BOX SCORE Sonoma State 8, Cal State Monterey Bay 5 -- Box Score
ROHNERT PARK, Calif. — Behind a two-RBI performance from
Evan Warner and
Garrett Gooselaw, the Sonoma State baseball team was able to put eight runs across the plate, defeating Cal State Monterey Bay in game one of the four game series, 8-5, moving one step closer to a CCAA Championship Tournament berth. The Seawolves (23-22, 21-16 CCAA; .568) will clinch one of two remaining spots in next weekend's conference tournament should they win two of their final three games this weekend. The Otters were mathematically eliminated from the CCAA playoff race with Friday's loss, falling to 25-22 overall and 18-19 in the CCAA.
Both UC San Diego (26-14; .650) and Chico State (24-13; .649) have clinched spots in the CCAA tournament, leaving four teams to fight for the final two spots. Cal State San Bernardino (22-16; .578) has two games left in the regular season (both at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Saturday), while Cal Poly Pomona (23-17; .575) and Cal State L.A. (21-17; .553) have finished their regular season conference schedules. The top four teams are decided by best winning percentage in conference play.
Ian Ocon got the starting nod for Sonoma in the series opener on Friday, allowing two runs on four hits in just four innings of work, before being replaced in the fifth with an apparent injury.
Paul Anaya (3-1) came on in relief and tossed three and one-third innings, allowing three runs, one of which was earned, on only two hits.
Taylor Herbert came into the game with one out in the eighth and closed out the game for SSU to record his first save of the season. He struck out three batters and gave up two hits. On the mound for Cal State Monterey Bay, Donny Medlinger pitched for five innings, allowing seven runs on seven hits. Medlinger's record drops to 4-5 after being tagged with the loss.
The Seawolves jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the bottom of second inning after SSU loaded the bases with the first three batters reaching base.
Jackson Stogner then hit a single into right field, driving in
Danny Dworkin. Warner reached on a fielder's choice that was able to score Jeff Boulware from third, followed by an RBI groundout by
Steven Filippi. With a 3-0 lead, Gooselaw tacked on two more runs in the second inning on a two-RBI double down the left field line to put SSU ahead, 5-0.
After the big inning by Sonoma State, Cal State Monterey Bay was able to plate a run in the top of the third, making the score 5-1. The Otters continued to narrow the deficit with two runs in the top of the fifth inning, cutting the Seawolves lead to 5-3. However, SSU would not be silenced, scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth, extending its lead to five runs at 8-3. Stogner led off the inning with a double to right field and was quickly knocked in by Warner. After a walk was issued to Filippi, he and Warner would double steal, drawing a wild throw to third by CSUMB catcher Jesse Olsen, which then allowed Filippi to move to third and Warner to score.
Joel Thys then hit a sacrifice fly, allowing Filippi to tag up and score for the five-run advantage.
Cal State Monterey Bay would attempt a late-inning comeback, plating two runs in the top of the seventh inning to bring them to within three runs at 8-5. David Garcia hit an RBI single, scoring Tommy George. Jared DeCastro then reached on a throwing error by SSU shortstop Boulware, allowing Brian Haggett to score on the play. The two runs would not be enough for a comeback, though, as Sonoma State came out with the victory, taking the series opener, 8-5.
Offensively for Sonoma State, six different Seawolves had one hit on Friday, while Stogner led the way with a 2 for 4 effort at the plate. Warner and Stogner each scored twice in the victory, while Filippi, Dworkin, Boulware, and
Justin Serrao each crossed home plate once. For the Otters, Hagget and DeCastro each had two hits, along with Jason Merjano's two runs.
The four-game series continues on Saturday with a doubleheader, set to begin at 11:00 a.m. at Seawolf Diamond.
