Sacramento State enters the week with a 30-21 record after sweeping San Jose State (2-1, 2-1) in a doubleheader on May 4 before falling to Santa Clara, 6-0, on May 6. The Hornets are off to their best start after 51 games since 1993 (31-20).

Washington State enters the game with a 15-31 mark after dropping two-of-three games against Washington over the weekend. The Huskies won the first game in the 13th inning (9-8) before taking the second game, 9-4. The Cougars captured the series finale with a 6-2 win.

HEAD COACH JOHN SMITH

Since taking over the program in November of 1978, Smith has produced 16 winning seasons, including 10 years with at least 30 wins and four years with at least 40 wins. In his 25th seasons as a head coach, he has posted 724 wins, ranking him among the top-60 active Division I coaches. The 724 wins and his 25-year tenure are also the most by any coach in Sacramento State baseball history. Smith''s current mark is 724-671.

Smith has led the team to four NCAA postseason appearances, winning two regional crowns and two trips to the NCAA Div. II Championship. Smith was named American Baseball Coaches Association/NCAA Western Regional Coach of the Year twice, in 1986 and 1988.

Several Smith-coached players have advanced to the minor and major leagues. Most recently, Casey Fuller signed with the Colorado Rockies in June and Jeff Groeger inked with the Cincinnati Reds in August of 2002. Chad Elliott and Casey Martinez were drafted in the 2000 Amateur Draft, and Jesse Krebs and Jimmy McFarland each signed free agent contracts that same year.

A native of Redding, Calif., Smith spent three years in the U.S. Army Special Forces as a Green Beret. He played collegiately at Sacramento State in 1971 and 1972 and began his coaching career the following season. After five seasons as the head coach at Encina HS in Sacramento, Smith took over the Hornet program in 1978.

A LOOK AT THE LATEST ACTION

Santa Clara pounded out six runs and 15 hits while the Broncos pitching staff combined for a five-hit shutout to defeat Sacramento State, 6-0, on May 6.

Santa Clara jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning after RBI singles by A.J. LaBarbera and Jack Headley, and a two-run homer by Michael Thompson. Will Thompson led off the inning with a double down the right-field line and would score on LaBarbera’s base hit to right field. In the next at-bat, Michael Thompson hit a drive over the left-center wall. With two outs and a man on third, Headley scored the Broncos final run of the inning with a base hit to right center.

The Broncos added two more runs in the ninth after an RBI single by Jim Wallace and an RBI double by LaBarbera.

Patrick McBride (1-0) earned the win after allowing only one hit while striking out one in two innings of relief. Santa Clara pitchersScott Shapiro, McBride, Andrew Slorp, Matt Krueger, Thomas Van Buskirk, Anthony Rea and Chad Fillinger combined to allow only five hits while walking four and striking out six.

Junior Chris Kinsey (6-6) was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs on sevens hits while walking two and striking out five in 3.2 innings.

Senior Tim Reimer led the Hornet offense after finishing 2-for-3 from the plate. The San Jose native increased his season-high hitting streak to nine games and his team-high walk total to 30. Juniors John Acha, Cliff Hinkle and Mikela Olsen also recorded hits for the Hornets.

LaBarbera led the Bronco offense by going 4-for-5 with a double, one run, two RBI.

THE WASHINGTON STATE COUGARS

Tim Mooney is in his third year at the helm of the Cougar baseball program and has amassed a 36-72 overall record. Mooney also coached at Albertson College (527-237-2) where he led the squad to 14 winning seasons, 14 postseason appearances, 10 conference titles and three NAIA World Series appearances.

Last season, Washington State finished with a 21-33 overall record including a 6-18 record in the Pac-10 (9th).

Junior outfielder Justin Hart leads the Cougar offense with a .347 batting average (41-for-118) and a .408 on-base percentage.

Freshman outfielder Jay Miller leads the squad with 53 hits while sophomore infielder Grant Richardson has a team-high 11 home runs.

A LOOK AT THE HORNETS

This Week’s Probable Starters

Friday at Washington State, May 9, 2 p.m.

D. Smith (4-1, 4.78) vs. T. Banaszak (2-8, 5.61)

Saturday at Washington State, May 10, 6 p.m.

M. Cuckovich (0-1, 5.53) vs. B. Chamberlin (3-5, 6.95)

Sunday at Washington State, May 11, Noon

S. Correa (2-0, 3.72) vs. A. MacKenzie (4-4, 5.18)

TRADING PLACES

Junior outfielders Mikela Olsen and Jesse Schmidt have become the one-two punch of the Sacramento State offense since their jump from the JC level.

Olsen, a transfer from Santa Ana JC, has only dipped below the .400 mark on one occasion this season (March 28, .396). The Oakhurst, Calif., native currently leads the squad with a .410 batting average, 80 hits, 18 doubles, 57 RBI, 142 total bases and a .728 slugging percentage. Olsen currently ranks 29th in the nation for batting average.

Schmidt, a transfer from Palomar JC, currently leads the Hornets with 47 runs, 16 home runs and a .470 on-base percentage.

Olsen and Schmidt have each recorded three multi-homer games and two games with home runs from both sides of the plate. The duo has also combined to hit back-to-back home runs on three occasions.

The tandem will look to become the first Hornets to hit above the .400 plateau since Dan Ferreira (1990).

STEPPING UP TO THE MOUND

Senior Steve Correa and junior Dan Smith have taken advantage of their opportunities to start for the Hornets this season.

In his last four appearances (two starts), Correa has a record of 2-0 including his first career start on April 26 and a no-decision on May 4. During that span, the Elk Grove native has allowed only five earned runs (2.08 ERA) on 16 hits (two for extra-bases) with six walks and 12 strikeouts in 21.2 innings. The senior has also seen his ERA drop from 8.59 to 3.72.

Smith, a JC transfer from Sacramento City, is currently 4-1 with four starts and 14 appearances. The Carmichael, Calif., native earned his first complete-game victory on May 4 after holding San Jose State to only one run on two hits while striking out two and walking none in nine innings.

REIMER KEEPING PACE

Senior Tim Reimer increased his season-high hitting streak to nine games on May 6.

During his streak, Reimer is batting .452 (14-for-31) with two doubles, two triples, nine runs, eight RBI, six walks, three stolen bases and only three strikeouts.