SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Junior Bret LeVier went 4-for-7 on the day and junior Warren Rosebrock recorded his first-career complete game but the Sacramento State baseball team dropped contests to 42nd-ranked Cal Poly (5-2) and UC Riverside (4-2), Sunday at Hornet Field. The first game marked the end of a two-game series with Cal Poly while the second game was the first of a two-game series with UC Riverside.Sacramento State is now 15-14 on the year while Cal Poly (20-9-1) and UC Riverside (13-11) improved its overall records.
In the first game, Sacramento State only managed two runs in the first inning as Cal Poly evened the season series (1-1) with a 5-2 win. The Hornets took game one (3-1) after a complete-game victory by junior Ethan Katz on Mar. 20.
The Mustangs opened an early 1-0 lead after a sacrifice fly to center field by Brandon Roberts scored Sam Herbert from third.
The Hornets took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning when senior John Acha hit a two-run homer over the left-field wall. With two outs, junior Brett Flowers hit a single to third base before Acha hit his team-leading eighth home run of the season.
Cal Poly regained the lead, 3-2, in the top of the second after a two-run single through the left side by Herbert with the bases loaded. The Mustangs increased their lead to 5-2 in the fifth inning when Chalon Tietje and Bret Berglund each recorded RBI singles.
Garrett Olsen (5-2) earned the win after allowing only two runs on five hits while walking two and striking out seven in 5.1 innings. Nolan Moser registered his seventh save after allowing only one hit in 3.2 innings of relief.
Freshman Mick Joyce (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on four hits while walking three and striking out two in 2.2 innings.
In the second game, A.J. Shappi allowed only two runs despite giving up 12 Hornet hits, en route to a 4-2 UC Riverside win.
The Highlanders took a 1-0 lead in the first after an RBI double down the right-field line by Nick Solotti scored Tony Festa from first with two out. UCR added another run in the second when Aaron Seuss scored on a fielding error by junior Matt Wilson on a play at the plate. With Seuss on first, Scott Powis doubled down the left-field line. Sophomore Jim Strombach collected the ball and got the relay into LeVier at short. LeVier’s throw beat Festa to the plate but the ball popped out of Wilson’s glove before he could apply the tag.
Sacramento State evened the score (2-2) in the bottom of the second after an RBI double by Wilson and an RBI single by Strombach. LeVier led off the inning with a single before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Ronnie Machado, Jr. Wilson followed with a double down the right-field line before Strombach hit a single up the middle.
UCR made it 3-2 in the fifth when Festa drove in Brian Bigler from third with a single to center field. The Highlanders added an insurance run in the seventh after an RBI double to left field by Matt Cunningham.
Shappi (4-1) allowed two run on 12 hits while walking one and striking out five in 8.0 innings. Brian Hoff earned his fourth save after pitching a perfect ninth.
Rosebrock (3-3) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on nine hits while walking three and striking out three in 9.0 innings.
LeVier led the Hornet offense by going 3-for-3 from the plate while Wilson and Acha (2-for-4) each added two hits.
Overall, Acha finished 3-for-7 on the day and increased his current hitting streak to 13 games. Senior Jack Arroyo holds the team lead (14) for most-consecutive games with a hit.
Sacramento State and UC Riverside will conclude its two-game set on Monday, Mar. 22, at 1 p.m.
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