Box score

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Pioneer baseball team came up just short in a 6-5 setback to San Francisco State on May 4.

The defeat leaves the Pioneers with a 10-25 CCAA record and an overall mark of 16-29. San Francisco State, which had lost 17 of their last 20 games, improves to 13-24 in CCAA play and 16-30 for the season.

“We hurt ourselves in the early going by committing some costly errors,” Pioneer coach Bob Ralston said. “Our team made a great comeback, but we came up short.”

Trailing 6-0, the Pioneers got on the scoreboard with two runs in the top of the sixth inning. Jordan Wilder led the inning off with a single. Back-to-back singles by Ed Rettagliata and Andrew Woolfe loaded the bases. Kyle Zozaya got the Pioneers fourth consecutive hit with a single to score Wilder. Rettaglaiata scored on a double play.

The Pioneers closed the gap to 6-5 with three runs in the top of the seventh. With one out, Brett Hall was safe on an error. Brad Rich followed with a single to move Hall to third. Hall scored on a wild pitch. Wilder drove Rich home with a triple.  Rettagliata's sacrifice fly scored Wilder with the third run of the inning.

East Bay stranded a runner at second in the eighth inning.

Gator reliever Branden Petrangelo entered the game in the ninth inning and retired the first two Pioneer hitters. Wilder walked and Rettagliata followed with a single. Woolfe flied out to leftfield to end the game. 

Wilder was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, giving him 14 multi-hit games for the season.  He also extended his hitting streak to 10 games. Woolfe and Rettagliata also had a pair of hits. Reliever Michael Pope hurled 3.1 innings of scoreless baseball to keep the Pioneers in the game. 

The four-game series will continue on May 5 with an 11:00 a.m. doubleheader at Pioneer Field. Prior to the second game of the doubleheader, 11 seniors from the Pioneer baseball team will be honored.