SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco State baseball team won a pair of thrillers over No. 19 Cal State Monterey Bay on Sunday afternoon at Maloney Field. The Gators swept the doubleheader, taking game one 5-4 and walking off 7-6 in the seven-inning nightcap.
- SF State moves to 10-14 and 5-11 in CCAA action while the nationally-ranked Otters slip to 15-9 and into second place in the CCAA at 11-5.
- The Gators rebounded from Saturday's loss with 20 hits on the day.
- Freshman Michael Cunningham continued his hot start and finished the day 5-for-7 with three runs and three RBI. He finished his weekend 6-for-10.
- Antonio Nanez went 2-for-3 with a run and two RBI in game one.
- Sammy Gonzales went 3-for-8 with two runs and three RBI.
- After Jakob Bouhuys was injured on Saturday, Matthew Farren started both games behind the dish. However, he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the bottom of the sixth. The Gators turned to Luke O'Brien, who started the game at second base. O'Brien has now played second base, third base, and caught this season for the Gators.
- The Gators also honored alumni from the past couple of seasons who never had an in-person Senior Day as a result of the pandemic.
GAME ONE
- SF State set the tone for the day early with a crooked inning in the first. Four of the first five Gators who stepped up to the plate singled. Michael Cunningham singled home the game's first run, then Jo Bynum loaded the bases with another single. Nanez doubled the lead with a sac fly, and O'Brien singled home another run to make it 3-0.
- The Otters got a run back in the second thanks to a JJ Engman leadoff walk. He later scored on a two-out single by Nico Hartojo.
- Back-to-back-to-back doubles from Nanez, O'Brien, and Farren added two more runs in the third to make it a 5-1 Gators lead.
- Another leadoff walk led to an Otters run in the eighth. Chase Lindemann walked on six pitches and later scored on a sac fly.
- CSUMB made things interesting in the ninth. Engman drew another leadoff walk. Mitch Hofer got an out but issued another walk. He got pinch hitter Kyle Guerra to fly out but the game stayed alive when Endemann reached on a comebacker that was mishandled, then also dropped at first base. That loaded the bases, then Brady Miguel drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 5-3. Nathan Flores was hit by a pitch, then Head Coach Tony Schifano went to Jack Reitsma out of the bullpen. Reitsma delivered and struck out Jason Ajamian looking on four pitches.
- Nathan Shinn (2-0) worked six inning en route to the win. He limited the Otters to one run on six hits and struck out five.
- Austin Mober nd Mitch Hofer ached worked an inning and a third.
- Reitsma picked up his second save.
GAME TWO
- Sammy Gonzales went deep for his second homer of the season to put the Gators up 1-0 in the first.
- The Otters, yet to record a hit in the game, took a 2-1 lead in the fourth. Lindemann worked a leadoff walk and scored when pitcher Tyler Franks airmailed a Miguel sacrifice bunt over first base and down the line into foul territory. Lindemann scored from third and Miguel ended up at third, then scored on a Guerra groundout.
- CSUMB added on in the fifth on a Hartojo RBI single and a two-run single from Lindemann to make it 5-1.
- The Gators exploded for five runs in the sixth to retake the lead. Kody Gardner and Alec Smith singled, and Cunningham singled home another run to make it 5-2. With the bases loaded and two outs, the Otters turned to reliever Colby Harrison. Bynum pinch hit and was hit on the first pitch to bring home a run, then Gonzales doubled to right field to give the Gators the 6-5 lead.
- The lead was short-lived. Cooper Smith recorded a pinch-hit single. Engman came in to run for Smith and Franks attempted to pick him off. Engman dove back safely but was caught leaning and was picked off on Franks' second attempt to keep the bases clear. That proved important when Lindemann homered to right to tie the game at 6-6 in the seventh.
- In the bottom of the seventh, Smith reached on a fielding error and moved up on a groundout. Cunningham kept up his hot start and walked it off with a two-out single to right center.
- Franks went six and two thirds and allowed all six Otters runs, four of which were earned. He walked three and struck out four.
- Reitsma (2-1) faced two batters and picked up the win.
- Otters starter Ryan Platero was charged with five runs on seven hits in five and two thirds innings.
- Harrison blew the save and Ubaldo Romo (0-1) took the loss in the seventh inning.
The Gators head to Cal State East Bay for a four-game series beginning Friday, March 25 at 3 p.m. 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.
