SAN MARCOS, Calif. – The Cal State San Marcos baseball team (14-31, 10-25 CCAA) split its final home doubleheader of the season against San Francisco State (18-25, 13-22 CCAA) as it fell 6-4 in the first game of the day before recording a seven-inning shutout with a 14-0 victory in the final game of the day at CSUSM Baseball Field on Saturday.
 
GAME 1: CSUSM 4 - SF STATE 6
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Kevin Van Linge – 2-for-3 | 1 RBI | 1 HBP
Niko Diaz – 2-for-2 | 2 R | 1 SB | 2 HBP
Gabriel Ponce de Leon – 1-for-4 | 1 RBI
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a one-out double down the right field line by Aiden Richert, he scored on an RBI single through the right side by Ponce de Leon to put CSUSM up 1-0 in the bottom of the second.
• SF State tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth. After a one-out single to right by Daniel Santos, Justin Clark hit an RBI double to right center to plate the tying run.
• CSUSM went ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out RBI single to center by Van Linge that scored Diaz from second.
• The Gators answered with a four-run inning in the top of the sixth on a solo homer by Santos, an RBI single by Kody Gardner and a two-run single through the right side by Kyler Crone to take a 5-2 lead.
• CSUSM made it a one-run game in the bottom of the seventh. After Griffin Teisher hit an RBI single to first to score Adam Chadwick from second, Teisher was caught in a rundown between first and second on a wild pitch, but Diaz scored from third during the play to cut the deficit to 5-4.
• SF State scored the game's final run in the top of the ninth on an RBI singled through the left side by Clark to the put the Gators up 6-4.

 
QUICK HITS

• Gator starter Gary Grosjean (6-3) threw a complete game with four strikeouts while allowing four earned runs on nine hits and three hit batters.
• Cougar reliever Trevor Schott (1-5) took the loss after allowing four earned runs on four hits, a walk and a hit batter in one inning of work.
• Van Linge notched his 16th multi-hit game of the season.
• Luke Reece's team-best 15-game hitting streak came to an end after pinch hitting in the ninth inning.

 
GAME 2: CSUSM 14 - SF STATE 0 (7 INN.)
 
TOP PERFORMERS
Jacob Casson – 7.0 IP | 9 K | 0 R | 2 H | 1 BB
Aiden Richert – 3-for-5 | 4 RBIs | 2 R | 1 2B
Griffin Teisher – 1-for-5 | 3 RBIs | 2 R
Niko Diaz – 1-for-2 | 2 RBI | 2 R | 2 SAC | 1 SB
Pat MacDonald Jr. – 2-for-5 | 1 RBI | 1 R
Kevin Van Linge – 2-for-4 | 1 R | 1 HBP
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• CSUSM started the scoring with a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning on three hits, three walks, two SF State errors and two sacrifice bunts.
• The Cougars took a 10-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning with RBI singles by Teisher and Richert and a pair of wild pitches that scored Richert and Van Linge.
• After Jesus Lopez singled and advanced to third on a double to left center by Chadwick, Lopez scored on an RBI groundout to short by Teisher and put CSUSM up 11-0.
• An RBI single by Diaz and a two-run single through the left side by Richert put the Cougars up two touchdowns in the bottom of the sixth.
• In the top of the seventh, Casson struck out the side while allowing a walk to secure the win for CSUSM.

 
QUICK HITS

• Every Cougar hitter tallied a hit.
• Casson (3-2) went the distance for the Cougars as he tossed nine K's while allowing just two hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
• This was Casson's second seven-inning complete-game shutout in his last three starts – both with nine strikeouts.
• Gator starter Tyler Franks (2-4) lasted just 1.2 innings as he allowed six runs (one earned) on two hits, three walks and one hit batter while striking out two.
• CSUSM's three sacrifice bunts were a season high.
• Van Linge posted his 17th multi-hit game and his team-leading 11th two-hit game.
• The Cougars have earned four complete games and three shutouts this season.

 
UP NEXT
CSUSM will play its 2022 home finale on Sunday when it faces SF State in the series finale at 11 a.m. Prior to the game, the Cougars will honor their senior class in a pregame ceremony at 10:30 a.m.