The SF State baseball team came into a weekend series against the Western Oregon University Wolves riding a one-game winning streak and looking to gain momentum heading into conference play.

The Wolves had plans of their own, putting together a weekend highlighted by home runs and dominant pitching to sweep the four-game series at Skyline College.

The Gators (6-14, 2-8 CCAA) failed to execute on offense striking out 27 times and getting out-scored in the series 37-10. The Wolves (11-3) sprayed the ball all over the field, compiling 55 hits and 7 homeruns. The Gators had their backs to the wall from the beginning, falling behind early in all four games.

“The bottom line is if you don’t do well in the aspects of pitching, hitting and fielding, you just won’t win,” said head coach Matt Markovich.

Roberto Torres (0-2) started the first game of the weekend series on Saturday and struggled, giving up seven runs on nine hits in five innings.

“I wasn’t hitting my spots and they hit the ball well,” Torres said. “No one start or weekend series determines the season. We just have to regroup and come out hard this next weekend.”

The offense didn’t help Torres much, managing just three hits in the 9-3 loss. Senior outfielder Kris Gibson provided the only highlight of the game for the Gators, launching a fastball from Wolves pitcher Nick Waechter over the right-center field fence in the fifth inning.

The second game of the series provided the most exciting action between the two teams as the Gators battled back from a 5-0 deficit but lost, 6-4.

Senior pitcher Jon Bierly (1-4) took the mound for the Gators, attempting to stifle the Wolves’ potent offense. However, after recording the first two outs in the first inning, he gave up a single and a two-run shot to Wolves first baseman Greg McCarthy.

The Wolves managed to hold off a late comeback by the Gators, who scored two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings, with Gator shortstop Bryan Supnet contributing an RBI single. Despite the late rally, the Wolves held on for the victory.

“It’s kind of hard to keep falling behind early in the game and then have to battle back,” Gibson said. “It takes a toll on the team mentally when you’re down early in the game.”

The Gators never recovered from Saturday’s games, as evidenced by their play in Sunday’s doubleheader.

The Wolves jumped all over the still-smarting Gators, smashing them 9-2 in the first game behind a five-run first inning. Gator senior Chris Brown (1-2) settled down after the rough start, working seven innings and allowing only one run in the final six innings he pitched.

“It sucks! We were trying to build some momentum, and we go out there and lose four in row,” said senior first baseman Christopher Watters. “We just have to go out there and compete. If we prepare and play hard, we’ll be successful.”

The Gators lost the nightcap of the doubleheader 13-1, succumbing to another barrage of hits by the Wolves. The Wolves finished the game with 13 hits and the Gators were forced to use six pitchers in the losing effort.

The Gators will be on the road to take on the Chico State Wildcats this weekend.