SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco State baseball team posted a big six-run seventh inning to take a late lead but ultimately fell 8-7 in 11 innings in the series opener versus No. 19 Cal State Monterey Bay on Friday afternoon at Maloney Field.
- SF State slips to 8-13 and 3-10 in CCAA action while the nationally-ranked Otters move to 14-7 and sit in first place in the CCAA at 10-3.
- Luke O'Brien went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBI.
- Sammy Gonzales and Daniel Santos both went 2-for-4. Kody Gardner also had a multi-hit day.
- Six different Gators scored and four different SF State players drove in at least one run.
- The Otters took the lead in the first on a sacrifice fly.
- CSUMB grew the lead to 4-0 with a three-run fourth. The first two Otters reached on singles and Nathan Flores doubled home a run, then the Otters added a pair on a couple of RBI groundouts.
- SF State got a run back in the fifth. Alec Smith popped up to shortstop and Brady Miguel attempted to turn a double play but instead threw the ball away, which allowed Sammy Gonzales to score from third.
- The Otters added a run back in the seventh. Ajamian singled home Miguel, who recorded a one-out single and moved up 90 feet on a wild pitch.
- The Gators hung a six-spot in the bottom of the seventh to take a 7-5 lead. Gonzales singled, Santos drew a five-pitch walk, and Jo Bynum drove home a pair with a double to right field. Designated hitter Kody Gardner followed with another RBI double to right that plated Bynum. Reliever Joseph Standley walked Richie Rios and the Gators tied it on Gavin Mancha's sacrifice bunt.
- Standley fielded the ball but tried for the out at the place but Gardner beat the throw, which got past the catcher and allowed Rios and Mancha to each move up 90 feet. Standley got a strikeout but Luke O'Brien delivered a two-run single to center field that gave the Gators a 7-5 lead.
- The Gators got two quick outs but, down to the Otters' final strike in the bottom of the ninth, Ajamian delivered a two-run double to deep center field that knotted the game yet again, at 7-7.
- In the tenth, the Otters threatened but left the bases loaded. Gators reliever Jack Reitsma worked around a pair of walks and a potential double play ball to short that was bobbled to get a foul out to end the inning.
- In the 11th, Kyle Guerra singled and stole second, then Ajamian drew a four-pitch walk. Another walk loaded the bases and Nathan Flores hit a ball to deep center field. Gonzales made a great diving catch but with the runner at third, Flores earned a sac fly for the go-ahead run. In the bottom of the 11th, Smith reached on an error and moved into scoring position on the play but Standley struck out the next two batters.
- Jordyn Eglite went six and a third innings and left with a no-decision. He gave up four runs on seven hits and struck out a pair.
- Four Gators relievers gave up four runs in four and two thirds innings. Mario Vargas (0-1) was charged with the loss after giving up the run in the 11th.
- Ethan McRae started for the Otters and allowed just one unearned run. He departed after six innings with the lead but ultimately took a no-decision.
- Kyle Galart was roughed up for four runs in just a third of an inning. Standley earned the win with four and two thirds innings of relief. He struck out six and allowed two runs.
The series versus the Otters continues on Saturday, March 19 at 3 p.m. and the series will conclude with a noon doubleheader on Sunday, March 20. The games will be broadcast on the CCAA Network with live stats available at sfstategators.com. Updates will also be available on Twitter at @sfstatebaseball.
