ROHNERT PARK, Calif- Despite four doubles and four home runs, accounting for eight of the 11 Sonoma State hits on Tuesday afternoon, the Seawolves had to fight off a furious comeback attempt by San Francisco State in the late innings to steal the 8-7 victory and salvage the series split with the Gators at Seawolf Diamond. Sonoma State moves to 18-22 overall and 11-17 in CCAA play while San Francisco State falls to 19-23 and 12-16.
Cameron Cook got the Seawolves on the scoreboard early with a two-run home run to left field, scoring
Kyle Jones, who reached earlier in the inning on a double.
San Francisco State got one run back in the third inning when Matt Quintero scored on a wild pitch by SSU starting pitcher
Tyler Hess.
In the fourth inning,
Randy Wells and
Joey Parigi each hit two run bombs to put the Seawolves up 6-1.
Ryan Stevens then came up in the fifth and poked a solo shot out of the yard, giving Hess a comfortable 7-1 lead before giving way to
Casey Slate in the sixth.
After surrendering a hit in the sixth, Slate ran into trouble in the seventh and gave up three RBI singles and another run on a misplayed ball by Cook in right field, all with one out.
Brian Bordagaray came in and got the final two outs of the inning, helping Sonoma State escape what could have been more than four runs.
Sonoma State got an insurance run in the eighth on a pinch-hit RBI double by
Brian Wright, scoring Parigi who doubled just before Wright stepped to the plate.
The insurance run proved to be crucial. With two outs and runners on the corners for the Gators, Ben Mielke reached on a wild throw by third baseman
Daniel Nimoy, which scored a run and extended the inning. Drew Anderson then came up for SFSU and nailed a sure line drive up the middle that would have tied the game, but
Thomas Lee, who came in to pitch the eighth and ninth innings, used himself as a backstop, recovered and threw out Anderson at first base to end the ball game.
Hess (2-2) got the victory in five innings of work, giving up just one hit and two runs, walking three and striking out a season-high seven batters. Lee earned his first save of the season after two innings, two hits, one unearned run and three strikeouts.
Parigi went 3-for-4 in the game with the aforementioned home run (his fourth of the season), two runs and two RBI. Stevens and Wells each had two hits and two runs scored.
Sonoma State will return to the diamond on Saturday to host Cal State Stanislaus in a doubleheader beginning at Noon.
Box Score: Sonoma State 8, San Francisco State 7
