CHICO, CALIF. - On Wednesday, May 11th, the Sonoma State baseball team fell in heartbreaking fashion 5-4 to the Coyotes of San Bernardino. Both teams would match up for the 5th straight time as SSU swept the Coyotes in their four game series to end the regular season. After falling behind 3-0, head coach John Goelz and his group were able to rally and record back-to-back 2-run innings to take the lead. A sac fly in the top of the 9th would give San Bernardino the lead and they would hold on in the bottom half of the inning to take the game and advance in the tournament. 

5TH & 6TH INNING:

Junior right hander Nick Roth would be trusted with the start in the elimination game. Roth would nearly complete 4 innings and give up just 1 run, getting a couple big double plays to get out of some tight spots and keep the Seawolves in the game. Fellow junior Michael Benz would come in to finish the 4th inning acting as the teams 1-2 punch in the final weeks of the season. After a 2-out walk to put runners on first and second in the 4th, Benz would come up with the momentous strikeout to end the inning and send SSU's bench into a frenzy as he kept it a one run game. An RBI double and ground ball RBI would plate two more runs though for the Coyotes in the 5th, leaving SSU with some work to do midway through the game. 

After going down 3-0 in the top half of the 5th, the Seawolves offense would finally get to Cal State San Bernardino's pitcher and put up 2 runs of their own to make it a one run game and get back into the contest. Singles from seniors Josh Lopez and Logan Douglas would lead off the inning and then a grueling 7-pitch walk from shortstop Nick Simmons would load the bases with nobody out. After a huge strikeout from the Coyotes starter, Sean Pauly would take a ball off the shoulder to score a run and then Joshua Medina would line a ball to left field that would get caught, but allow Douglas to tag and score to bring the Seawolves to within a run. 

Michael Benz would ride the offensive momentum into the 6th and pitch a clean 1-2-3 inning to get SSU back to the plate. The Seawolves would continue to ride the momentum and finally chase the San Bernardino starter in the 6th as they tacked on two more runs and claimed their first lead of the game. Outfielder Torreahno Sweet would battle to a 2-2 count and swing at a pitch in the dirt for strike three. However, the ball would squirt away from the catcher and allow Sweet to beat the throw and reach first base. Sweet would bring his electric speed and athleticism to the base paths and he would get to show it off in the very next at bat. Another single pulled through the right side from Josh Lopez would allow Sweet to go first to third and put himself in scoring position with one out. Off the crack of the bat, Sweet was off and never hesitated as he rounded second and dove head first into third, taking the extra base. 

Third baseman Logan Douglas would come to the plate and smash a high and deep fly ball to left field, easily scoring Sweet and giving Douglas the sac fly and RBI. After a pitching change, veteran Nick Simmons would deliver another clutch 2-out hit as he ripped an 0-2 fastball over the left fielder's head. Simmons would cruise into second base and Lopez would score from second, giving SSU the 4-3 lead at the end of the 6th inning.  

9TH INNING:

Right hander Michael Benz would depart at the start of the 8th for Napa Valley JC transfer Tanner Fonoti. Fonoti would work out of some trouble after giving up two hits to start the inning, but a 1-out ground ball would score the Coyotes runner from third and tie the game up at four a piece. After getting out of the inning, Fonoti would exit and make way for senior utility player and first team all-conference selection, Joshua Medina as he would come on in the 9th and make his 12th appearance of the season. 

After getting the first batter to fly out, Medina would allow a 1-out double, forcing the Seawolves hand as they would go on to intentionally walk the next San Bernardino batter. Three pitches later, Medina would graze the next batter with a pitch and load the bases with just one out and a tie game. The next batter for the Coyotes would hit a soft liner to center field but it would prove to be deep enough as the runner on third would tag and score to give San Bernardino the lead once again. With the game on the line and SSU's last at bats, they would battle but go down in order to end their season and fall to San Bernardino, 5-4 in late, dramatic fashion. 

The tension and intensity was evident all night as both teams traded blows and made chess move after chess move, making for a dramatic finish. A historic comeback season for the Seawolves comes to an end after being picked to finish 9th in the conference preseason poll and starting 4-15 overall and 1-7 in CCAA play. Head coach John Goelz and his squad would split or win 7 of their final 8 conference series to finish the regular season and win their way into the CCAA tournament after a regular season finale sweep over San Bernardino. SSU showed fight and grit all season long as they pieced together their bullpen and saw clutch offensive performances from a senior heavy lineup. 

The Seawolves would make the conference tournament for the first time since 2014 and look to build off this season's performance with much of their pitching rotation and bullpen returning. Congratulations to all of the Sonoma State seniors on terrific SSU careers and congratulations to the SSU baseball team on an amazing comeback season as they finished 24-26 overall, and 21-19 in CCAA play, with a 4th place league finish. 

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