FRESNO — Being patient and selective at the plate, the Stanislaus State baseball team drew six walks in its final at bats en route to an 11-7 win over Fresno Pacific to win the season series.
The unsual five-game set, spanning over 12 days, went the way of the Warriors as they won three straight against the Sunbirds to win the series 3-2. Stanislaus State posted its first road win and improved to 6-2 on the season. Those two losses were against the Sunbirds when this series started back on Feb. 5 in a pair of FPU 6-5 walk-off wins in Fresno. The very next day, Stan State swept a pair of games at home 9-0, 10-4.
Tuesday night, after the Warriors allowed three unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth, Stan State batters drew a total of six walks — the first five walks and a bunt single resulted in a 8-7 lead. That bases loaded bunt single was executed by
Patrick Mulry who plated the go-ahead run. Stanislaus then busted it open with a bases clearing pinch-hit double by
Garrett Serino for a six-run ninth inning to take an 11-7 lead.
Fresno Pacific (5-4) pitchers gave up 10 walks on the night — nine in the final two innings — with four different pitchers allowing six free bases in the ninth inning to help the Warriors' late rally.
Charlie Gaff went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in on the night and
Michael Chavarria was 2-for-4 and scored three times.
Nick Molina drew three walks while
Kyle Nixon and
Erik Colombini each walked twice.
Jordan Kron, who came in in the eighth, picked up the win to improve to 3-0. He pitched an easy 1-2-3 inning in the ninth inning to ensure there was not another FPU home walk-off win. Head coach
Kenny Leonesio used six pitchers in the mid-week game with
Nick Voumard starting but threw just one inning. Stan State pitchers struck out a total 11 batters and gave up four earned runs.
The Warriors have a home-and-home two-game non-conference set against CCAA foe Cal State Monterey Bay this weekend. The Otters visit Turlock on Saturday for a 2 p.m. game before the Warriors travel to Seaside on Sunday.
