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Sonoma State University Athletics

Scott Fleury

Baseball by Corey Neal, Sports Information Student Assistant

Seawolves Salvage Split In Late Inning Fashion In CCAA Opener

Scott Fleury hit a game-winning sacrifice fly in the nightcap of Sonoma State's doubleheader split with Cal State East Bay
BOX SCORE 1 | BOX SCORE 2 ROHNERT PARK -- The Sonoma State baseball team was able to come out of their first two California Collegiate Athletic Association games of the season with a doubleheader split against the Pioneers of Cal State East Bay.  The Pioneers were able to rally late in game one, coming back from six runs down to eventually win 9-6, despite a strong pitching performance from SSU starter Harmen Sidhu.  In the nightcap, it was Sonoma State who came from behind to earn the 3-2 win in an eight-inning game that was scheduled for seven innings.  With the Friday split, Sonoma State sports a record of 9-3, 1-1 CCAA, while Cal State East Bay moves to 12-5, 5-5 CCAA.

Game 1: CAL STATE EAST BAY 9, #13 SONOMA STATE 6 -- Box Score
The thirteenth-ranked Seawolves got on the board quickly, and carried the lead for most of the game behind a stellar pitching performance from Sidhu, who fanned a career-high 11 batters, and only allowed one hit in seven innings of work.  However, the Pioneers were able to fight back in the final two innings, putting up an eight spot in the eighth inning, and tallying one more in the ninth to get the 9-6 victory.

Sonoma State wasted no time scoring runs, tacking on five in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by a three-RBI big fly off the bat of Devon Zenn, which drove in Jeffery Boulware and Sam Montgomery who reached on an error and a single, respectively.  Gary Detwiler drove in a run by drawing a bases-loaded walk and Garrett Gooselaw came in on a grounder to the shortstop to cap off the five-run first for the Seawolves, giving them a 5-0 lead early on.  Things would remain quiet due to lights-out pitching from both sides, as CSUEB starter Ben O'Bryan retired 12 consecutive Seawolves from the second inning through the fifth; Sidhu struck out seven batters in the same span.

The Seawolves put one more run across in the sixth inning to take a 6-0 lead into the seventh inning.  Sidhu and the Seawolves' defense were able to get the Pioneers to go 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh in what would be Sidhu's final inning.  Coach Goelz would hand the ball off to Jason Kochan in the top of the eighth inning in hopes that he would be able to close out the game.  Unfortunately, the Pioneer offense was all over Kochan, tagging him for six runs, (none of which were earned) on four hits, allowing CSUEB to tie the game at 6-6.  Kochan was relieved by Steven Zaharias after two-thirds of an inning, however, Zaharias was unable to stop the bleeding immediately, giving up two more runs in the inning before getting Andrew Rodriguez to fly out to right field.  The damage had already been done as Cal State East Bay put eight runs on the board to take an 8-6 lead.  Zaharias was given the loss, giving him a record of 0-1 on the season.

As if eight runs were not enough for the Pioneers, Brandon Alexander led of the top of the ninth with a triple into right field that bounced around in the Sonoma State bullpen.  Pinch hitter Eren Miravalles got Alexander in from third on a suicide squeeze bunt, giving the visitors a 9-6 lead.  Sonoma State would not threaten in the bottom half of the ninth as Matt Fontaine cashed in on his first save of the season in a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth.

Despite top-notch pitching performances, both starters took no decisions as CSUEB reliever Billy Wardell (1-0) got his first win of season and Zaharias was given the aforementioned loss. 

In addition to Zenn's three-RBI day at the plate, Gooselaw went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Detwiler had an RBI of his own in his only hit of the ballgame.  For Cal State East Bay, Brandon Alexander went 2-for-4 at the plate, driving in two runs and scoring two as well.  Chris Porter made the most of his only plate appearance, nailing a two-RBI double.

Game 2: #13 SONOMA STATE 3, CAL STATE EAST BAY 2 (FINAL/8) -- Box Score
After 15 combined runs in the first game, the second half of the twin bill was a lower scoring affair, as it took an extra inning to decide a winner.  Sonoma State was again backed by an impressive five and one-third innings from starter Austin Wiggins, who allowed one run on one hit, while recording four strikeouts.  On the other hand, Cal State East Bay's starter Michael Pope pitched seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits to the Seawolves.  Similar to game one, neither starter would earn a decision.

Sonoma State again scored in the first inning to take a small 1-0 lead off of a Zenn single, giving him a total of four RBI's for the day.  In the visiting half of the sixth inning, Alexander was able to reach on an error by Jackson Stogner at second base, to lead off the inning.  Two consecutive groundouts moved Alexander to third before Bryson Nakamura came through in the clutch with an RBI single, just passed the outstretched glove of first baseman Zenn, tying the game at 1-1.  Cal State East Bay scored again in the seventh to take a 2-1 lead. 

The Seawolves would be unable to get a runner passed first base until the seventh inning when Steven Filippi reached on walk after seeing seven pitches.  Creating his own offense, Filippi stole second and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the CSUEB catcher.  After a Gooselaw walk, Filippi came in to score on a wild pitch tying the game at 2-2. Sonoma State had the chance to end the game in the bottom of the seventh with a runner in scoring position with no outs, although, an infield pop-up, a fielder's choice to get the lead runner, and a caught stealing nullified SSU's hopes of walking off in the seventh. 

Nakamura drilled a two-out single up the middle in the Pioneer eighth, but was thrown out at second on a steal attempt to end the inning.  Sonoma State played small ball in the eighth when Harkin led off with an infield single, advancing to second soon after due to a wild pitch.  Stonger would move Harkin to third via the sacrifice bunt, followed by a walk-off sacrifice fly to right field from Scott Fleury, scoring Harkin for the winning run. 

Sonoma State reliever Taylor Herbert (1-0) got the win after coming in in the middle of the fifth inning and allowing just one run on two hits.  Zachary Wong, who came into the game in the eighth, was tagged with loss and falls to 2-1.

Offensively for Sonoma State, Sam Montgomery was perfect at the dish, going 3-for-3.  Fleury and Zenn recorded the two RBI's for SSU, while Stonger, Filippi, and Harkin each scored a run in the 3-2 victory.

Sonoma State and Cal State East Bay will wrap up their four-game series tomorrow (Saturday, March 2) in Hayward with a doubleheader beginning at 11:00 am.