TURLOCK — The Stanislaus State baseball season came to a close on Saturday, and it honored four of its seniors in a pregame ceremony before it did, as the Warriors finished the 2022 campaign with an 8-4 California Collegiate Athletic Association setback against Cal State San Marcos at Warrior Field.
 
Stanislaus State (15-31, 12-28 CCAA) recognized its four seniors – Grant Bunker, Matt Elser, Zach Jones and Trevor McInerney – in a pregame ceremony Saturday. The four also batted in the first four spots in Saturday's batting order.
 
Bunker made sure he ended his career with a bang, hitting his ninth home run of the season and 17th of his career in the second inning – a two-run blast that made it 4-1 Warriors at the time. Jones had a base hit in his final game as a Warrior, singling on the second pitch he saw in the first inning.
 
Noah Chelberg had a solid start on the mound, but he was chased in the fifth after two close defensive plays extended the inning instead of getting him out of it with the lead. A would-be inning-ending strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play was instead called safe at third, as the Cougars got a double steal out of the play. Then with two outs, a fly ball was dropped in the outfield, allowing two runs to score and tie the game at 4-4.
 
After the teams played even for the next two innings, Cal State San Marcos took the lead for good on another double steal attempt in the eighth. They added three insurance runs in the top of the ninth on two hits, three free passes (two walks, hit-by-pitch) and an error to make it 8-4.
 
Danny Murphy went 2 for 3 with a walk and a run scored, Ryan Leonesio went 1 for 2 with a double and an RBI, and Cole Thompson went 1 for 2 with an RBI and a run scored. CSUSM had three players with multiple hits. Luke Reece went 2 for 5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored. The Cougars also stole four bases in the game.
 
Stanislaus State concluded the 2022 season with 15 wins – the 51st year in a row the program has had double-digit wins. During the season, head coach Kenny Leonesio surpassed the 450 career victories plateau and the 300 CCAA wins mark.