SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sophomore Jim Strombach finished 4-for-4 with a triple, a home run and four RBI and freshman Justin Demé earned his first-career save to lead the Sacramento State baseball team to a 12-11 win over Northern Colorado, Friday afternoon at Hornet Field. UNC rallied for seven runs in the top of the ninth to erase a 12-4 deficit.The Hornets improved to 27-32 on the year while the Bears dropped to 26-19.
Sacramento State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after three-consecutive RBI hits by sophomore Jim Strombach, junior Ronnie Machado, Jr., and senior Jack Arroyo. Junior Pedro Santiago led off the inning with a walk and then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Bret LeVier. After Santiago advanced to third on a flyout to right by junior Matt Wilson, Strombach drove in the first run with a bunt single to third base. After Strombach stole second, Machado, Jr., hit a double to left field to drive in Strombach. After Machado, Jr., stole second, Arroyo followed with a single to center field to make it 3-0.
The Hornets increased their lead to 5-0 in the fourth after a two-run home run to left field by Strombach. With one out, Wilson drew a walk from Bear starter Craig Ayers. In the next at-bat, Strombach crushed a ball over the left field wall. For Strombach, a native of Aiea, Hawaii, it was his second home run of the season.
Northern Colorado cut the margin to 5-3 in the top of the seventh after a two-run home run to left field by John Ray and a solo home run to left center by Brennan Garr.
Sacramento State increased its lead to 9-3 in the bottom of the seventh after a sacrifice fly to right by senior John Acha, a two-run single to center by Wilson and an RBI triple to right center by Strombach.
The Bears made it 9-4 in the top of the eighth after an RBI triple by Trevor Allen.
The Hornets increased their lead to 12-4 after an RBI double by junior Craig Johnson, and a two-run triple to center field by LeVier.
Northern Colorado cut the margin to 12-11 in the top of the ninth after scoring seven runs on five hits while also taking advantage of two Hornet errors in the inning. Demé recorded the save after forcing Patrick Wiley to ground out to short with bases loaded and two out.
Freshman Mick Joyce (1-3), who left the contest with a 5-3 lead, earned the win after allowing three runs on four hits while walking one and striking out a career-high seven batters in 6.2 innings.
Ayers (8-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up five runs on seven hits while walking five and striking out one in 6.0 innings.
Johnson finished 3-for-5 in the contest while Arroyo (2-for-5) and Machado, Jr., (2-for-2) recorded two hits each to contribute to the Hornet offense.
Sacramento State and Northern Colorado will continue the three-game set on Saturday, May 15, at 1 p.m. The finale will be on Sunday, May 16, at 1 p.m
