SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento State took a 5-0 lead after one inning but Nevada scored nine runs in four innings to defeat the Hornet baseball team, 10-6, Tuesday afternoon at Hornet Field. The loss ended Sacramento State’s season-high four-game winning streak.Sacramento State dropped to 19-16 on the year while Nevada improved to 14-14.
The Hornets took a 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first after RBI singles by juniors Brett Flowers and Pedro Santiago and a three-run home run by junior Andy Hnilo. For Hnilo, a native of Palo Alto, Calif., it was his fourth home run of the season.
Nevada cut the deficit to 5-3 in the fourth after Joe Mercer scored on a fielding error by Hnilo in left field, an RBI groundout by Gabe Mayorga and a sacrifice fly by Carlos Madrid to right field. The Wolf Pack evened the score (5-5) in the fifth inning when Mercer hit an RBI double down the left-field line and Jacob Butler drove in a run with a double to center field.
Nevada took its first lead of the contest, 6-5, in the sixth after Tino Pasaredelis drove in Madrid from third with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Sacramento State evened the score, 6-6, in the bottom of the sixth when Hnilo scored on a throwing error by first baseman Ben Mummy. With runners on first and second, junior Matt Wilson laid down a sacrifice bunt towards first base. Mummy fielded the throw and looked for the force at third but turned and threw the ball to first. Before the ball reached Mayorga at the bag, the ball struck Wilson off his left shoulder and rolled into right field.
The Wolf Pack took a 9-6 lead in the seventh after a three-run home run to right-center field by Chris Gimenez. Nevada added another run in the ninth when Austin Graham drove in a run with a double down the left-field line.
Owen Brolsma (2-0) earned the win after allowing no runs on one hit while walking one batter in 3.0 innings of relief.
Senior Andy Mohr (3-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up three runs on two hits while walking one and striking out two in one inning of relief. Junior Marshall Hendon started the contest for the Hornets and allowed only two hits while walking one and striking out one in 3.0 innings.
Hnilo (2-for-4) led the Hornets with three RBI while joining Flowers (2-for-3) and Santiago (2-for-5) with two hits in the game.
Mercer (3-for-3) and Butler (3-for-4) led the Wolf Pack offense while Gimenez finished with a team-high three RBI.
Sacramento State will next host UC Santa Barbara for a three-game series at Hornet Field beginning on Friday, Apr. 2 at 2 p.m. The second game will be on Saturday, Apr. 3, at 1 p.m. before the series finale on Sunday, Apr. 4, at 1 p.m.
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