TURLOCK, Calif.— Stan State Warriors (6-5, 1-0 CCAA) started their four-game conference series with the No. 20 Cal State San Bernardino Coyotes with a 7-2 victory.
Austin Balentine (2-0) struck out a career high eight batters in seven innings of work.
Cameron Rosen pitched two scoreless innings of relief, giving up one hit and striking out two in keying the game one victory.
The first four innings was a pitcher's duel between the Warriors'
Austin Balentine and Cal State San Bernardino's Matt Romero (1-1). The Coyotes got on the board first in their half of the fifth inning. Greg Luna had a lead-off double and later scored on a one-out single by Jason Shedlock.
Stan State answered the Coyotes' frame of the fifth with a two-run fifth. With one out,
Arthur Navarette Jr. reached on a fielder's choice. He scored on a two-out triple by
Jacob Baker to tie the game at 1-1. The Warriors took a 2-1 lead when
Ryan Leonesio drove in Baker with a single to center field.
The Warriors took a 6-1 lead with a four-run sixth inning.
JD Madrigal drew a lead-off walk and went to second on a
Flavio Perez infield single. They each advanced a base on an
Alex Solis sacrifice bunt. With one out, Madrigal scored when
Jackson Brooks had a successful suicide squeeze. Perez scored on a successful sacrifice bunt by Navarette Jr. Stan State took a 5-1 lead on a two-out single by
Danny Murphy which drove in Brooks. The Warriors added another run on a run scoring double by Baker as the hosts increased their lead to 6-1.
Cal State San Bernardino (8-3, 0-1 CCAA) cut the Warrior lead to 6-2 with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Stan State came back and took a 7-2 lead on a one-out solo home run to right center by Navarette Jr., his first of the season. Reliever,
Cameron Rosen, pitched a scoreless ninth to preserve the 7-2 home CCAA victory.
BALENTINE: Stan State's
Austin Balentine improved to 2-0 this evening. He pitched seven innings, giving up six hits and a run while striking out a career high eight and walked three. In his three appearances of the season, Balentine has a 2.81 earned run average with 14 strikeouts and just six walks in 16 innings pitched.
FOUR TO ONE: Cameron Rosen struck out two batters in two innings pitched this evening. He gave up just one hit this afternoon to preserve the 7-2 CCAA victory. For the season, Rosen has 16 strikeouts and just four walks in 12.2 innings pitched with a 2.13 earned run average.
A HOME RUN AWAY: Jacob Baker was a home run away from hitting for the cycle this evening. He went three-for-three with two runs batted in and a run scored with a double, a triple, and a single. For the season, Baker is hitting .444 with four doubles, one triple, seven runs batted in, and seven runs scored while stealing four bases.
ALL ELEVEN: Ryan Leonesio has reached base safely in the Warriors' first eleven games of the season. The Warrior second baseman is hitting .387 with 12 hits of which are all singles. He has driven in six runs and scored three times.
FIRST: Arthur Navarette Jr. hit his first home run as a Warrior this evening. For the season, the Warrior first baseman has hit .333 with 13 hits in 39 at bats. He has one double and now a home run with seven runs batted in and seven runs scored.
SERIES CONTINUES: Stan State continues the four-game series with No. 20 Cal State San Bernardino tomorrow afternoon with a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader. The series will conclude this Sunday, February 23 with a noon starting nine-inning game.
