SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco State's 2010 home opener against Westmont College was suspended on Saturday due to darkness with the score tied at 11-11 after 10 innings. The game will resume on Sunday, Feb. 7, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at Maloney Field on the SF State campus. Following the completion that contest, the Gators and Warriors will play a regularly scheduled doubleheader to wrap up their weekend series.

 

Westmont built an early 6-2 advantage through the top half of the fourth inning before SF State tacked on three runs in the bottom of the frame to pull within 6-5. Nick Nyman (Susanville, Calif., Lassen HS, Lassen College) hit a one-out home run to left center, while Sean Proni (Valencia, Calif., Valencia HS, College of Marin) crossed the plate on Kevin Dultz's (Altadena, Calif., Pasadena HS, Glendale College)RBI single.  After consecutive wild pitches, Dultz advanced to third and promptly scored on a passed ball.

 

After the two sides traded runs in the fifth, the Warriors extended the margin to 10-6 in the top of the sixth on Jordan Bottenfield's RBI double and a two-run homer by Tim Leary. The Gators quickly responded, however, posting four runs in the bottom of the inning to knot things up at 10-10. With two outs and the bases loaded, Nyman knocked in Nick Bowerman (Oakley, Calif., Freedom HS, Mount Mercy College) and Drew Andersen (Gilroy, Calif., Gilroy HS, William Penn Univ.) with a two-run single, while Brian Bianchi (Los Altos, Calif., St. Francis HS, College of San Mateo) scored moments later on a wild pitch. Shortly thereafter, Nyman touched home on a Proni single through the left side.

 

Westmont reclaimed a one-run lead in the top of the seventh Terrell Wong's RBI double before the Gators got the equalizer in their half of the ninth thanks to a pair of Warrior miscues. Dultz reached on an error by shortstop Evan Wadginski and advanced to second on Greg Kline's (Las Vegas, Nev., Bishop Gorman HS, San Joaquin Delta College) sacrifice bunt. After Matt Quintero (San Gabriel, Calif., St. Francis HS, Univ.of San Francisco) was hit by a pitch, Geoff Downing struck out; however, Westmont catcher Mark Magdelano threw wide of third base trying to cut down Dultz, who was running with the pitch. Dultz promptly raced home with the tying run, while darkness soon fell on the field in the 10th inning.

 

Prior to the suspension, five Gators each had two of the team's 14 hits, including Proni and Dultz, who scored three runs apiece as well, while Nyman recorded two runs and three RBI to go along with a pair of stolen bases. Not to be outdone, Bianchi flashed his speed on the base paths with three thefts of his own.

 

Pitcher Patrick Haugen (Cayucos, Calif., Morro Bay HS

, Cuesta College), SF State's third reliever of the day, came on with one out in the seventh and quieted the Westmont offense, which had scored 11 runs on 16 hits up to that point. Haugen gave up just one hit and one walk while striking out six in 3 2/3 innings before the game was called.

 

The Warriors were led by Leary and Wong, who each posted three hits and four RBI, while Bottenfield notched three runs  to go along with three hits of his own.