Carson, Calif. — The San Francisco State baseball team used a pair of home runs and a strong showing from the bullpen en route to a 6-4 victory at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Thursday.
Chris Smuty led off the game with a single to right, then
Jackson Kritsch cranked a two-run homer in his first at-bat of the day. With the game tied 2-2 in fifth, Kritsch grounded out with the bases loaded to give SF State the lead back briefly in the fifth. CSUDH took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth on designated hitter Dalton Duarte's two-run home run.
Harley Lopez answered with a home run of his own, his second of the season, to tied the game at 4-4. Kritsch, who is now batting a team-high .376 and slugging a team-high .525, gave the Gators the lead for good in the seventh with a sacrifice fly.
David Mansell scored after he the inning off with a triple. Smutny drove in an insurance run in the eighth.
Gators starter
Grant Vogenthaler (2-3) struck out a career-high nine batters and picked up the win. The senior lasted six and two-thirds innings and allowed four runs on eight hits.
Cy Vojak got a strikeout to end the seventh,
Jordan Yrastorza pitched a perfect eighth, and
Cameron Crone shut the door with a perfect ninth to earn his third save of the season.
On Deck
The two teams continue the four-game series with a Friday doubleheader beginning at noon. Live stats will be provided by the Toros and be sure check for game updates on Twitter and Instagram at @sfstatebaseball. Also, be sure to like
SF State Baseball on Facebook.