Baseball | 4/17/2016 12:11:00 AM
Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 LA JOLLA, Calif.--- The SF State Gators dropped two nail biters this evening to the hosts, UC San Diego Tritons, in a twi-night doubleheader at Triton Ballpark in La Jolla, Calif. The two hard fought games took a combined 7 ½ hours and 20 innings as the Tritons won 6-5 in 11 innings and held off a late-inning rally by the Gators to take the night cap 8-7.
"It is disappointing to lose two 1-run games, but I'm very proud of the fight in this group," said SF State head coach
Tony Schifano. "That is a nationally ranked team that we played toe to toe with all day long. There is no doubt in my mind we can play with anybody and we will come out tomorrow and fight!"
Playing in their second consecutive extra-inning affair and fourth of the season, the visiting SF State Gators lost the series opener 6-5 in 11 innings to the Tritons. The loss spoiled an exceptional outing by the Gator three relievers (
Dylan Bell,
Brent Montgomery and
Shane Martin).UC San Diego took a 2-0 lead in its half of the third inning when JD Hearn hit a one-out triple that brought in Tyler Howsley who reached on a lead-off single. Hearn scored on a two-out single by Tyler Plantier.
SF State took a 4-2 lead with a four-run fourth inning.
Bryce Brooks had a lead-off single and went to third on a double by
Myles Franklin.
Chris Nicholson walked to load the bases still with no outs. Brooks scored as
Carter Gambrell reached on a fielder's choice. With two outs and the count 0-1,
Dalton Pizzuti hit his first home run of his career a three-run shot over the scoreboard in right field to give the visitors a 4-2 lead.
The hosts retook the lead with a three-run fourth of their own. Vince Mori had a lead-off walk, went to second on a Justin Platt single. They each advanced a base on a sacrifice by Steven Coe. Mori scored on a sacrifice fly to
Nick Jackson in center field by Howsley. Brandon Shirley walked with two outs and scored on a two-run double by Hearn to give the Tritons the 5-4 lead.
The game didn't remained tied for long as the Gators tied it at 5-5 in their half of the fifth inning. Jackson had a lead-off single and scored on a Brooks' triple. SF State had a chance to take the lead, but the Gators stranded the go-ahead run at third with no outs.
The Gators had another chance to take the lead in their half of the ninth inning.
Alex Kotheimer walked with two outs, advanced to second on a bunt single by Jackson. Brooks was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs, but Tim Nelson (6-1) induced the next batter to ground out to end the scoring threat.
UC San Diego (25-13, 15-11 CCAA) had a chance to win the game in its half of the tenth. Christian Leung had a one-out single, advanced to second when Mori reached on a Gator error.
Brent Montgomery then induced the next Triton to fly out to Franklin in right field. He retired the next batter on a ground out to Nicholson at first to end the scoring threat.
The Gators had another chance be stopped by Nelson in their half of the 11
th. Pizzuti had a lead-off single and
Ryan Taylor pinch ran for him. Taylor advanced to second on a sacrifice by
Connor Fraser. With two outs, Jackson walked but Nelson induced the next batter to ground out to Justin Flatt at first in which the Triton made a nice play to end the inning and preserve the 5-5 tie.
Howsley led off the Triton eleventh with a single went to second on a wild pitch. With one out, Hearn was intentionally walked. Then Jack Larsen reached on the Gators' fourth error of the game which Howsley scored the game-winning run.
Martin (0-1) recorded the loss in relief for SF State.
Ulices Moreno had the no-decision in the start for SF State. He pitched 6 innings of six-hit ball, giving up 5 runs, walking four and striking out three.
Dylan Bell pitched 1.2 scoreless innings, walking two and striking out two while Montgomery pitched 2.1 scoreless innings, giving up one hit while striking out two.
The Gators (16-16, 9-12 CCAA) had 10 hits with Pizzuti going 3-for-5 with three RBIs while Jackson and Brooks each had two hits apiece for the visitors.
Hearn led the Triton hitting attack going 3-for-5 with three runs batted in. Nelson picked up the win, going 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, giving up just one hit, walking one and striking out two.
In the nightcap, the Tritons held off a late-inning rally to defeat the Gators 8-7. They scored once in both the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. The Gators cut the deficit in half as
Noeh Martinez,
Andrew Breen and Jackson had singles to load the bases. Martinez scored when the Tritons' starting pitcher induced a double play, which Jackson advanced to second on and went to third on a wild pitch. The junior outfielder was stranded there as the next Gator popped out to second to end the inning.
The Tritons took a 5-1 lead after scoring once in the fifth and sixth innings. The Gators cut the Triton lead to 5-3 with a two-run seventh inning.
Chad Thurston had a lead-off single, but was thrown out at third after a Martinez single to right field.
Andrew Breen then hit a two-run inside-the-park home run to cut the Triton lead to 5-3.
UC San Diego came right back with a two-run seventh to increase its lead to 7-3. SF State looked like the Gators were going to cut into the Triton lead in its half of the eighth.
Ryan Burke, who was 3-for-5 with a run scored, reached on a two-out single. He went to second when
Logan Marston was hit by a pitch. Still with two outs, Thurston had a single up the middle to load the bases.
Connor Fraser came in to pinch run for Marston, but Cameron Kurz induced the next Gator to ground out to end the inning on a nice play by Hearn at second base.
The Tritons added an important insurance run in the eighth inning on a two-out single by Hearn which scored Tim White who reached on a lead-off walk.
The Gators would not go away as Brooks had a two-out walk. He went to second on a single by Franklin. Nicholson walked to load the bases. Still with two outs, Burke reached on a fielder's choice which he went to third on and Brooks, Franklin and Nicholson all scored when the Tritons threw the ball away. Fraser then drove home Burke to cut the deficit to 8-7. Taylor came into pinch run for Fraser at first. Thurston singled Taylor to third still with two outs and the Gators down by just one run. Eric Moersen came in and induced the final out on a fly out to Jack Larsen in right field and preserve the Tritons' 8-7 victory.
SF State had 14 hits led by Burke and Thurston each with three hits while Breen and Martinez had two hits apiece.
Dillon Houser (3-3) picked up the loss in the start for SF State, pitching five innings, giving up five hits, four runs (two earned), striking out one and walking two.
Matthew Hernandez, Alex Navarette and
Grant Vogenthaler kept the Gators in the game pitching a combined three innings of relief, giving up five hits, four runs (two earned), striking out one and walking one.
Preston Mott (2-1) recorded the win in the start for the hosts, pitching 7 innings, giving up 9 hits and three runs, striking out four and walking one. Moersen recorded his first save by retiring the final Gator.
The Gators now are in fifth place in the CCAA North Division, 2.5 games behind both Cal State East Bay and Sonoma State who are tied for third place. The two three teams from each of the two divisions will receive a bid to the CCAA Baseball Championships, May 11-14 in Stockton, Calif.
The two teams will conclude the three-game weekend conference series tomorrow morning at 11am with a single nine-inning game at Triton Ballpark. SF State will return home this Wednesday, April 20 as the Gators will host Cal State East Bay with first pitch scheduled for 3pm at Maloney Field.
Box Score Game One
Box Score Game Two
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About San Francisco State Athletics
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.
