CHICO, Calif. – With a complete-game, 11-strikeout performance by Garrett Apker, the Cal State San Marcos baseball team (10-16, 6-10 CCAA) earned a 2-1 victory in the series finale at No. 18 Chico State (22-6, 15-4 CCAA) on Sunday at Nettleton Stadium.
TOP PERFORMERS
Garrett Apker – 9 IP | 11 K | 4 H | 1 R | 2 BB
Griffin Teisher – 3-for-3 | 1 RBI | 1 R | 2 2B | 1 BB | 1 SB
Luke Reece – 2-for-5 | 1 2B
Niko Diaz – 1-for-2 | 1 RBI | 1 2B
HOW IT HAPPENED
CSUSM broke the scoreless tie in the top of the sixth inning. With one on and two outs, Teisher hit an RBI double down the right field line to give CSUSM a 1-0 lead.
Chico quickly responded in the bottom of the sixth. With a runner on second and no outs, Ernie Arambula singled to second, but a throwing error allowed Zach Morris to score from third and tie the game at 1-1.
After a Teisher double with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Daiz brought him home with an RBI single to center and gave CSUSM the lead once again at 2-1.
In the bottom of the ninth, Apker allowed just one walk as he got a strikeout and two fly outs to left to give CSUSM the victory.
QUICK HITS
Cougar starter Garrett Apker (3-1) earned the win after tossing nine innings with 11 strikeouts while allowing just one run on four hits and two walks.
Wildcat reliever Kevin Lyons (3-1) took the loss after allowing the go-ahead run on three hits and one walk while striking out two in two innings.
This was Apker’s second complete game of the season. He went the distance with 13 strikeouts in CSUSM’s 3-2 win over then-No. 17 Colorado School of Mines on Feb. 20.
Apker is the 13th pitcher in program history to post two or more complete games in the same season.
Mark Stanford improved his hitting streak to a team-best 10 games while also moving his reached-base streak to 11 games.
This was CSUSM’s second win over a ranked team this season.
UP NEXT
CSUSM will come home to face No. 25 Cal State Monterey Bay (20-9, 15-5 CCAA) in a four-game series beginning on Friday at 3 p.m.
