ROHNERT PARK, CALIF. - On Sunday, April 28th, the Sonoma State baseball team came up with another clutch performance, fending off the Coyotes for the 6-5 Senior Day win. The one run victory brought them even with Cal State LA for the 6th and final postseason spot after Dominguez Hills dropped off, losing all four of their games to Cal Poly Pomona. Head coach
John Goelz and his group will control their own fate heading into the final week of the regular season, as they head north to take on conference rival Chico State.
Junior lefty
Michael Panichi made his third start of the season and battled through five innings of work, giving up four runs on five hits. Panichi got some nice offensive support though as he departed the game with a 6-4 lead. After giving up a run in the first, the Seawolves took advantage of an error and recorded three hits in the bottom half of the inning to score two runs and retake the lead.
In the second, Sonoma State ran the bases efficiently and took advantage of two leadoff walks to
Niko Tejada and
Sean Pauly. After getting to third on a tag-up, Pauly would take off for second with two outs and beat the throw down. Tejada would trot home and successfully complete the double steal to give SSU a 3-2 lead.
In the fourth, the Seawolves would get runners on with another pair of walks and
Mark Hernandez would come up with a clutch 2-out single to score
Kenny Decelle and
Sean Pauly, giving them two big insurance runs and extending their lead to 5-2.
The quality team baseball would continue in the fifth for the Seawolves after a leadoff single from
Cooper Callison and a 7-pitch walk to
Niko Tejada. Pauly would lay down a sac bunt to advance the runners and then Decelle would deliver the RBI sac fly to center, scoring Callison from third.
Senior pitcher
Nik Kamages would replace Panichi in the 5th and shine on his senior day with four innings of work, allowing just one run on two hits and striking out a game high six batters. The San Bernardino hitters could not lay off his breaking ball as he struck out three of his final six outs in the game.
Mark Hernandez finished 3-4 from the plate with a pair of RBI's and shortstop
Daniel Monti drew three walks and had a hit in his final home game.
LOOKING AHEAD
Sonoma State improves to 22-24 overall and 16-20 in conference play after taking the series with San Bernardino three games to one. They currently sit in a dead tie with Cal State LA for the final spot in the conference tournament. They will control their own fate in the final week of the regular season and hit the road to take on Chico State. Game one of the series will take place on Thursday, May 2nd at 6:00 PM. Live stats and stream links can be found at sonomaseawolves.com and you can stream the game LIVE on the CCAA Network.
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