Box Score
Box Score

The Cal State San Marcos Baseball Team rallied after trailing 2-0 to come back and defeat Chapman Monday afternoon at the CSUSM Baseball Field.

Darren Gay got his second start of the year for the Cougars, pitching a 1-2-3 first inning before running into some trouble in the second. The Panthers piled up 5 hits in the inning, scoring 2 runs, but Gay was able to get first baseman Mark Saatzar out with the bases loaded to escape further damage. None of the balls against Gay were particularly well hit, as all 5 Chapman hits were ground balls, including a dribbler that hit the bag.

Gay didn't run into many more problems the rest of the afternoon, going 6 innings and allowing just the 2 runs in the second. He struck out four Panthers without walking a batter.

The Cougars got a few hits here and there, but didn't put together a serious threat against Chapman starter Ben Levitt, who pitched 5 scoreless innings. However, as soon as Levitt was replaced, the Cougars jumped all over Panther reliever Justin Hanks, as designated hitter Trent Jemmett doubled to start the inning. Anthony Renteria followed Jemmett's double with a home run blast to center field that evened the score at 2. Just one batter later, Austin Coleman hit his 3rd homerun of the season, going back-to-back with Renteria for the second time this season, making the score 3-2 after 6 innings.

In the 7th, the Cougars picked up a couple of insurance runs on a Kyle Secciani RBI single and an Anthony Renteria RBI triple, leaving the score at 5-2, where it would remain for the remainder of the ball game. Shawn Sanford shut down the Panthers over the final three innings, allowing just 2 hits while striking out 3.

Darren Gay earned the win and moves to 2-0 on the season, and Shawn Sanford picked up his first save. Justin Hanks took the loss for Chapman (4-3), who is ranked #2 in the NCAA Division III polls. The Cougars are now 9-2 with the victory, and play next on Friday at Vanguard, before hosting Vanguard in a doubleheader Saturday starting at 11:00 am.