RENO, Nev. – Playing its first game against a Division I opponent since 2008, the visiting San Francisco State baseball team gave the University of Nevada all it could handle on Wednesday, but ultimately dropped a tough 9-6 decision at Peccole Park in Reno, Nev.
The Gators (9-15) led 6-3 in the bottom of the ninth inning until the Wolf Pack (10-6) rallied with a pair of three-run homers to escape with the win.
SF State drew first blood in the top of the third as
Kevin Dultz (Altadena, Calif., Glendale CC) doubled home
Ben Mielke (Arcata, Calif., Shasta College), who was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame and advanced to third on a groundout and flyout, respectively.
Nevada finally got on the board with two outs in the sixth as Kevin Rodland, who drew a lead-off walk, crossed the plate on a Shaun Kort double, while Brian Barnett knocked in Kort moments later with an RBI single, giving the host school a 2-1 edge.
The Gators knotted things up at 2-2 in the top of the seventh when
Matt Quintero (San Gabriel, Calif., Univ. of San Francisco) doubled down the left-field line and promptly scored on an errant throw of Mielke's sacrifice bunt attempt by Nevada third baseman Nick Leid.
Leid quickly atoned for his previous miscue in the bottom of the stanza by swatting his second homer of the season to put the Wolf Pack back in front 3-2.
SF State would not go quietly, however, as they plated three runs in the top of the eighth to forge a 5-3 advantage. After
Ryan Williams (Woodland, Calif., Yuba College) led off with a single and was replaced by pinch-runner
Kyle Amick (Manteca, Calif., Sierra HS), Nick Bowerman (Oakley, Calif., Mount Mercy College) stroked a double to right, sending Amick around to third.
Tyler Overstreet (Fresno, Califo., Santa Barbara CC) then went deep for the first time as a Gator, belting a three-run homer over the left-field fence on a 3-2 pitch.
SF State stretched the margin to 6-3 in the top of the ninth as Bowerman's RBI single drove in
Nick Nyman (Susanville, Calif., Lassen College) who led off with a walk and moved to second when Dultz drew a base on balls as well.
The bottom half of the inning started ominously for the Gators as Leid reached for on a fielding error, while pinch-hitter Waylen Sing Chow followed with a single, moving Leid to third. Rodland then tied the game at 6-6, drilling a home run to right center on a 3-2 pitch.
Nevada was not through, however, as Westley Moss got aboard with a bunt single and advanced to second on a groundout. Following an intentional walk to Kort, Barnett stepped to the plate and ended the suspense with another three-run blast, handing the Gators the disappointing loss.
The two teams combined to use 13 pitchers on the afternoon, with Jeremy Cole (1-0) earning the victory after relieving Mat Keplinger, who yielded SF State's run in the ninth.
Nic Banaugh (Novato, Calif., College of Marin) (1-4), meanwhile, was tagged with the defeat after pitching the fateful ninth.
Dultz, the Gator starter, and
Ryan DeJesus (Westlake Village, Calif., Westlake HS) both had strong outings, allowing just one hit apiece in each of their two innnings of work.
Bowerman had three of SF State's nine hits, including two doubles, while Williams notched a pair of singles. Conversely, Kort had three hits to pace the Wolf Pack, while Barnett had four RBI.
The Gators will resume their CCAA schedule this weekend when they open a four-game set against local rival Cal State East Bay. The series gets underway on Friday, March 19, with a single contest at the SF State's Maloney Field beginning at 3 p.m. The two teams will switch venues on Saturday, March 20, with a doubleheader in Hayward, starting at noon. The scene then shifts back to Maloney Field on Sunday, March 21, for the series finale, slated for noon as well.
Box Score
