MESA, Ariz.—CSU Bakersfield scored five runs over the final three innings to come from behind to defeat Seattle U 5-4 in the second Western Athletic Conference baseball tournament championship game Sunday afternoon at Hohokam Stadium. With the win, the Roadrunners earn the WAC's automatic berth into next week's NCAA Tournament.

CSUB's No. 1 pitcher, Hayden Carter (Sr., San Diego, Calif., Vista HS), started the game on two days' rest. He needed only eight pitches to get out of the Seattle U first.  On the first pitch of the second, Brock Carpenter homered to left. Michael McCann recorded his fifth RBI of the meet (all against CSUB) with two outs on a double before Landon Cray singled in McCann for a 3-0 SU lead.  

Soloman Williams (Sr., Long Beach, Calif., Golden West College) and Ryan Grotjohn (So., Cave Creek, Ariz., Brophy College Prep) posted back-to-back singles with one out in the fourth.  Redhawks' starter Ted Hammond, who got the save throwing three innings of relief on Friday against the Roadrunners, struck out  Logan Trowbridge (Sr., Santa Cruz, Calif., College of San Mateo) for the second out. Hammond walked Chance Gusbeth (Jr., Lancaster, Calif., Desert Christian HS) to load the bases, but Hammond got Joey Sanchez (So., Pico Rivera, Calif., El Rancho HS) to fly out to center to end the inning.

Grotjohn singled with one out in the sixth and moved to third on Trowbridge's Texas leaguer down the right field line. Trowbridge stole second as Gusbeth worked the count to 3-0 against Hammond. The rally stalled as Gusbeth struck out and Sanchez grounded out to wrap up the inning.

Jordie Hein (Sr., Scottsdale, Ariz., Chapparal HS) opened the CSUB seventh with an infield single and advanced to second on an error by Griffin Andreychuk at shortstop. Mylz Jones (Jr., Palmdale, Calif., Paraclete HS) also reached on an Andreychuk error. David Metzgar's (So., Lancaster, Calif., Paraclete HS) bunt single loaded the bases.

Skyler Genger, Seattle's Thursday night starter (6.2 IP) relieved Hammond. Max Carter's (So., Bakersfield, Calif., Stockdale HS) sacrifice fly drove in Hein for the first out and the first CSUB run. Williams grounded out to second, allowing Jones and Metzgar to advance a base. Grotjohn struck out to end the inning, stranding the 10th and 11th CSUB baserunners on base.  

Sheldon Stober tripled to the gap in right center with one out in the bottom of the seventh. With the infield in and the count 0-2, Carpenter singled up the middle to plate Stober.  After Carpenter stole second, Andreychuk was hit by a Rogowski pitch. Grant Newton struck out before Colin Peterson fouled out to complete the frame.

Kris Cayton (R-Sr., Manhattan Beach, Calif., LA Harbor College) walked with one out in the top of the eighth. Pinch-runner Drew Seelman (Fr., Temecula, Calif., Temecula Valley HS) moved to second on a Sanchez single to left. Hein singled to left to load the bases. Jones cleared the bases with a double to left to tie the score. Genger was pulled in favor of Ryan Freitas. Freitas, who gave up the game winning run in CSUB's win Saturday night, saw Metzgar single to right center to drive in Jones for CSUB's first lead of the game. Max Carter flew out to center before Williams grounded out.

“Our team never gives up,” said CSUB head coach Bill Kernen. “I can't say that I wasn't concerned, as we only got one run out of a couple situations where we had the bases loaded. We got another chance and we broke it open in the eighth inning.”

Rogowski retired Seattle U in order for the first time since the bottom of the first in the eighth. With two outs in the ninth, Carpenter was hit by a pitch before Andreychuk walked. Newton walked to load the bases. Peterson would fly out to end the game.

Hayden Carter went 5.1 innings as he tied the CSUB school record with his 16th start of the season (Johnathon Montoya and Mike McCarthy both started 16 games in 2011). Rogowski got the win, pitching 3.2 innings of three-hit relief.

“Hayden ran out of gas, but he battled and kept us in the game,” Kernen said. “Keeping at three like that before we got Rogowski in there was a big deal. We had a weekend starter at the end and that was huge.”

Five of the nine CSUB starters (Hein, Jones, Metzgar, Williams and Grotjohn) each posted two hits. Hammond struck out six and walked two before giving way to Genger.  Cray was 3-for-5 to lead the Redhawks.  Carpenter was 2-for-4 with two RBI's while Stober was 2-for-4.

Metzgar was named tournament MVP. He hit .409 with one home run and five RBI's over the set. Joining him on the All-Tournament team were Gusbeth, Sanchez, and Steven Gee (So., Taft, Calif., Taft Union HS).

The top 16 seeds for the NCAA Tournament will be revealed Sunday night with the full 64-team being revealed Monday at 9 a.m. PDT. Both reveals will be televised by ESPN U.  A championship celebration for the team will be held Monday at Lengthwise at the Marketplace. Appetizers will be provided as the celebration begins at 11 a.m.

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