Box Score
SAN FRANCSICO---    The visiting Fresno Pacific Sunbirds spoiled the SF State Gators' 2013 regular season home opener by defeating the Gators 7-2 this afternoon at Maloney Field.  J.D. Salles (1-0) picked up the win, pitching 7 innings, giving up four hits and two runs while striking out five and walking three.
 
The Gators took a 1-0 lead in their half of the first inning as Grady Espinosa reached on a one-out single to right field.  He then stole second and scored on a one-out single up the middle by Mark Lindsay. 
 
The score remained SF State 1-0 until the Sunbirds' half of the fifth inning.  Steven Moon reached first base when he was hit by a pitch with one out.  He then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Moon then scored the tying run when Baron Bower hit an infield single on a 3-2 pitch. 
 
SF State retook the lead in its half of the fifth inning.  Dante Smith reached base on a one-out single to right center.  He went to second when Carter Loud was hit by a pitch.  Salles got the next Gator batter to hit in a fielder's choice to put runners on the corner.  Lindsay then loaded the bases as he was walked.  With the bases loaded and two out, Miguel Flores reached base on a wild pitch after striking out which Smith scored on to give the Gators a 2-1 lead.
 
Fresno Pacific came right back and tied the game in the top of the sixth inning on an one-out run scoring single by Joseph Garabedian which drove in Brett Bishop to tie the game at 2-2.
 
The Sunbirds took the lead in their half of the eighth inning.  Kaohu Gaspar led off the inning reaching first base on hit by pitch.  He went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Garabedian.  He came around to score on a two-out single by Moon. 
 
Fresno Pacific broke the gates open with a four-run ninth inning to increase its lead to 7-2.
 
SF State tried to rally in the bottom of the ninth inning as Dillon Meyer and Loud hit back to back infield singles with two outs.  Then Espinosa hit a line shot to right field to load the bases.  Ryan Cheek then induced the next Gator batter to ground out to short to preserve the 7-2 Sunbird win.
 
Fresno Pacific had nine hits of which three came off the bat of Devin Lee.  Salles picked up his first win of the season while Cheek recorded his first save, pitching two scoreless innings of relief giving up four hits and striking out two. 
 
SF State (0-1) had eight hits of which Loud and Espinosa each had two hits.  The Gators sent seven pitchers to the mound this afternoon. 
 
The two teams will conclude the three-game series tomorrow morning with an 11am starting doubleheader at Maloney Field. 

Box Score