FRESNO– The SF State Gator baseball team lost two hard fought games this afternoon 3-2 and 5-3 this afternoon in a non-conference doubleheader to the Fresno Pacific Sunbirds at FPU Diamond. The Sunbirds improved to 5-3 on the season while SF State falls to 2-4.
"I am very proud of the way the guys fought back and put themselves in a position to win," said SF State head coach
Tony Schifano. "I felt like that we were one good at bat away from securing the final game. Bottom line is they got it done and we didn't, we will bounce back."
Fresno Pacific took a 2-0 lead in its half of the third inning. Preston Scott had a two-out triple that scored Nate Case with the game's first run. Scott then scored two batters later on a Nick Pate single as the Sunbirds took a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth inning.
The Gators cut the Sunbird lead (2-1) in half in their half of the fourth inning.
Myles Franklin had a one-out triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by
Joe Chedid. The Sunbirds came in the bottom of the fourth to increase their lead to 3-1 when Scott walked with the bases loaded that brought in Case. Case, Davy Vartanian and Leo Carrillo all walked with two outs which set the table for Scott.
The Gators came back with a run of their own in the top of the sixth inning.
Jake Faulkner had a lead-off double, went to third when
Chris Nicholson reached on a throwing error. Faulkner scored on a RBI fielder's choice by Franklin.
SF State had two chances to tie the score late in the game. In the seventh,
Tyler Hall had a lead-off single and
Chad Thurston pinch-ran for Hall. Thurston went to second on a ground out by
Dalton Pizzuti. He then went to third on another ground out, but Jake Martinez induced the next Gator to line out to first to end the scoring threat. Their other shot came in the ninth inning, Thurston had a two-out single which
Alex Kotheimer pinch ran for him but Martinez (1-1) induced the next Gator to ground out to preserve the 3-2 Sunbird victory.
Matthew Hernanez (0-2) picked up the loss in the start for the visitors. He pitched 3.2 innings, giving up four hits, three runs and walked six.
Brett Elgin pitched 3.2 scoreless innings of relief, giving up three hits, four walks and striking out one.
Dylan Bell pitched the final 0.2 scoreless innings of relief for SF State.Faulkner had two of the Gators' six hits.
Martinez pitched a complete game for the hosts, giving up 6 hits, two runs (one earned and striking out 7. Pate had two of the Sunbirds' 7 hits while Scott drove in two of Fresno Pacific's three runs in the opener.
Ryan Burke's two-out single drove in Kotheimer in the top of the first inning to give SF State an early1-0 lead in the night cap. Kotheimer reached on a fielding error by the Sunbirds with one out. He went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Burke's two-out single to right center.
Fresno Pacific came right back though with a two-run first inning of its own capped by a Pate sacrifice fly that brought in Scott. The score remained 2-1 Sunbirds until the Gator half of the fifth inning.
Kotheimer reached on a lead-off walk, went to third on a single by
Chris Nicholson.
Connor Fraser walked with one out to load the bases.
Bryce Brooks then hit the fourth pitch he saw for a two-run single to center field to give the Gators a 3-2 lead. Thurston then reached on a fielder's choice, which Brooks went to third on and Fraser was out at third.
Nick Jackson walked to load the bases, but Austin Tatum (2-0) came in relief of starting pitcher Rickie Garcia and induced the next Gator to pop out to short to end the inning.
Just like the opener, the Sunbirds came right back and retook the lead in its half of the fifth inning. Vertaniana had a lead-off single, went to second on a double by Scott. Vartianian and Scott scored on a two-run double by Pate as the hosts took the 4-3 lead. Joey Gallegos brought in Scott with an insurance run as the Sunbirds took a 5-3 lead into the final two innings.
SF State had a chance to either tie or take the lead in its half of the seventh inning. Fraser was hit by a pitch with one out, went to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Brooks also was hit by a pitch to put Gators on first and second with one out. With two outs, Jackson walked for the second time in the game to load the bases. Kevin Magill came in relief and struck out the last Gator batter to preserve the 5-3 Sunbird victory.
Tatum picked up the win in relief for the Sunbirds, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings while striking out one. Kyle Rasmussen pitched 0.2 innings of relief and walking one, before surrendering to Magill who struck out the final Gator batter. Rickie Garcia had the start for the hosts, pitching 4.2 innings, giving up 6 hits, three runs (two earned), striking out three and walking 5.
Vartanian and Scott each had two hits to lead the Sunbird hitting attack.
Dillon Houser (1-1) recorded the loss in relief for the Gators, pitching 0.1 innings, giving up two hits and two runs.
Peter Reyes pitched the final two innings, giving up two hits, one run while striking out two.
Joe Chedid had the start for SF State, pitching 3.2 innings, giving up four hits, two unearned runs, walking three and striking out two. Brooks had two of the Gators' six hits while driving in two of their three runs. Kotheimer scored two of SF State's three runs with Nicholson scoring the third run.
SF State will return to San Francisco this coming weekend (Feb. 19-21) for a three-game series with Academy of Art. The series will begin on Friday, Feb. 19 at 6pm at Laney College's Field of Dreams in Oakland. The two teams will then play a 1pm starting game at SF State's Maloney Field a week from today. The series will conclude on Sunday, Feb. 21 at 1pm in Oakland.
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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.
The
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.
