SAN FRANCISCO – Sonoma State scored three unearned runs in the top of the fourth inning en route to a 7-3 triumph over host San Francisco State in a California Collegiate Athletic Association baseball game Friday at Maloney Field.

 

The Seawolves capitalized on two throwing errors to help raise their record to 24-11 on the season and 17-11 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association, while the Gators slip to 12-25 overall and 7-22 in the CCAA.

 

SF State grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the bottom of the first inning when Tyler Tulowitzki's flyout to center plated Ivan Otsuka, who led off with his first double as a Gator and advanced on Ben Mielke's bunt.

 

After SSU answered with a single marker in the second on Randy Wells' RBI single, the visitors put up a three-spot in the fourth to take the lead for good at 4-1. Ryan Jones and Wells both drew walks, sandwiched around a flyout, while Garrett Schwartz reached on a fielder's choice. Wells slid safely into second on the play as the throw to the bag went awry, allowing Jones to sneak around and score. Moments later, following a strikeout, Cameron Cook knocked in Wells and Schwartz on a double to deep left field.

 

The Gators tallied two runs in their half of the frame to trim the deficit to 4-3 as Nic Gauldin doubled home Andrew Suvunnachuen and later scored on Will Klein's single through the left side. SF State was unable to get the equalizer, however, as SSU starter Kenny Arnerich induced a double play to get out the jam.

 

The Seawolves soon extended their lead to 6-3 on Kyle Cerrudo's sacrifice fly in the fifth, while Kevin Cramer's RBI groundout plated Cook with an unearned run in the sixth. Cook previously reached on a high infield chopper and raced all the way around to third on a wild throw to first.

 

SSU then closed out the scoring in the top of the ninth on O'Koyea Dickson's towering home run to left field to account for the final score.

 

SF State had a chance to narrow the gap in the bottom of the sixth; however, a base running miscue wiped out a sure RBI on Klein's two-out single to shallow center. The Gators were unable to muster a threat in the final three frames as Arnerich and reliever Brian Bordagaray allowed just one SF State batter to get aboard the rest of the way. 

 

Arnerich (6-1) gave up three runs on seven hits and one walk in eight innings to earn the victory, before giving way to Bordagaray to start the ninth. Conversely, SF State starter Steven Dea (3-6) was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs (two earned) on six hits and four walks in five innings, while reliever Jeff Clegg surrendered two runs on four hits after entering at the top of the sixth.

 

Jones (three runs) Cerrudo, Wells and Cook each had two hits in the win, while Klein finished with a pair of base hits for the Purple and Gold.

 

The two teams will square off in a doubleheader on Saturday at Seawolf Diamond in Rohnert Park, Calif., beginning at 11 a.m., before the series concludes on Sunday with a single contest back at SF State, starting at noon.

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