Box Score
CARSON—  After taking the first two games of this weekend's four-game road conference series with Cal State Dominguez Hills, the SF State Gators dropped the final two games including falling 4-1 in the series finale this afternoon to the Toros to split the series.  Cody Yates picked up his first in in the start for the Toros as he pitched 6 innings, giving up two hits while striking out two and walking four.
 
The Toros took a 1-0 lead in the second as they took advantage of a lead-off hits batsman by Gator starter, Nolan Sheridan.  Hayden Maurice was the benefactor as he was hit with the count 2-2.  Maurice then stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice by Alex Sixtos.  He scored on a ground out by Taylor Kahanowitch.
 
SF State (21-25, 16-20 CCAA) had a chance to tie the game in the top of the fifth inning.  Garrett Heisinger had a lead-off walk, but was out on Matt Vera's fielder's choice bunt.  Joe Chedid walked to put runners on first and second with one out.  Yates then induced the next Gator to fly out to right and the final out of the inning was a ground out to short stop as the Toros kept the 1-0 lead.
 
Cal State Dominguez Hills (20-24, 15-21 CCAA) took advantage of another lead-off hit batsman.  This time, Sixtos was hit with the count 3-2.  Sixtos came around to score on a trip to right field by Kahanowitch which the Toro first baseman scored on an errant throw by the Gators.  Aaron Gray doubled still with no outs and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Rico Pena.  Gray scored the third run of the inning to give the Toros a 4-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by David Steininger heading into the final three innings of the game.
 
The Gators had a mini-rally in the top of the ninth inning.  Carter Loud had a lead-off single. He went to second on a one-out single by Mark Lindsay.  Danny Souza came in to pinch run for Lindsay.  Heisinger walked to load the bases for Matt Vera.  The junior infielder drove in Loud with a ground out to first base to cut the Toro lead to 4-1.  With runners on second and third and two outs, Toro reliever Gray induced the final Gator to strike out to give the hosts the 4-1 victory and split the series with SF State. 
 
Nolan Sheridan (2-8) picked up the loss for the Gators, who are 10-5 in their last 15 games including 6-4 in the last 10 games.  Sheridan pitched 6 innings, giving up four hits and four runs while striking out four and walking four.    Taylor Wade pitched the final two innings for SF State, giving up just one hit.
 
Yates (1-0) pitched six scoreless innings, giving up two hits.  Danny Nieves pitched two scoreless innings of relief while Grady pitched the ninth, giving up two hits and one run while striking out two and walking one.
 
Gray had two of the Toros' five hits while Kahannowitch drove in two of their five runs.
 
Loud had two of the Gators' four hits on the day.
 
This was the Gators' fifth conference series that they have either have split or won this season.  They have split their last two series with going 2-2 against then No. 18 UC San Diego last week.  SF State took three out of four games from Cal State Stanislaus and Cal State San Bernardino earlier this season.  The Gators also swept a four-game series from Cal State L.A. two weeks ago at home.
 
SF State will finish off its 2014 season with a four-game home and away series with Cal State East Bay this coming weekend, May 2-4.  The Gators will need one more win to match their most wins since 2010 (they finished that season 22-32).  SF State also needs one more conference win for its third most in the CCAA.  The Gators won 21 in 2004 and 20 in 2003.
 
The series between the Bay Area rivals will begin this Friday, May 2 at 3pm with a single game at The Swamp at Maloney Field.  The two teams will then go across the Bay to Hayward for a doubleheader this Saturday, May 3 at noon.  The series will end a week from today at noon at The Swamp at Maloney Field for a single nine-inning game.  Prior to the game at approximately 11:45am, the Gators will recognize their six seniors in Trevor Diskin, Grady Espinosa, Carter Loud, Dillon Meyer, Jack Veronin and Taylor Wade for Senior Day.  

Box Score