SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco State baseball team took the series 3-1 from visiting Cal State San Marcos with a 9-7 victory in Sunday's series finale at Maloney Field.
After the Cougars (10-8/5-7 CCAA) tied it in the top of the sixth, SF State (6-15/6-10 CCAA) answered with a two-run sixth that regained the lead. Catcher
Jason Hare led off the inning with a four-pitch walk and stole second with two outs.
Jack Harris doubled him home and raced to third on an errant throw, then scored on
Jackson Kritsch's single back up the middle.
In the eighth, Kritsch drove in his fourth RBI of the day with a two-out double to right and
Harley Lopez followed with an RBI double down the left field line. Kritsch went 3-for-5 on the day with four RBIs and a pair of runs. For the series, Kritsch went 9-for-18 with seven runs and five RBIs while Lopez went 8-for-17 with five runs, three RBIs, and a pair of walks.
The teams traded runs in the first. CSUSM jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Aidan Stinnett's RBI double and another run scored on the play as a result of an errant throw. In the bottom half of the inning, Kritsch reached on a fielder's choice and moved up 90 feet on a failed pickoff, then scored on Lopez's single. Two batters later,
Trevor Rogers tied it with a two-out single to shallow left field.
Kritsch's two-out, two-strike single to center field in the bottom of the second gave the Gators a 4-2 lead.
Jeff Piver struck out seven over five innings and was in line for the win but settled for a no-decision. He allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits. Piver allowed a run in the fifth but struck out the side to avoid further damage. The Gators got the run back in the fifth inning when Cougars reliever Brady Corson missed the throw back from catcher Isaias Torres, which allowed Lopez to race home.
Cameron Crone came on in the sixth inning and also struck out the side but surrendered a Tyler Place two-out, two-run hit to right center field that tied the game at 5-5. Place represented the tying run up to in the eighth but flew out to the warning track in right to end the inning. Crone loaded the bases in the ninth and allowed a run.
Jordan Yrastorza gave up a run but got a strike out looking to pick up his second save.
On Deck
The Gators have a bye week, then are set to host No. 14 Cal Poly Pomona in a four-game series beginning Friday, March 23 at 3 p.m. Live stats will be available and be sure check for updates on Twitter and Instagram at @sfstatebaseball.
