CARSON--- Despite the SF State Gator offensive attack of Ryan Williams (Woodland, California, Yuba College) and Nick Bowerman (Oakley, California, Mount Mercy College), the Gators lost 9-6 to the Cal State Dominguez Hills Toros in the series finale of this weekend's four-game series at Toro Field in Carson this afternoon.
The Toros scored first in their half of the first inning as Nick Leyva and Kyle Pond opened the inning with back to back singles. Leyva later scored on an one-out single by Steve Carrillo. Williams opened up the Gator half of the second with a lead-off single and Sean Proni (Valencia, California, College of Marin)followed that with one of his own. Bowerman drove home Williams with a single to tie the game at one.
Geoff Downing (Half Moon Bay, California, New Mexico State University) led off the Gators' third with a lead-off home run, his second of the season, to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. Nick Nyman (Susanville, California, Lassen College) then reached on an error and advanced to second on a sacrifice by Drew Andersen (Gilroy, California, William Penn University). Kevin Dultz (Altadena, California, Glendale Community College) was hit by a pitch and then Williams hit a three-run home run to left center (his team leading third of the season) to increase the Gators' lead to 5-1.
The Toros (7-4, 3-1 CCAA) came back through with five runs of their own in the bottom of the third capped by a three-run home run to right field by Kyle Pond and a two-run double by Derrek Duarte to retake the lead 6-5. Bowerman led off the Gators' fourth with a solo home run to tie the game at 6-6.
The game remained tie until Cal State Dominguez Hills' half of the fifth, when Carrillo (who finished 4 for 4) reached base on back to back singles and scored on another two-run double by Duarte to give the hosts a 8-6 lead. They added an insurance run in the eighth for the 9-6 victory.
Michael Cruz started the game for the Toros, who took the four-game series 3-1. He pitched three innings, gave up six hits and six runs (five earned) while striking out one. Fair (1-0) pitched five scoreless innings of relief, giving up just three hits and walking two while striking out six en route to the victory. Sean Wardour came on in the ninth to record his first save as he struck out one Gator and gave up no hits.
Pond was 3 for 4 with a run scored and three runs batted in and Kevin Pillar also was 3 for 4 with two runs scored to go with Carrillo's four hits to lead the Toro hitting attack.
Kyle Mastellar (Corning, California, Shasta Junior College)started the game for the Gators (6-7, 1-3 CCAA) pitching three innings, giving up eight hits and six runs while striking out three. Nic Banaugh (Novato, California, College of Marin)pitched the final five innings for the Gators, giving up seven hits and three runs (two earned), striking out two and walking one.
Williams and Bowerman led SF State's hitting attack each going 3 for 4. The Gators will return to the diamond this Tuesday, February 23 at 2pm for a non-conference game with conference rival Sonoma State at Seawolf Field in Rohnert Park. The two teams are also scheduled to play a non-conference game at SF State's Maloney Field this Thursday, February 25 also at 2pm.
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