Cal State Stanislaus showed poise Saturday by coming from behind in games one and two for a doubleheader sweep, 6-3 and 6-5, of Central Washington at Warrior Field.
"It was a good day," Warrior head coach
Kenny Leonesio said. "We talked a lot about fighting and we did that today."
Tomas Donnelly was the big hero of the day, knocking in the game-winning runs in both games. Donnelly had three hits and four RBI on Saturday.
Andrew Troncale picked up a save in both games to run his season total to two.
It was a Donnelly single that scored
Dennis Wolfe from third for the go-ahead run in the seventh inning of game one, giving the Warriors a 4-3 lead. Just minutes before, Wolfe cleared the bases with a two-run triple, his second of the season, to tie the game at three.
The Warriors took an early lead in game one when leadoff hitter
Kyle Loretelli hit a homerun to right field for a 1-0 Warrior lead. Central Washington scored two runs in the sixth to take the lead and another in the top of the seventh.
The Warriors added two more runs in the eighth inning on a
David Contreras RBI double. Andrew Demott picked up the win in relief (1-0), pitching 1 2/3 innings with a strikeout. Warrior starting pitcher
Eric Federico went 5 2/3 innings with six strikeouts and two earned runs.
In game two, the Warriors took a 3-2 lead in the third inning when Loretelli singled and moved to second base on a failed pickoff attempt, followed by a Donnelly RBI double.
Central Washington had a big fourth inning in game two, aided in part by three hit batsmen. The Warriors' pitching staff hit six batters in game two and had nine total on Saturday. With extra base runners, the Wildcats scored three runs to take a 5-3 lead.
Jake Oketani, who went 3-3 in game two, started things off for the Warriors in the sixth inning with a one-out single. Back-to-back singles by Contreras and Wolfe scored one run and set the stage for Donnelly. A clutch two-out, two-run double to left center by Donnelly put the Warriors ahead 6-5 and sealed the day.
"We believe if you continue to put pressure on them, eventually you'll break through," Leonesio said. "I think we have some very good depth."
The Warriors used nine pitchers during the doubleheader. The bullpen held Central Washington to just three hits and one run in seven total innings Saturday.
Sunday the Warriors continue the four-game series against Central Washington at Warrior Field with another doubleheader. Game one starts at 11 a.m. Warrior ace
Marquis Fleming is the scheduled starter for game one.