Box Score

Chris Herrera threw seven no-hit innings and Michael Vaughn went 3-for-4 with a towering home run as Fresno Pacific downed San Francisco State 6-1 on Friday night at FPU.

The NCAA Division II Gators had no answer for Herrera who struck out 10 and was pulled with the no-hitter still intact to start the eighth inning after throwing 108 pitches. The junior right-hander from Kingsburg had a full arsenal of pitches working for him, getting ahead in the count with his fastball and baffling the Gator hitters from start to finish.

"It was a little nerve-wracking at first," Herrera said of his first home start at FPU. "But once I got in my comfort zone I settled down. Having the family and friends here to support really helped."

The Sunbirds (6-2) provided Herrera with the support he needed, striking early in the first inning when a single by Vaughn scored Karlan Andrews. FPU added three more in the third on an Andrews double, a 2-RBI double by Vaughn and an RBI-single by John Koretoff. Vaughn blasted a home run to left in the fifth to make the score 5-0.

The Gators (1-1) would load the bases on Herrera in the sixth, after two walks and a hit-by-pitch, but he would strike out the next batter to end the inning. Herrera, who didn't notice he had a no-hitter until the sixth inning, tossed another no-hit inning in the seventh before giving way to Ryan Cheek in the eighth.

"I would've liked to stay in obviously, but I understand from a coaching standpoint," said Herrera. "It's early and we've got a long season ahead of us."

Cheek and David Hawes closed out the game for the Sunbirds. The Gators would manage to get their first hit of the game, a single in the eighth.

The two teams conclude their three-game series tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 11 am.