BAKERSFIELD, Calif.—Nick Rogowski (Sr., Woodbridge, Va., Cypress College) recorded a complete game six-hitter as CSU Bakersfield completed a three-game series sweep of Wagner 4-2 Sunday afternoon.

Rogowski tied his career high with nine strikeouts. He walked two as he threw 126 pitches (82 for strikes). Sunday's win marked the sixth in a row for CSUB, the longest streak since 2013.

““We played well over the last two weeks, definitely winning six in a row now,” said CSUB head coach Bill Kernen. “Sometimes the hardest thing to do is handle success and keep playing hard and well which is how occurred in the first place.”

Soloman Williams (Sr., Long Beach, Calif., Golden West College) led off the bottom of the second with his first home run to right centerfield.  Ben Ruta opened the fourth with a double that hit the top of the right field fence but stayed in Hardt Field. Nick Mascelli, the Seahawks' cleanup hitter, sacrificed Ruta to third with a bunt. Brendan Benecke's grounder to third plated Ruta to tie the score.

Jason Gordon began the fifth with a single up the middle. After a nine-pitch at-bat against CSUB starter Rogowski, Tommy Mazurkiewicz grounded a ball back to Rogowski which allowed Gordon to advance to second.  Evan Fardella struck out which brought up the leadoff hitter, Nick Dini who walked. Phil Dickinson lined out to center to end the inning.

Wagner starter Austin Goeke, who gave up only one hit through five, was relieved in the sixth by lefty Paul Mammino. Williams got his second hit, the first for CSUB since his home run with a one-out single in the sixth.  Chance Gusbeth (Jr., Lancaster, Calif., Desert Christian HS) doubled down the right field line to push Williams to third. With Mylz Jones (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Paraclete HS), a righthanded hitter up, Wagner went to righty Max Schmardel to face the CSUB shortstop.

With the count 1-2 in favor of Schmardel, Jones singled to left to score Willliams. Garrett Pierce (Sr., Bakersfield, Calif., Centennial HS) walked to load the bases and bring up Logan Trowbridge (Sr., Santa Cruz, Calif., College of San Mateo). Trowbridge singled to right center to score a pair.  Max Carter (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS) grounded into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.

After retiring seven in row, Rogowski gave up a double to Mascelli to open the ninth. Benecke flew out to center before Cala flew out to center as well. Mascelli advanced to third on the second out. Gordon's single up the middle drove in Mascelli. Pinch-hitter Kyle Brey walked to bring the go-ahead run to the plate in pinch-hitter Trey Nicosia. Nicosia lined out to center to end the game.

For the second time in the series, a 'Runner starter went the distance (Hayden Carter on Friday was the other), but like Friday night, Wagner (0-5-1) outhit 6-5. Ruta and Gordon each had two hits. Williams was the lone Roadrunner with multiple hits (2-for-4).

“We are a week from conference, so we are letting them go past 100 pitches,” Kernen said. “I never had a doubt in Nick's stuff and his ability to close it out. Our starting pitching is our strength right now. We need to hit better than we have going forward.”

The Roadrunners (9-6), winners of six in a row, host CSUN Tuesday night at 6 p.m. Tickets are available at Vallitix.com. CSUB then travels to UC Riverside Wednesday for a 6 p.m. matchup. The Roadrunners open WAC play next weekend at New Mexico State beginning Friday at 6 p.m. (MDT).

“We have a real tough week coming up,” Kernen said. “Northridge is highest ranked RPI team we've played so far. They are off to a good start and it will be a good game to test us. Then we will go to Riverside and then start conference at New Mexico State.”

~www.GoRunners.com~