Keith Garcia (Ventura, Oxnard College) with the winning run as the San Francisco State baseball team defeated Cal Poly Pomona, 3-2, in the second game of a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader on Saturday at Maloney Field. With the victory the Gators (11-28, 4-24 CCAA) earned a split in the four-game series against the Broncos (21-17, 14-14 CCAA), who prevailed in a 16-15 slugfest in game one.
In the nightcap, the Broncos drew first blood in the top of the first on Jenzen Torres' RBI single and later added a run in the fifth when Nick Tanos drove in Erik Riedel with single up the middle. However, SF State broke through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth when Sean Proni (Valencia, CA, College of Marin) laced an RBI single to score Bobby Carini (Pleasant Hill, California, De La Salle, Canada College), who led off the frame with a double and advanced to third on a groundout. Matt Memeo (Cottonwood, California, West Valley, Shasta College) soon followed with an RBI double to right, tying the score at 2-2.
Then in the decisive seventh, Ricky Del Zompo (Napa, Napa Valley College) and Carini each roped one-out singles, while Garcia came in to pinch run for Del Zompo. After a strikeout and a double steal, Proni and Williams drew consecutive walks off CPP reliever Brad Wilson to plate Garcia with the game-winner.
Patrick Haugen (Cayucos, California, Cuesta College) went the distance for the Gators, allowing two runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out to even his record at 5-5. Meanwhile, Wilson (3-5) took loss after entering the game in the sixth for starter Casey Yokubaitus, who pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on seven hits and one walk.
Offensive fireworks were on full display in game one as the two teams combined for 31 runs and 34 hits. Carini and Williams paced SF State's 16-hit attack as each went 4-for-5 at the plate with three RBI. Proni and Memeo also got into the act with two hits apiece, while Nick Nyman (Susanville, California, Lassen, Lassen College) added two RBI. Meanwhile, CPP's Joe Villa was 4-for-6 with five RBI as the visitors banged out 18 hits of their own.
The Gators jumped out to a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning when Proni doubled home Carini, who led off with a single, while Williams followed with an RBI single to right. However, the Broncos answered with four runs in the top of the second and later added three in the fourth to build a 7-2 bulge.
SF State clawed its way back with three runs in the fifth to pull within 7-5. Garcia led off the frame with a single and was promptly driven home on Carini's third home run of the season over the left field fence. Shortly thereafter, Nyman was hit by a pitch and scored all the way from first on an errant Bronco throw from the outfield following a Williams single to center.
CPP stretched its lead to 11-5 with four runs in the top of the sixth. However, the Gators answered with six runs of their own in the bottom of the inning, taking advantage of three Bronco errors. With the bases loaded, Greg Kline (Las Vegas, Nevada, San Joaquin Delta College) crossed the plate on a Carini single to right, while Garcia and Javier Solis (Gridley, Yuba College) each scored on a consecutive miscues by catcher Chris Brehm and third baseman Richard McDowell. After a Nyman groundout plated Carini, Proni reached on an error and later scored on Williams' double to left center. Memeo then knocked in Williams with a single to right, knotting the score at 11-11.
CPP reclaimed the lead at 16-11, scoring three times in the seventh while adding two more runs in the eighth. Undaunted, SF State mounted another rally in its half of the eighth, plating three runs to narrow the gap to 16-14. Carini led off the frame with a single and a stolen base, while Nyman drew a walk. Proni followed with a single and advanced to second on another Bronco error, allowing Carini to score from second. Williams then knocked in Nyman with an RBI single, while Proni subsequently came home on a double play groundout.
The Gators tightened the score with a run in the bottom of the ninth as Nyman added another RBI single to drive in Garcia, who previously reached on a fielder's choice and advanced to second on stole base. However with two outs and Nyman on second after a steal, CPP reliever Brad Wilson induced a groundout as the Broncos escaped with the 16-15 decision.
Keith Powers (2-1) earned the victory, giving up five runs (two earned) on five hits and one walk in two innings of duty, while Wilson picked up the save, allowing one run on one hit and two walks after entering in the eighth. SF State reliever Danny Graybill (Santa Barbara, California, San Marcos, Santa Barbara City College) (0-2) took the loss, surrendering five runs on four hits and two walks in 2 2/3 innings after coming on with one out in the sixth.
The Gators return to the diamond next weekend when they take on Cal State Monterey Bay in a four-game series April 17-19. SF State will play host to the Otters in a doubleheader on Saturday at Maloney Field beginning at 11 a.m., while single games will be contested in Seaside, Calif., on Friday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (11 a.m.)
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
