After defeating UC San Diego, 6-5, in a continuation from yesterday’s suspended contest, the Sacramento State baseball team lost 7-5 to the Tritons in the second game, Saturday afternoon at Triton Field. Yesterday’s contest was suspended due to no umpires arriving until an hour and a half after the scheduled start time.The Hornets are now 4-2 on the year while the Tritons improved to 5-1.
After leading 5-2 after six innings in the first game, UC San Diego scored a run in the bottom of the eighth after Ricky Pinocchio homered to left field.
Sacramento State made it 6-3 in the ninth when senior Jack Arroyo drove in junior Ryan Browne with a double to left field.
The Tritons cut the deficit to 6-5 in the bottom of the ninth after Brad Beltz drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to right field and Ryan Langone hit a solo homer to right. Freshman Billy Sinacori entered the contest with two outs and got Keith Hernandez to ground out to short to end the game.
Junior Ethan Katz (1-0) earned the win after allowing two runs on five hits while walking three and striking out six in five innings. Sinacori recorded his third save of the season.
In the second game, UC San Diego scored six runs in the first three innings and a late Hornet rally fell short as Sacramento State dropped a 7-5 contest.
Sacramento State led 1-0 in the first after junior John Acha hit a solo home run to left field.
The Tritons added two runs in the first, second and third inning to take a 6-1 lead.
The Hornets made it a 6-4 game after scoring two runs in the fourth and a run in the fifth. In the fourth, sophomore Brian Blauser walked with one out. Junior Bret LeVier followed with a two-run homer to right field. In the fifth, Acha knocked his second home run of the contest with a drive over the left-field wall. Sacramento State added another run in the top of the seventh after an RBI double by junior Craig Johnson to left field.
UC San Diego added an insurance run in the eighth to seal the contest.
Ryan Leake (1-0) got the win after allowing one run on two hits while walking one and striking out one in 1.1 innings of relief.
Junior Marshall Hendon (0-2) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs (four earned) while walking two in 2.1 innings. Sophomore James Wheeler, freshman Mick Joyce and senior Renecke Stelzriede combined to allow only one run on three hits with five walks and four strikeouts in 5.2 innings of relief.
Acha combined to go 4-for-9 in the two games with three home runs, a double, three runs and five RBI. LeVier also led the Hornet offense in both games by going 5-for-9 with a home run, a run and two RBI.
Sacramento State and UC San Diego will complete its three-game series on Sunday, Feb. 8, at noon.
