TURLOCK — The defense didn't help Chase Wheatcroft, but the offense came alive to bail out the team as Stanislaus State scored 12 unanswered runs to beat Cal State San Bernardino, 13-6, late Friday night.

The heart of the Warrior line up — the 3-4-5 batters — had eight hits and scored seven runs as Stanislaus State rebounded from the Cal State L.A. road trip to improve to 14-11 overall. And in the tight CCAA, a 10-9 conference record is actually good for fifth place.

Alexis Paz and Jack Large each went 3-for-5 and Vinny Margiotta was 2-for-5 and drove in two more runs to lead the offense. Grant Bunker drove in two runs and Jayce Gardner homered as a part of the 13-hit game.

Matt Pulos was once again dominant in relief. He threw the final 2 2/3 innings without allowing a hit, extending his hitless streak to 13 2/3 innings in five relief appearances. He entered the game with the score 8-6 with a runner at second and got two quick outs to end the CSUSB seventh. He faced nine batters and struck out three. During the stretch, Pulos struck out 20 batters.

Tommy Stropky got the win as he pitched 1 2/3 innings during the Warriors' offensive onslaught in the middle innings.

Cal State San Bernardino (9-16, 6-14 CCAA) capitalized on Warrior errors early, scoring six unearned runs off Wheatcroft in the first four innings.

But the Warriors chipped away. Gardner homered in the third and scored three times in the fourth on three hits, a hit-batter, a wild pitch and a sac fly to make it 6-4. Then, a four-run fifth helped by a balk and two Coyote errors made it 8-6.

Margiotta's two-run single in the eighth plated two runs, adding to the second baseman's RBI totals. He now has driven in 21 runs in the last 12 games and his 29 RBI total is the second most in the CCAA.