SAN FRANCISCO –  Sonoma State rallied back from a 4-3 deficit to defeat the SF State Gators 6-5 in extra innings in this weekend's CCAA series finale between the two teams at The Swamp at Maloney Field.  Cory Morris' two-out double in the 11^th scored Alex Crosby with the game-winning hit.  Devin Alexander picked up the win in relief for the Seawolves.

Garrett Heisinger's solo home run in the second inning gave the Gators a 1-0 lead.  This was Heisinger's first home run of his career at SF State. 

Preston Tarter got out of a bases loaded jam in the third inning.  Cameron Merriwether singled to lead off the inning and went to second on a stolen base.  Daniel Caresio walked and then Jourdan Weiks was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs.  Tarter induced the next two Seawolves to fielder's choice ground outs.  He then struck out the final batter to keep the score 1-0 Gators.

The Seawolves took a 3-1 lead in their half of the fourth inning.  Adam Manzer and Spencer Neve had back to back singles to lead-off the inning.  It looked like Tarter was going to get out of the inning as the next Seawolf grounded into a double play, but Merriwether singled home Manzer with Sonoma State's first run with two outs.  He then went to second on a wild pitch.  Caeresio walked and both runners advanced a base on another wild pitch.  Weiks then gave Sonoma State the lead with a two-run double to make it 3-1 Seawolves.

SF State (17-26, 16-20 CCAA) tied the game in its half of the fourth.  Mark Lindsay singled to lead off the inning, his 209^th of his career.  He is now three hits away from breaking Phil Kernan's all-time hits record of 211 at SF State.  Lindsay went to second when Chad Thurston walked.  With one out, Bryce Cherry singled to load the bases.  Jacob Lopez reached on a fielder's choice, which Lindsay was thrown out at home.  Then with two outs and the count 1-2, Connor Fraser hit a single to right field to score Thurston and Cherry to tie the game at 3-3.

The Gators took the lead on Cherry's RBI single in the sixth inning which brought in Thurston, who reached on a lead-off single.  Thurston then advanced to second on a ground out by Heisinger.  He scored on Cherry's third hit of the game to give the hosts a 4-3 lead.

That lead did not last long as Sonoma State scored two runs in the top of the seventh to take a 5-4 lead.  Weiks had a lead-off bunt single, went to second on a single by Crosby.  Alexander then doubled them both home Weiks to tie the game at 4-4.  Manzer's sacrifice fly gave the Seawolves a 5-4 lead.

The game remained 5-4 Sonoma State until the Gator eighth inning.  Escobar singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second on a ground out by Thurston.  With two outs, Heisinger singled home Escobar with a single to left field to tie the game at 5-5.  Cory Davis retired the Seawolves in ninth.  Then in the Gator ninth, Alexander retired SF State in order to send the game into extra innings.

It looked like SF State was going to win it in the 10^th.  Nick Jackson had a lead-off single and went to second on a sacrifice by Escobar.  Lindsay was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second with one out.  Alexander then induced the next two Gators to foul out and ground to preserve the 5-5 tie.

In Sonoma State's 11^th, Crosby had a one-out single.  Davis induced the Alexander to a ground out at third which Crosby was out at second.  Then with two outs, Morris hit the first pitch he saw for a double to right center to bring in Alexander with the go-ahead run.

Alexander (4-0) shutdown the Gators in the 11^th as the Seawolves took the series finale 6-5 and the series 3-1.  He pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief, giving up two hits, while walking one and striking out one.  Crosby led the Seawolf hitting attack with three of their 13 hits.

Davis (2-4) suffered the loss in relief, giving up four hits and one run in five innings while striking out four and walking one.  Preston Tarter recorded the no-decision in the start, pitching 6 innings, giving up 6 hits and three runs, walking two and striking out a season high 6. Cherry finished the day with three hits for SF State while Escobar and Heisinger each had two hits.

SF State will return to the diamond on Tuesday afternoon at 2:30pm for a non-conference game with Sonoma State in Rohnert Park.  The Gators will return home this Friday-Sunday, May 1-3 for the final time of the 2015 season as they host Cal Poly Pomona.  Game times are 3pm on Friday, 12pm for Saturday's doubleheader and 11am on Sunday for their regular season home finale. Prior to Sunday's game, the Gators will recognize their 9 seniors in a ceremony beginning at 10:40am.  This year's Senior Class is Cory Davis, Fernando Escobar, Will Hein, Garrett Heisinger, Mark Lindsay, Ryan Romero, Danny Souza, Preston Tarter and Matt Vera. 

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