SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team rallied nicely from a tough series opener to record a California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) twinbill split against San Francisco State on Saturday at CSUSM Baseball Field. The Cougars dropped game one 14-8 before taking the nightcap by a score of 5-3.
 
The Cougars (13-14, 3-12 CCAA) tallied four triples on the day with senior outfielder Ross Lemmel recording one in each contest. Junior shortstop Tyler Place went 4-for-7 on the day, narrowly missing hitting for the cycle after crushing his first home run and triple of the season. The CCAA leader in doubles tried to stretch a single to a double but was unsuccessful.
 
Sophomore catcher J.T. Sole also registered four hits on the day.
 
The rubber match between CSUSM and SF State (5-20, 3-14 CCAA) is slated for 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 26.
 
GAME 1: SF State 14 – CSUSM 8
The Cougars found themselves trailing early, giving up three runs in the first frame, five more in the fourth and a single run in the fifth.
 
CSUSM finally broke through in the sixth inning, pushing three runs across on three hits to make it a 10-4 game. Freshman outfielder Jose Osete got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. Place's ball to right field hit the top of the wall, bounced off a leaping right fielder's glove and went over for a two-run homer. The final run of the inning came on a sacrifice fly by junior second baseman Nico Maida.
 
The Cougars matched the Gators run-for-run in the seventh and eight innings to finish the game at 14-8.
 
Jordan Abernathy and Zac Neumann led the Gator offense with five hits apiece.
 
SF State's Adnrew Najeeb-Brush went six innings for the win, giving up three runs on six hits and striking out three.
 
Senior Taylor Ahearn lasted just 3.1 innings and allowed a season-high eight runs in the contest.
 
GAME 2: CSUSM 5 – SF State 3
Game two was a different story for the Cougars as they took a quick 3-0 lead after two innings. Maida led off the first inning with a double to center, advanced on a sac bunt by Place and scored on junior outfielder Colin Dvorak's sac fly.
 
Freshman designated hitter Kevin Britt singled to right field to begin the bottom of the second. Junior first baseman Andy Garretson drew a walk and both runners advanced on a sac bunt by Lemmel. Freshman outfielder Griffin Teisher crushed a 2-RBI single through the right side to make it a 3-0 ballgame.
 
SF State got on the board in the nightcap on a two-run homer by Jacob Lopez in the fifth inning. The Gators knotted the game in the sixth on Johnny Juarez's RBI double down the left line after Myles Franklin drew a leadoff walk.
 
The Cougars retook the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Garretson was granted first after catcher's interference was called. Lemmel followed with a RBI triple to center field and later scored on Maida's double to right center.
 
Senior Hayden Weir collected the win in relief after tossing 3.1 hitless innings, walking one and striking out two batters.