BB | Homers, Bullpen Power Gators in Series Opener at CSUDH

Recap, photo courtesy of San Francisco State

Carson, Calif. — The San Francisco State baseball team used a pair of home runs and a strong showing from the bullpen en route to a 6-4 victory at Cal State Dominguez Hills on Thursday.

Chris Smuty led off the game with a single to right, then Jackson Kritsch cranked a two-run homer in his first at-bat of the day. With the game tied 2-2 in fifth, Kritsch grounded out with the bases loaded to give SF State the lead back briefly in the fifth. CSUDH took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth on designated hitter Dalton Duarte's two-run home run. Harley Lopez answered with a home run of his own, his second of the season, to tied the game at 4-4. Kritsch, who is now batting a team-high .376 and slugging a team-high .525, gave the Gators the lead for good in the seventh with a sacrifice fly. David Mansell scored after he the inning off with a triple. Smutny drove in an insurance run in the eighth.

Gators starter Grant Vogenthaler (2-3) struck out a career-high nine batters and picked up the win. The senior lasted six and two-thirds innings and allowed four runs on eight hits. Cy Vojak got a strikeout to end the seventh, Jordan Yrastorza pitched a perfect eighth, and Cameron Crone shut the door with a perfect ninth to earn his third save of the season.