SAN FRANCISCO – Pinch-hitter Kevin Dultz singled home Chris Schindler with the game-winning run in the bottom of the 12^th inning to lift San Francisco State past Cal State San Bernardino, 4-3, in a California College Athletic Association game Sunday at Maloney Field.

 

With the victory, the Gators evened their weekend series at two games apiece, raising their record to 11-18 overall and 6-16 in conference play, while the Coyotes dip to 13-13 on the year and 10-8 in the CCAA.

 

Starter Nic Banaugh was a workhorse for the Purple and Gold as the Gator right-hander threw 132 pitches in 11 innings of work, giving up three runs (one earned) on seven hits and no walks, before yielding to Jason Ochart at the start of the 12^th.    Ochart (2-0), who moved to the mound from right field, promptly retired CSUSB in order and earned his second win of the season following Dultz's clutch hit.

 

In the fateful inning, Tyler Tulowitzki led off with a single to center field and moved over to second on Ochart's sacrifice bunt. After an intentional walk to Matt Quintero, Schindler replaced Tulowitzki on the base paths, while Dultz stepped up to the plate for left fielder Dustin Wold. On a 1-2 offering from Coyote reliever Trevor Longfellow (1-2), Dultz laced a single to right as Schindler motored around third, eventually sliding in safely around and behind the tag of catcher Eric Dow, who seemingly had the plate blocked as he gathered the relay throw.

 

Ivan Otsuka went 3-for4 at the plate, Ben Mielke finished with two hits, while Ochart had two steals and two RBI on the afternoon.

 

The contest had all the earmarks of a scoring bonanza early on as both teams pushed across a pair runs in the first inning.

 

In their first turn at bat, CSUSB took advantage of an SF State throwing error, plating two unearnerd runs on a David Silvas single and Darren Dworak's RBI groundout.

 

The Gators responded with two markers of their own as Ochart drove in Thomas Wood with a fielder's choicer grounder and later scored on Quintero's two-out single through the left side.

 

The Coyotes grabbed a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth as Dow singled home Brandon Day, who previously reached on an infield hit and advanced on Bryce Holland's sacrifice bunt.

 

CSUSB reliever Kyle Krogman, who replaced starter Casey McCarthy in the fourth, kept SF State at bay until the bottom of the seventh, when Mielke and Otuska led off with consecutive singles and advanced on Wood's sacrifice bunt. Tulowitzki was then hit by a pitch, while Ochart followed with a sacrifice fly to bring in Mielke with the game-tying run.

 

Banaugh, meanwhile settled in nicely after allowing the Coyotes' run in the fourth, setting down 20 batters in a row until Matt Winn reached on an error and stole second in the top of the 11th. The Coyotes were unable to take advantage, however, as Banaugh, induced a groundout to end the inning.

 

SF State had a chance to win as well in its half of the 11^th, when Will Klein hit a one-out single and quickly moved over two third on Mielke's double down the right field line. Otuska then drew an intentional walk, but Longfellow was granted a temporary reprieve as CSUSB turned a double play to extend the game one more inning.

 

The Gators return to the diamond on Tuesday, April 5, when they travel north to Chico State for a CCAA doubleheader, beginning at 2 p.m.

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