SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The California State University San Bernardino baseball team saw its fantastic 2026 season come to an end on Saturday afternoon after falling to Point Loma Nazarene University 10-9 in 10 innings of the winner-take-all game three of the NCAA Regional at Carroll B. Land Stadium.
CSUSB forced a game three in the best of three series by defeating the Sea Lions 5-2 in game one, before falling in extras in game two.
The Coyotes see their season come to an end with an overall record of 29-27.
Game 2 - CSUSB 5, Point Loma 2
The game was still scoreless in the top of the fifth when the Coyotes took control, hitting three home runs and scoring four runs. Junior Alejandro McKay (San Diego, Calif.) got it started with a solo shot to center, and three batters later, senior Dom Dominguez (Victorville, Calif.) wrapped one around the right field foul pole for a 3-0 lead.
On the very next pitch, redshirt senior Garret Barto (Pittsburgh, Pa.) smacked a no-doubt homer over the wall in right center, stretching CSUSB's lead to 4-0.
Point Loma got on the board in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run, but CSUSB got it back on a Keedan Nadeau (Highland, Calif.) sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth for a much needed insurance run.
A single run for the Sea Lions in the bottom of the eighth proved inconsequential. The hosts brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth, but the ballgame ended on a weak groundout to first base.
Starter Devyn Hernandez (Pasco, Wash.) continued his strong postseason run, going 8.1 innings and allowing just two earned runs with six strikeouts. Redshirt junior Kailer Saunders (Boise, Idaho) came into the game with one out in the ninth to earn the save, stranding two inherited runners.
Freshman Tyson Pettingill (Overton, Nev.) was the only Coyote with multiple hits in the win, going 2-for-5 with a run scored.
Game 3 - Point Loma 10, CSUSB 9 (10 Innings)
Point Loma broke the ice in the top of the third inning on an RBI double, but Barto responded with a base hit up the middle in the bottom of the frame to level the score at 1-1.
In the top of the fourth, Point Loma snagged a pair of runs to briefly take a 3-1 lead, but Juni Rodriguez (Hemet, Calif.) opened the bottom of the inning with a long home run to right, and later in the inning senior Jeremy Giesegh (Upland, Calif.) tied the score with a ground-rule double down the line in left.
A two-run single gave the Sea Lions a 5-3 lead in the top of the fifth, which held until the bottom of the sixth, when Giesegh went yard to right center to knot the score back up at 5-5. An inning later, his lined shot that just cleared the fence near the left field foul pole put CSUSB ahead 8-5.
Point Loma erased the lead with a three-spot in the top of the eighth, sending the game to the ninth all knotted up at 8-8. They would briefly take the lead at 9-8 in the top of the ninth, and appeared to have the game won on a one-out groundball to short with two on in the bottom of the ninth. A tailor-made double play ball that would have sent Point Loma to the Supers instead went through the five-hole of the Sea Lion shortstop, allowing junior Michael Gonsalez (Los Angeles, Calif.) to score from second and sending the game to extras.
After the Sea Lions took the lead in the top of the 10th, the Yotes got the leadoff man on base on a hit by pitch and moved him over on a sacrifice bunt, but a pair of screaming liners found their way into the glove of the Point Loma center fielder, ending the ballgame and CSUSB's improbable postseason run.
On the hill, the loss was charged to Saunders, who threw three more innings out of the bullpen, allowing one earned run.
Giesegh led the Coyotes offensively with a 3-for-4 effort, driving in six of the nine Coyote runs in the game. Nadeau also notched three hits and scored three runs.
#GoYotes
