Cossacks Rally Twice for Baseball Doubleheader Sweep of Toros
April 19, 2002

Complete Box Score - Game 1

Complete Box Score - Game 2

(Rohnert Park) -- Baseball is a funny game.

Sonoma State (36-19, 15-15) and Cal State Dominguez Hills (30-22-1, 17-17) hooked up in a couple of vastly different games Friday afternoon, but the results were the same as SSU posted a doubleheader sweep of the visiting Toros.

The Cossacks erased a six run deficit to defeat the Toros 17-12 in the opener, then came back to win the nightcap 2-1 in extra innings.

Things did not look good for SSU early in the day as the Toros jumped all over Cossack opening game starter Ian Keene for six runs in the second inning. An opposite field homerun by Brad Shannon in the bottom of the inning cut the lead to 6-2, but the Toros responded with a run in the top of the third on a triple by Jose Montes and a run scoring grounder by Danny Jacobs.

Trailing 7-2, the Cossacks rallied for three runs in the bottom of the fourth on RBI hits by Brandon Burgess, Gil Barry and Brad Botkin. But it was the Toros again responding with a four run fifth to take what appeared to be a secure 11-5 lead. The Cossacks bounced right back, erupting for nine runs on nine hits in the bottom of the fifth, sending 14 men to the plate and chasing starter Chris Ingstad. Ryan Souza, Botkin and Rob Garibaldi all drove in two runs in the inning.

Mark Schaukowitch picked up the win in relief to improve to 6-2. Darren Sack struck out four of the six men he faced to earn his fourth save of the year.

The second game was a complete turnaround from the opener. After combining for 29 runs and 36 hits in game one, the two squads received brilliant pitching performances from their respective starters. Aaron Parker took the hill for SSU and held the Toros to just one run and four hits over the first seven innings. Meanwhile, Toro starter Stephen Ressa gave up just a first inning single to Mike Richardson and a two out single to Burgess in the fifth in shutting out the Cossacks through six innings of work.

The Cossacks headed into the bottom of the seventh, trailing 1-0 and trying to avoid their first shutout of the year. Tom Everidge singled to open the inning, moved to second on a hit by Darrel Jacks and scored the tying run on a hit by Burgess to send the game into extra innings.

Parker ran into trouble in the eighth, giving up a walk to Joe Gevas and a single to Edgar Esqueda with one out. Sack came in to close out the inning, inducing fly ball outs by Frank Perez and Damian Lopez.

SSU then won the game in the bottom of the eighth as Barry was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. After Souza flew out, Barry stole second. Richardson was then intentionally walked for the second time on the day to put runners on first and second with one out. Everidge then came up and laced a single to left. Barry took the turn at third, hesitated as third base coach Walt White tried to hold him up, then ran for the plate with the winning run.

Sack picked up the win in relief for SSU to improve his record to 6-1.

The Cossacks and Toros will battle again in another doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 12 noon.