ROHNERT PARK, Calif. -- In the final game of their season's penultimate homestand, the Sonoma State Seawolves came away with a victory Sunday afternoon, defeating Cal State Monterey Bay in walk-off fashion, 8-7 in 10 innings.
The Seawolves kicked off the day with a pair of first inning runs, the initial one coming on an RBI single by
Zach Guardino. After the Guardino base hit, both he and
Rayson Romero advanced a base on a wild pitch. Following the errant ball, the Otters collected a strikeout, however, they were unable to prevent another run from scoring as a second wild pitch from starter Levi Noddin flew by battery-mate Hayden Duer, allowing Romero to advance the final 90 feet.
Monterey Bay took one run back in the top of the second, scoring on a Connor Caspersen RBI single through the right side, but the Seawolves continued to add on in the fourth and fifth.
Nathan Mann swatted the first pitch he saw in the bottom of the fourth through the left side to drive in the Seawolves third run of the game before Sonoma State scored twice more in the fifth.
Rayson Romero led off the fifth, crushing his third home run of the season. A pair of singles and a walk then loaded the bases for
Daniel Hawkins who grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. However, the groundout did allow Richards to come in to score.
The Otters started to come back in innings six and seven, as an RBI double, a wild pitch and a sac fly pulled the deficit to a single run. However, Monterey Bay pushed themselves ahead in the ninth.
With runners at first and second and one out, Caspersen doubled to left center, bringing in Nicholas Napoli and tying the game. The RBI double prompted a pitching change, but the Otters found a way to score the go-ahead run, seeing Kyle Guerra race home on a wild pitch.
With the score 6-5 headed into the bottom of the ninth, the Seawolves needed a run to stay alive in the game. They got it from
Bryce Nagata. Nagata led off the inning with a base hit into left and hustled his way into second base, beating the throw in by left fielder Guerra. The throw from the outfield proved to sail off-line and on the error, Nagata advanced another 90 feet to third.
Rayson Romero then promptly drove in the Seawolf center fielder with a sac fly to center, tying the game up at six.
The game then went into extras where the Otters and Seawolves both came up clutch again. A trio of singles started the top of the tenth, allowing Monterey Bay to take a 7-6 lead. A wild pitch and a walk put Sonoma State in a precarious situation with the bases loaded and two-outs.
Andrew Fuentes, however, proved able to limit his opponent to the single run and induce an inning-ending fly out.
Down to their final three outs and down a run, the Seawolves put together an exciting bottom of the tenth.
Nicco Toni made his way aboard via a one-out single to right, before
Mitch West laid down a bunt single.
Matt Hill then loaded the bases with an infield hit down the third base line for the next batter,
Nathan Mann. On the first pitch Mann saw from Connor Fabing, the Seawolf second baseman singled up the middle, immediately scoring the tying run. West decided to round the base at third to go for the win, and with a sliding tag of the plate, Sonoma State bested the Otters 8-7.
With the win, the Seawolves move to 23-19 and 19-17 in conference play. They travel to East Bay next weekend to take on the Pioneers with game one of the four-game series set for 3:00 pm on Friday.
