Joshua Green’s running catch in the right field gap ended the Hornets’ bases-loaded threat as the Sacramento State baseball team fell to Hawai’i, 10-7, Wednesday afternoon at Hornet Field. Sacramento State fell to 28-20 on the year while the Rainbows raised their record to 26-20. Hawai’i jumped out to an early 3-0 lead after scoring two runs in the first and one run in the second.
Sacramento State cut the lead to 3-1 in the second when sophomore Everet Rincon drove in sophomore Bret LeVier with a base hit to right field.
The Rainbows increased their lead to 9-1 with a five run fourth and a solo home run by Green in the fifth. In the fourth, Issac Omura drove in two runs with a double to right center, Brian Finegan knocked in a run with a sacrifice fly to left, Jaziel Mendoza hit an RBI single to left and a run scored on a fielding error by Rincon with the bases loaded.
The Hornets cut the lead to 9-4 in the fifth after a two-run homer by junior Jesse Schmidt and an RBI double by junior Chris Kinsey. After senior Tim Reimer drew a walk with one out, Schmidt followed with a shot over the left center wall. The San Diego native now leads the squad with 16 home runs. In the next at-bat, junior Mikela Olsen singled to center and Kinsey followed with a double down the left field line.
Hawai’i added an insurance run in the eighth when Andrew Sansaver drove in Green from second with a double to left center.
Sacramento State cut the lead the 10-7 in the bottom of the ninth after a bases loaded wild pitch by Rainbow reliever Guy McDowell, an RBI single to right field by Olsen and a bases loaded fielding error by Hawai’i third baseman Brent Cook. With two outs and the bases still loaded, freshman Brian Blauser sent a deep drive towards the gap in right center. Before the ball could drop, Green managed to reach out, drop down to his right and make the catch in stride to end the game.
Justin Cayetano (3-2) earned the win after allowing four runs on eight hits while walking two and striking out one in 4.1 innings.
Senior Steve Cuckovich (6-4) was tagged with the loss after giving up eight runs (six earned) on eight hits while walking one and striking out six in 3.2 innings of work.
Schmidt, who now leads the squad with a .414 batting average, led the Hornet offense by finishing 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBI. Reimer (2-for-3), Kinsey (2-for-4) and Olsen (2-for-5) also finished with multiple hits to lead the squad.
Sacramento State will next face San Jose State for a three-game series beginning at Blethen Field on Friday, May 2, at 2:30 p.m. The final two games of the series will be at Hornet Field. Saturday’s contest will be at 2 p.m. with Sunday’s finale scheduled for 1 p.m.
