BAKERSFIELD (Interstat) — Cal State Bakersfield scored five runs in the first two innings and CJ Brown pitched five solid innings to lead the Roadrunners to a 6-2 victory over Fresno State on Tuesday night at Hardt Field.

Brown, who entered with a 1.00 ERA in his previous outing against Pacific, allowed one earned run on five hits while striking out one over five innings. He benefited from early run support as the Roadrunners jumped on Fresno State starting pitcher Tyler Patrick.

The decisive rally came in the bottom of the first. Miller Tai singled to left field, and Cloyd singled to third base to put runners at first and second. D. Wilkes walked to load the bases, and Bennett drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the first run. After Patrick was replaced by Tyler Patrick, Morisaki was hit by a pitch to force in a second run. Pelayo grounded into a fielder’s choice that cut down Wilkes at home, but Acevedo Y. followed with a sacrifice fly to right field to score Bennett and make it 3-0. Pelayo was caught stealing to end the inning.

Cal State Bakersfield added two more runs in the second. Thompson B. doubled to right center, and Miller Tai singled to left field, advancing Thompson to third. Cloyd then singled to center field, driving in both runners for a 5-0 lead.

Fresno State broke through in the fourth against Brown. Hewitt B. singled, Faust O. singled, and after a fielder’s choice, Boyd M. singled to drive in Hewitt. A throwing error on a bunt by Collins S. loaded the bases, and Ruby J. hit a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Nolen M. unearned, cutting the deficit to 5-2.

The Bulldogs threatened again in the eighth against reliever Jeter Schuerman. Hewitt singled, Nolen M. singled, but Boyd flied out and Collins struck out to end the inning.

Cal State Bakersfield added an insurance run in the eighth. After Morisaki walked, Barnum V. pinch ran and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Pelayo. Teunissen G. walked, and then Douglas Crystal relieved after a strikeout. Thompson B. walked to load the bases, and during a pickoff attempt, Teunissen was caught stealing at third, but Barnum scored on the play to make it 6-2.

Fresno State’s Justin Cuellar threw four scoreless innings of relief, allowing no hits and striking out four. William Page-Allen struck out three in a perfect seventh, and Douglas Crystal recorded one out. But the Bulldogs could not overcome the early deficit. Fresno State finished with eight hits; Cal State Bakersfield had seven.

Fresno State dropped to 13-32-1 overall, while Cal State Bakersfield improved to 20-27-1. The Roadrunners had lost the previous meeting between the teams on April 14, falling 10-6 at Fresno.

Fresno State had won its previous game, 5-4 at Washington State on May 3, but had lost five of its last six entering Tuesday. Cal State Bakersfield had lost its last three games, all to UC Santa Barbara, after winning two straight.

The Interstat game simulator projected a 4-2 victory for Cal State Bakersfield, while the Interstat ELO system gave Fresno State a 61.90 percent probability to win.