RENO, Nev. – Junior Pedro Santiago finished 3-for-4 with two home runs but Nevada scored 17 runs on 14 hits as the Wolf Pack defeated the Sacramento State baseball team, 17-4, Tuesday afternoon at a windy Peccole Park. The contest was marred by 30-40 mph winds blowing out to left field.The Hornets dropped to 22-26 on the year while the Wolf Pack improved to 21-18. It marked the first time Nevada earned a season sweep over Sacramento State since the 2001 season.
Nevada took a 4-0 lead in the first inning after a three-run home run by Jacob Butler to left field and a solo-home run by Joe Mercer to left center.
Sacramento State cut the deficit to 4-1 in the top of the second when junior Pedro Santiago hit a solo-home run to left field. For Santiago, a native of Fairfield, Calif., it was his first career home run.
The Wolf Pack made it 6-1 in the bottom of the second when Brett Hayes hit an RBI single up the middle and Brian Gazerro scored on a fielding error by junior Matt Wilson. With two outs, Erick Streelman hit a high pop to the infield. The entire Hornet infield converged on the play but the ball blew back towards Wilson. Battling the wind, Wilson put a glove on the ball in front of him but the ball popped out, allowing Gazzero to score from second.
Nevada added another run in the third when Austin Graham hit a solo-home run to left field.
The Hornets made it 7-2 in the fourth when Santiago hit his second solo-home run of the day over the left-center wall.
Sacramento State cut the lead to 7-4 in the fifth after a two-run homer by junior Andy Hnilo over the left-center wall. For Hnilo, a native of Palo Alto, Calif., it was his fifth home run of the season.
The Wolf Pack made it 12-4 in the bottom fifth after Streelman scored on a wild pitch by senior Andy Mohr, Chris Gimenez scored on a ground out by Carlos Madrid, Robert Macial hit a two-run single to left and Gazerro hit an RBI double to left center.
Nevada increased the lead to 17-4 in the eighth inning after a two-run single by Baker Krukow, a sacrifice fly to right by Tino Psaradelis and a two-run home run to left field by Gazerro.
Chris Scott (4-2) earned the win after allowing two runs on four hits while walking three and striking out two in 3.2 innings of a pre-determined start.
Junior Warren Rosebrock (4-7) was tagged with the loss after giving up 10 runs (nine earned) on seven hits while walking five and striking out four in 4.0 innings.
Senior John Acha finished 2-for-4 from the plate to also lead the Hornet offense.
Sacramento State will next face second-ranked Stanford for a home-and-home series this weekend. The first game will be at Sunken Diamond on Friday, April 23, at 6 p.m. The finale will be at Hornet Field on Saturday, April 24, at 2 p.m.
