BB | Bullpen Shuts Down Holy Names

Recap, photo courtesy of San Francisco State

Gators are winners of five of their last six games

SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco State baseball team bested Holy Names 6-1 in non-conference play on Monday afternoon at Maloney Field.

A four-run fifth inning was the difference. Zac Neumann led off the frame with a single and Harley Lopez doubled him home to tie the game at 1-1. After Trevor Rogers was intentionally walked to load the bases, Jack Harris made the Hawks (7-23) pay with a chop single that scored two runs. Antone Self added an RBI on a fielder's choice to give the Gators (11-19) a three-run lead. Brady Dorn's two-run single in the sixth grew the lead to 6-1.

SF State starter Jack Higgins breezed through the first inning with a nine-pitch inning but an infield error in the second led to an unearned run when Cameron Trudel's hard single to left center scored Paul Kennedy from first.

The Gators turned the ball over to the bullpen in the third and Daniel Jimenez got out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout to end the inning. Brett Elgin pitched a scoreless fourth and Jack Cornish (1-0) allowed a hit in the fifth but induced a double play to end the inning to pick up the win. Jordyn Eglite threw two scoreless innings, Jordan Yrastorza pitched the eighth, and Cameron Crone struck out the side in the ninth.

On Deck
SF State has now won five of its last six games. The Gators return to CCAA action with a four-game series versus Cal State LA beginning on Friday, April 6 at 3 p.m., weather permitting. Live stats will be provided by the Toros and be sure check for game updates on Twitter and Instagram at @sfstatebaseball. Also, be sure to like SF State Baseball on Facebook.

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.