Box Scores: #24 SSU 11, Patten 8 | Patten 4, #24 SSU 2

ROHNERT PARK, Calif- In its final non-conference doubleheader of the season, Sonoma State rallied for three runs in the bottom of the eighth to earn the 11-8 win in the opener, but Patten came right back in the nightcap, rallying for two runs in the top of the seventh to force the split with a 4-2 victory in the nightcap on Tuesday at Seawolf Diamond in Rohnert Park.

The Seawolves, ranked 24th in this week's Collegiate Baseball Newspaper/NCAA Division II Top 30 Coaches' Poll, move to 28-13 this season while the Lions, a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), go to 22-26.

#24 Sonoma State 11, Patten 8

The Lions were quick to put up three runs in the top of the first inning off Connor Smith, but with only one hit. With one out, Smith loaded the bases on two hit batsmen and a walk before he forced John-Michael Patacsil to pop up in the infield for the second out of the inning. A batter later, Sean Rogers would have cleared the bases on his double down the left field line, but the ball hopped up and over the fence for the ground-rule double and the Lions led 2-0. The third run would cross the plate eventually after a wild pitch by Smith.

Down 3-0 early, Sonoma State got a run in on a RBI single by O'Koyea Dickson to cut into the Patten lead. After Kendall Davis pitched a perfect second inning, the Seawolf offense exploded for six runs on three hits, including a two-run triple by Alex Todd.

The comfortable 7-3 lead wouldn't hold through the fourth inning, however, as Patten plated five runs to take an 8-7 lead over the nationally-ranked Seawolves. The home team would eventually tie it up at 8-8 in the fifth after a leadoff blast by Todd.

The 8-8 score would hold until the bottom of the eighth when Cameron Cook pinch hit and brought home two runs on a bases loaded single. Dickson added to the lead with a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Jackson Stogner and Sonoma State led 11-8 with three outs left.

Jacob Fiss, who came on in relief in the sixth for Robby White, retired eight of the first nine batters he faced, going into the ninth. It was in the ninth when Fiss ran into a bit of trouble, putting runners on second and third with two outs. Head coach John Goelz elected to go with Thomas Lee, but Lee plunked the first batter he saw, loading the bases. However, Lee forced a groundout to end the game, earning his second save of the season and the third of his career. Fiss was awarded the victory, improving to an unblemished 3-0 record this season. He went three and a third innings, allowed three hits, no runs and struckout three.

Offensively, Stogner went 3 for 5 and scored three runs while Todd had two hits, including the aforementioned triple and home run. He scored two runs and had three RBI. Garrett Gooselaw also had two hits as Sonoma State outhit Patten, 11-8.

Patrick Baca (0-1) was tagged with the loss after pitching just a third of an inning. Patacsil and David Whiteside had two hits each for the Lions.

Patten 4, #24 Sonoma State 2

In the final game of doubleheader, Sonoma State drew first blood when Kyle Jones scored on a defensive error. The 1-0 lead would last until the fifth when Joshua Nervis put two runners on via a walk and a hit by pitch. He was replaced by Tim Perreira, who gave up a pair of RBI singles and Patten led 2-1.

Randy Wells would come around to score in the sixth on another defensive miscue by Patten to knot the score at 2-2, but the visiting Lions would roar right back with two runs in the top of the seventh on a bases-loaded RBI single and a sacrifice fly to lead 4-2.

Patten's Kris Cole came in to close out the game in the bottom of the seventh, retiring the SSU batters in order to earn his third save of the season. Jesse Madrid (2-1) got the victory in relief after coming on for starter Tommy Papucci in the fifth. The three Patten pitchers combined to allow just to hits by Sonoma State, one by Gooselaw and one by Todd.

Sonoma State will play its final eight games of the regular season against CCAA opponents, six of which are at home, beginning with a four-game series against Cal State San Bernardino in Rohnert Park this weekend. First pitch on Friday, which is the Marie Lovell Memorial Baseball Game, is set for 2 p.m.

A special pre-game ceremony will honor Marie as she was an avid Seawolf fan and former SSU parking officer who past away unexpectedly last year. Her son, Michael, is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Press Democrat (Mar. 23, 2010): Marie Louise Lovell Bradford