Box Score TUCSON, Ariz.—Saint Mary's scored eight runs in the final two innings to defeat CSU Bakersfield 10-7 on day one of the University of Arizona Wildcat Invitational Friday afternoon.
Dustin Frailey singled to get the CSUB first underway. He moved to second on a failed pickoff attempt by SMC starter Corbin Burnes. With one out David Metzgar singled up the middle to plate Frailey, taking second on the throw home. Max Carter, the 'Runner clean-up hitter was hit by a pitch. Cody White was also hit by a Burnes pitch to load the bases. Chance Gusbeth struck out before Mahlik Jones flew out to center to end the inning.
Metzgar reached on an error to begin the Roadrunner third. Carter singled Metzgar to second. After failing to get a sac bunt down, and behind 0-2 in the count, White singled to left to load the bases. Chance Gusbeth grounded into a fielder's choice that forced Metzgar at home for the first out. Jones grounded deep into the hole between shortstop and third bases. Saint Mary's shortstop Austin Piscotty fielded the ball and was able to get an out at second, but Carter scored. Burnes struck out Ryan Grotjohn to get out of the inning with only one CSUB run coming across.
Drew Seelman doubled with two outs in the bottom of the fourth and advanced to third on a Gaels' error. Seelman scored on a Metzgar single to center. Nate Nolan led off the Saint Mary's fifth with a home run to center to get the Gaels on the board. Gee hit Austin Piscotty with one out. Charles Zaloumis, hit a grounder to Carter at first. Carter's throw pulled Jones off second allowing all of the runners to be called safe. White, the CSUB catcher, tried to pick Zaloumis off at first, but threw the ball down the right field line, allowing Piscotty to score. Gee struck out Anthony Gonsolin before Edward Haus reached on a Metzgar error at second. He picked the ball up in short center and threw out Zaloumis who was attempting to score on the play for the final out.
Jones put the Roadrunners back up by two with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. Garrett Nimmo relieved Gee to start the sixth and he gave up a leadoff single to Jackson Thoreson, but White threw out Thoreson attempting to steal. With one out, Matt Toscano reached on an infield single and stole second. Nimmo got up 1-2 in the count to Nolan and ended up getting him to ground out to short to complete the inning.
Saint Mary's threatened again in the seventh. With one out, pinch hitter Ian McLoughlin singled before Zaloumis grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Gonsolin walked to lead off the Gaels' eighth and advanced to second on a Nimmo wild pitch. Down 1-2 in the count, Edward Haus singled through the left side to give the Gaels runners on the corners. Thoreson, Saint Mary's leading hitter, singled through the right side to plate Gonsolin and push Haus to second. Anthony Villa reached on a White error on his sacrifice attempt to load the bases.
The Roadrunners played the percentages, going to left-hander Adam Coats to face the left handed hitting Toscano. Saint Mary's pinch-hit for Toscano, sending up right handed hitting Brett Rasso who recorded a sac fly to drive in Haus and tie the game. Gusbeth, the CSUB closer, relieved Coats. Gusbeth faced Nolan. Gusbeth's first pitch went to the back stop, allowing both runners to move up a base, putting the Gaels into the lead for the first time. Gusbeth walked both Nolan and Joey Fiske to load the bases. Conor Thane singled through the left side to drive in a run and keep the bases loaded. Zaloumis struck out but a second Gusbeth wild pitch allowed Nolan to score to make it 7-4. Gonsolin flew out to right to complete the frame.
Gonsolin came in from right field to try and close it out for the Gaels. With one out, Sergio Robles doubled to right and advanced to third on a SMC error. Joey Sanchez singled off Gonsolin's glove to score Robles. Frailey doubled as Sanchez advanced to third. Seelman fouled out to third before a Gonsolin wild pitch allowed Sanchez to score. With Frailey now at third, Metzgar walked. Carter grounded out to short which allowed SMC to get out of the inning.
Thoreson walked with one out in the top of the ninth off of CSUB reliever Jarrett Veiga. Villa was hit by the first Veiga pitch he saw. Veiga struck out Davis Strong. Nolan singled to left which allowed Thoreson to score and make it an 8-6 game. A Veiga wild pitch pushed both runners up a base. Fiske singled in the final two Saint Mary's runs as he was thrown out attempting to go to second on the play.
A White single began the CSUB ninth and advanced to second when Gonsolin recorded a wild pitch. A Gusbeth grounder to short allowed White to move to third. Jones singled to left to score White. Pinch hitter Nick Vehlewald struck out looking for the second out. Sanchez grounded out to second to end the game.
Frailey led the 'Runners by going 3-for-4 with a run scored. He became the 24 different CSUB player to record two doubles in a game, marking the 42nd time that the accomplishment has been recorded since the program started in 2009. Metzgar was 2-for-4 with two RBI's while Jones went 2-for-5 with a career high three RBI's.
Thoreson paced the Gaels as he was 3-for-4 with an RBI. Nolan went 2-for-4 with two RBI's and three runs scored. Zaloumis also had two hits (2-for-5).
"The outfield play was exceptional, the bats were pretty hot, but we just fell a little short on the mound today," said CSUB head coach Bob Macaluso.
Tournament play continues for the Roadrunners (4-4) on Saturday when CSUB faces Saint Mary's (6-4) again at 2 p.m. (MST) and the host, Arizona (5-3), at 6 p.m. (MST). The Roadrunners return home Mar. 11-13 when CSUB hosts UC Riverside. Tickets are available through the CSUB Ticket Office at (661) 654-BLUE or tickets@csub.edu, or online at Vallitix.com.
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