SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- UC Santa Barbara’s Steve Morlock carried a no-hitter through six innings while the Gauchos scored runs in six of nine innings to defeat the Sacramento State baseball team, 10-1, Sunday afternoon at Hornet Field. The loss marked the first three-game sweep by a Hornet opponent this season.Sacramento State fell to 19-19 on the year while the Gauchos improved to 20-10. The Hornets have now lost four-consecutive games for the first time since 2002. UCSB also increased its winnings streak to nine games.
UC Santa Barbara took an 8-0 lead after the fifth inning after scoring a run in the first, two in the second, one in the third and two runs in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively. The Gauchos took advantage of 11 walked batters, five wild pitches, two hit batsmen and two balks by the Hornet pitching staff.
Sacramento State ended Morlock’s bid for a no-hitter in the seventh inning when junior Andy Hnilo dropped a base hit into left-center field with two out. Gaucho left-fielder Bill Rowe made a diving attempt at the drive but the ball popped out of his glove as he hit the ground.
The Hornets got on the board with a run in the eighth inning after an RBI single by junior Craig Johnson. Senior Jack Arroyo doubled to left center with two outs before Johnson followed with a single through the left side. The run helped Sacramento State avoid being shutout in consecutive games for the first time since 1993.
The Gauchos added two more runs in the ninth inning after a two-run single by Chris Malec to right field.
Morlock (5-4) allowed only one hit while walking four and striking out four in 7.0 innings.
Freshman Justin Demé (2-2) was tagged with the loss after giving up four runs (two earned) on three hits while walking three and striking out five in 3.0 innings of work.
Sacramento State will play its next seven games on the road as the Hornets travel to Hawaii this week. The Hornets play a two-game series against Hawai’i beginning on Tuesday, April 6, at 6 p.m. The final game of the series will be on Wednesday, April 7, at 6 p.m. The squad will concluded the week with a five-game set against Hawai’i-Hilo. The series will begin on Friday, April 9, with a doubleheader at 2 p.m. The two schools will play another doubleheader on Saturday, April 10, at 11 a.m. before the finale on Sunday, April 11 at 2 p.m.
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