ROHNERT PARK -- The Sonoma State baseball team was an out away from a doubleheader sweep of the Concordia (Ore.) Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon at Seawolf Diamond. Yet the winless Cavaliers found a way to not only tie the game in the top of the seventh inning, but take the lead in the eighth to earn their first win of the season.
In the seven-inning finale of the twin billing, Concordia's (1-4) Jarren Goddard hit a two-run double off
Taylor Leach (0-2) just past a diving
Ryan O'Malley at third base to score Cole Crosby and Trent Calmer. In extras, RBI hits by Scott Schepige and Kyle Henderson put the Cavaliers ahead for good, as Austin Hadley pitched a perfect eighth inning for the save.
The Seawolves (2-7) took the lead in the fifth without even recording a base hit, as two walks, two wild pitches from Mike Martinez (1-1) and an RBI groundout by
Cody Morris put Sonoma State on top, 3-1.
The late run by Concordia spoiled a great start by
Ricky Clark, who gave up an unearned run in four innings on two hits with eight strikeouts. Clark now has 18 strikeouts in only 11 innings pitched in 2016. Senior standout
Ryan O'Malley had a double and scored a run to continue his torrid start for the Seawolves, as he is now 17 for his first 33 on the year (.515).
Game 1A sparkling start by senior right-hander
Ryan Luna and multi-hit games for O'Malley,
Adam Manzer and
Spencer Neve helped Sonoma State to a 4-0 victory over Concordia in the morning tilt.
Luna (1-0) allowed only two baserunners in six innings while striking out five. 48 of his 71 pitches went for strikes.
Aldo Severson pitched the final three innings for his first save, as the duo faced the minimum 27 batters in the most dominant pitching performance of the season for the Seawolves.
O'Malley had three hits while Neve and Manzer each had two, with
Tyler Glenn adding a double. Neve also scored two runs.
Philip Ramos drove in two runs and was a standout defensively at the keystone.
UP NEXT: It will be another doubleheader for these two teams at Seawolf Diamond on Sunday, with the first game slated to begin at 11 a.m. Game 2 will follow 30 minutes after the end of the first game and will be a seven-inning contest.