SF State baseball team split their series with California State University, Monterey Bay (22-14) on April 15.
Starting pitcher of game one Ryan Bohnet (2-6) started off rocky but quickly fell into a rhythm and tossed eight strong innings, seven shutout, against the Otters as he gave up six hits with eight strikeouts and no walks.
“I had a hard start but I found my groove in the second,” Bohnet said. “I hit my spots and I let my defense work behind me.”
Top of the first the Otters quickly put themselves up 2-0 as the Gators were unable to answer back until the bottom of the third where the team tied putting up two runs of their own with a sacrifice fly from outfielder Jack Harris and an RBI single from catcher Johnny Juarez. Two more runs were stacked on in the bottom of the fourth as infielder Bryce Brooks singled into right field and outfielder Jacob Lopez crossed home on a wild pitch, 4-2.
With Bohnet continuing to pitch a gem both the Gators and the Otters saw a battle between defenses as neither team found their way home until the bottom of the seventh when infielder Robbie Carling blasted a two-out single into the outfield gap.
Bohnet exited the game after completing eight innings with over 120 pitches thrown.
“I took him out in the eighth because he was over 100 pitches but he was throwing really well,” head coach Tony Schifano said. “You’re thinking about next weekend and we are going to need him at full strength against East Bay.”
Monterey gave it one last shot in the top of the ninth scoring two more runs, but the Gators hung onto the win 6-4.
SF State recorded 11 hits and three errors in the first game.
Game two saw a complete change of pace. Both the Gators and Otters remained scoreless through six complete innings with Dillion Houser (1-6) tossing for SF State.
An infield error in the top of the seventh was just enough leverage for the Otters to put themselves on top, followed by a grand slam into right center that broke the game open. The Otters took game two of the day 6-0 as the Gators were held to just three hits and one error.
“I don’t think guys were making adjustments to the pitcher the second game,” said Lopez, who held two of the three hits in the second game. “He was throwing a lot of curveballs and a lot of the guys were just taking them – the pitcher kind of shut us down but at the same time we played good defense and we had good pitching all day.”
“You have to tip your cap to that second pitcher – at the end of the day yes we gave up runs but he gave up zero,” Schifano said. “They could’ve pushed across one run and took the game.”
Although the Gators split the series, Schifano was impressed with his team’s ability to keep up with Monterey.
“I thought it was a good competitive series, both teams did something right and probably felt like they could’ve taken three out of four,” he said. “Monterey Bay was very complimentary after the game saying our program looks strong and it is – we just have to find a way to win a series consistently.”
