SONOMA, Calif. - The Red Hawks took on Sonoma State today in a nonconference doubleheader.
The Seawolves jumped on right-hander
Qorey Houston as they plated three runs in the second and third innings to take the commanding 6-0 lead.
A two-out single by
Brandon Zanni came around to score on an RBI triple by
Brock Gilligan to put Simpson on the board.
But the Seawolves answered back in the bottom half of the inning as they plated two runs off a two-run home run.
Simpson scratched one across in the sixth inning as a leadoff single by
Dylan Leek came around to score on a wild pitch to make it an 8-2 game.
Sonoma State added to its lead in the bottom half of the inning as they plated three more runs off three hits.
The Red Hawks could not overcome the deficit as they plated one run in the ninth on an RBI single by
Alex Tolbert but fell 11-3 in game one of the twin-bill.
Manolo Tafolla led the Simpson bats with two hits including a double and one run scored.
Game 2:
The Red Hawks looked to split the day with the Seawolves behind starter
Hyunwoo Kim.
Sonoma State drew first blood in the second inning on a one-out two-run double to take the 2-0 lead.
Brendan Moore came in relief of Kim in the third inning as he fired three shutout innings while striking out two Seawolves.
A double by
Andreyes Palacios to start the fifth inning set the table for a two-run blast by Tafolla for his first long ball of the year.
Cayden Lee opened the sixth inning with a leadoff double to right field as
Bo Valladao reached on a Seawolves error.
Lee scored on a wild pitch to give Simpson the 3-2 lead before
Andreyes Palacios singled home
Aden Munoz for a huge insurance run.
The Seawolves plated one in the seventh before the Red Hawks scratched a run across in the top of the eighth inning on an RBI single by Munoz.
But the Sonoma State tied the game in the bottom half of the inning as they plated two runs.
Simpson had a golden opportunity in the top of the ninth as they loaded the bases with no-outs but came up empty as the Seawolves pitching struck out the side.
The Red Hawks had the first crack at scoring the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth inning as they placed a "ghost runner" at second base.
However, the Red Hawks stranded the runner and the Seawolves took advantage the next inning by cashing in its "ghost runner" for the winning run.
Palacios, Tafolla, and Lee led the Simpson bats with two hits as they each picked up extra-base hits.
Simpson looks to get back in the win column this weekend as they host Oregon Tech in a four-game series beginning Saturday at noon.
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