OAKLAND, Calif.--- Stan State's bullpen pitched 7.2 innings of relief, giving up just one run and two hits while striking out 13 and walking just three to key the Warriors' come-from-behind 7-6 victory over Academy of Art in both team's season opener at Laney College in Oakland, Calif.
Casey Carr (1-0) picked up the win pitching three scoreless innings of relief, giving up no hits, striking out three and walking two.
Anthony Ramirez recorded the save pitching a scoreless ninth and striking out three.
Kyle Rachels went 2-for-4 with five runs batted in, scoring two runs, with a three-run home run and a two-run double.
SCORING SUMMARY: Academy of Art (0-1) took a 4-0 lead after the Urban Knights' first inning on just one hit. Peter Torres reached base on an one-out walk, went to second when Liam Rizzo was hit by a pitch with two outs. They each advanced a base on a wild pitch. Emil Jellinek was hit by a pitch to load the bases still with two outs. Travis Turney walked to bring in Torres with the game's firs run. Everyone advance d a base on a wild pitch which brought in Rizzo with the game's second run. Landon Levin's two-run two-out single doubled the Urban Knights' lead to 4-0.
The game remained Academy of Art 4-0 until the Warrior third.
Jacob Baker and
Ryan Leonesio had back-to-back lead-off singles. With the count 2-2,
Kyle Rachels hit a three-run home run to cut the deficit to 4-3. Stan State (1-0) tied the game at 5-5 with a two-run fifth inning. Rachel had a lead-off walk and stole second. With one out,
JD Madrigal walked to place runners on first and second. Each runner advanced base with two outs on a wild pitch.
Mac Cabero had a two-run two-out single to tie the score at 5-5.
The Warriors took the 7-5 lead with a two-run eighth inning. With one out,
Robert Valdivia singled to left field and advanced to second when Baker was hit by a pitch Leonesio reached on a fielder's choice which Valdivia was thrown out a third base. Once again Rachels came up with the big hit, this time a two-out two-run double to center field to give the Warriors a 7-5 lead.
Academy of Art cut the Stan State lead to 7-6 with a run in its half of the eighth inning.
Anthony Ramirez came in to pitch a scoreless ninth, striking out three on just twelve pitches to preserve the 7-6 come-from-behind Warrior victory.
STARS IN THE BULLPEN: Stan State's bullpen of
Austin Balentine,
Casey Carr,
Caleb Bertoncini and
Anthony Ramirez pitched 7.2 innings of relief, giving up two runs, two hits, striking out 13 and walking one. Carr (1-0) picked up the win pitching three scoreless innings of no-hit ball, walking two and striking out three. Ramirez recorded his first save by pitching a scoreless ninth, while striking out three on just 12 pitches.
BIG HITTERS: The Warriors had 10 hits on the night with two batters going a combined 5-for-7 with four runs scored and five runs batted in
Kyle Rachels and
Jacob Baker. Rachels was two-for-five with five runs batted in and two runs scored, with a three-run home run and a two-run double. Baker was three-for-three with two runs scored. Baker had two stolen bases and Rachel stole one base.
UP NEXT: Stan State will face another PacWest foe in Holy Names in a four-game home and away series on February 10-11. The two teams will begin the series with a 1pm starting non-conference doubleheader at Warrior Baseball Field on February 10 in Stan State's home opener. The series will conclude on Saturday, February 11 with a 1pm starting doubleheader in Alameda. The Warriors will return home on Tuesday, February 14 at 5pm when they host Menlo College in another non-conference single nine-inning game
.
