BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Despite a ninth-inning comeback that included a two-out, game-tying, Kyle Richardson three-run home run, the CSUB baseball team fell for the first time in 2010, dropping an extra inning affair to Saint Mary's College, 8-4, Friday at Hardt Field.
Leading off the 12th, the Gaels' Mickey Reynolds hit an inside-the-park home run to break the tie. SMC (2-2) tacked on three more insurance markers as it handed the Roadrunners (4-1) its first loss.
Roadrunner starter Mickey Jannis went six innings, giving up three earned runs while striking out five. The double-play ball proved to be his friend early as his defense recorded twin killings in each of the first three innings.
Saint Mary's tallied the first run of the game, manufacturing a second-inning score with a leadoff single from Justin Fazio. He was brought home two batters later as Reynolds doubled to left. In the bottom of the inning, CSUB's Jeremy Rodriguez doubled with one out and scored on a Jason Kudlock double.
The Gaels broke the tie in the fifth with a two-out rally. Ryan Mulligan drew a walk and Troy Channing followed it up with a two-run blast to deep left-center, making it 3-1 in favor of Saint Mary's. The Gaels added another marker in the sixth as Chris Murphy singled home Patrick Wisdom, who reached on a fielders choice, and advanced to second on a throwing error by Jannis.
Working with a sense of urgency in the ninth, CSUB got a leadoff single by Stuart Smith. After a ground out moved Smith to second, pinch hitter Mick Gaston singled to left, putting baserunners on the corners with one away. After Brandon Boren struck out, Kyle Richardson came to the plate representing the tying run. He fell behind in the count, but then launched a rocket to left-center on the 2-2 pitch, tying the game, 4-4.
Spenser Messmore relieved Jannis and pitched six innings of strong relief before running into trouble in the 12th. Dorsey Ek picked up the win with three innings of scoreless relief.
CSUB will take on Central Michigan at 2 p.m. Saturday. That game is preceded by Saint Mary's and Cal at 11 a.m. Central Michigan fell to Cal 9-4 in Friday's opening game.
Score by Innings R H E
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St. Mary's (CA)..... 010 021 000 004 - 8 16 3
CSU Bakersfield..... 010 000 003 000 - 4 12 2
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Win - EK (1-0). Loss - Messmore (0-1). Save - None.
E - CHANNING(3); REYNOLDS(3); EK(1); McIntyre(1); Jannis(1). DP - CSUB 3.
LOB - SMC 6; CSUB 11. 2B - CHANNING(2); REYNOLDS(1); McIntyre 2(3);
Rodriguez(1); Kudlock(2). HR - CHANNING(1); REYNOLDS(1); Richarson(1). HBP -
MURPHY; Richarson. SH - MULLIGAN(2); COLLINS(1); Henry(1). SB - MULLIGAN(2);
CHANNING(1); KALFUS(1); REYNOLDS(2). CS - FAZIO(1); COLLINS(1); Gaston(1).
