Box Score SAN FRANCISCO---  SF State won the first game of this weekend's four-game conference series with the visiting Cal State East Bay Pioneers 6-5 this afternoon at Maloney Field on the campus of SF State.  Peter Reyes and Branden Petrangelo came on relief and held the visitors to just two hits and one unearned run in the final 2.2 innings to preserve the win for SF State and starter Ryan DeJesus. 

SF State took a 3-0 lead when the Gators took advantage of two Pioneer errors in the bottom of the second inning.  With one out, Andrew Suvunnachuen reached on a fielder's choice and went to second when Devon King reached first on a Pioneer error.  AJ Pianto reached on another error by the Pioneers, which Suvunnachuen scored the game's first run on to give SF State an early 1-0 lead.  With two outs, Almaraz hit a 3-2 pitch to left center for a two-run double to drive in King and Pianto an increase the Gators' lead to 3-0.

The Gators added another run in the fourth on a two-out RBI single by Ivan Otsuka which drove in King with the host's fourth run of the game.  King reached base on a lead-off walk and went to second on a one-out single by Almaraz.

SF State (16-30, 13-24 CCAA) made it 6-0 Gators with a two-run fifth inning.  Matt Quintero hit a two-out double down the left field line.  Then back to back walks to Suvunnachuen and King loaded the bases for Pianto.  The junior first baseman reached on an error by the Pioneers which Quintero crossed home plate on to give the Gators a 5-0 lead.  Almaraz then walked to drove in King which increased the hosts lead to 6-0.

The Pioneers (16-29, 10-25 CCAA) would not go away easy as they scored two runs in the sixth inning capped by Kyle Zozaya's RBI single to cut the Gator lead to 6-2. They added three more runs in the seventh to cut the deficit to just 6-5 going into the last two innings of the game.

SF State relievers Peter Reyes and Branden Petrangelo came in and shut the door on the Pioneeers as they allowed two hits and one unearned run in the final 2.2 innings of the game. 

Cal State East Bay did make it interesting in its half of the ninth inning.  With two outs, Wilder walked and went to third on a single by Eddie Rettagliata.  Then Petrangelo induced the final Pioneer to fly out to left field and preserve the 6-5 Gator victory en route to his team high fifth save.

DeJesus (2-4) picked up the win, pitching 6.1 innings, giving up 7 hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out three and walking one.  Reyes pitched 1.2 innings of one-hit relief while giving up one unearned run and walking one.  Petrangelo pitched the ninth inning, giving up one hit while walking one and striking out one as he recorded his 5th save of the season.

Brandyn Bell (2-7) recorded the loss for the Pioneers while three Cal State East Bay players had two hits apiece in Wilder, Rettagliata and Andrew Woolfe.

Almaraz, Quintero, Mark Lindsay and Miguel Flores each had two hits to lead the Gator hitters.  Almaraz drove in three of the Gators' runs while Suvunnachuen and King each scored twice.

The two teams will return to the diamond tomorrow morning in Hayward, Calif., for an 11am starting doubleheader.  They will return to SF State's Maloney Field this Sunday, May 6 for the series finale beginning at 11am.  Prior the game, the Gators will recognize both teams' seniors in a pre-game ceremony. 

Box Score