SAN BERNARDINO– The Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes used a six-run eighth inning to key their 9-5 win in this weekend's CCAA series with the visiting SF State Gators 9-5 at Fiscalini Field in San Bernardino. Warren Fishback's two-run double proved to be the game-winning hit in the Coyotes' win.
Chad Thurston finished the evening 3-for-3, scoring twice and driving in two runs for the Gators.
Nolan Sheridan recorded his third straight no-decision the start for the Gators (13-18, 12-13 CCAA). Sheridan pitched seven innings, giving up 9 hits, three runs and striking out three.
Joseph Chedid recorded the hard luck loss in relief for the visitors with
Cory Davis pitching the final inning. Chedid (1-1) gave up three runs (one earned) while walking one. Davis gave up one hit, three runs (two earned), striking out one and walking one.
Tyler Wells (2-6) recorded the win for the Coyotes (7-26, 5-19 CCAA), pitching 8.1 innings, giving up 8 hits and five runs (four earned) while striking out five and walking three. Ruben Rios pitched the final 0.2 innings, giving up one hit and striking out two.
Damion Edmonds led off the game for the Coyotes in the bottom of the first with a single. He stole second and third, scored on a single by Fishback to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. SF State came back in its half of the second inning. Thurston had a lead-off single, advanced to second on a ground out by
Garrett Heisinger. He scored on a single by
Jacob Lopez to tie the game at 1-1.
The Gators took a 4-1 lead with a three-run third inning.
Andrew Breen had a lead-off double and went to third on a single by
Nick Jackson. With his single, Jackson extended his reach base safely streak to 15. Breen came in on a single by
Fernando Escobar. Both runners advanced a base on a passed ball and scored on a one-out single by Thurston.
The Coyotes cut the Gator lead to 4-2 on Fishback's two-out double in the third which scored Edmonds who reached on a one-out single. The score remained 4-2 until the Coyote sixth inning. Fishback had a one-out double, advanced to third on a Jon-Paolo D'Este ground out. He scored on a wild pitch to cut the Gator lead in half (4-3).
Cal State San Bernardino took the lead with a six-run eighth inning on just one hit. The Coyotes took advantage of three Gator errors. Ryan Rich had a lead-off walk, advanced to second on the Gators' first error on Edmonds' fielder's choice. Rich and Edmonds scored on Fishback's third double of the game to give the hosts a 5-4 lead. The Coyotes scored four more runs after that double to take a 9-4 lead heading into the Gator ninth.
Thurston had a one-out single in the top of the ninth. He went to second when Heisinger walked. Lopez walked to load the bases for
Bryce Cherry, who singled home Thurston to cut the deficit to 9-5. With still one out and the bases loaded, Rios struck out the final two Gators to preserve the 9-5 Coyote victory.
With the loss, SF State falls into sixth place in the CCAA a game and a half behind Sonoma State (who is fifth place).
Besides Thurston's three hits, Lopez added two hits for the Gators who had 9 hits on the night. Fishback paced the Coyote hitting attack going four-for-four, scoring twice and driving in four runs.
The two teams will continue the four-game weekend series tomorrow afternoon at 2pm with a doubleheader at Fiscalini Field in San Bernardino. The series will conclude this Sunday morning at 11am with a single nine-inning game also at Fiscalini.
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Gator Athletics has a proud tradition of competitive success within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The department offers 12 intercollegiate sports programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Women's Track & Field, Women's Volleyball and Men's Wrestling.
Gator Athletics places great emphasis on academic performance as well as athletic achievement. The program offers student athletes the opportunity to reach their educational goals, as well pursue meaningful athletic accomplishments. For more information, visit SF State Athletics' website, Twitter and Facebook pages.
