SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Senior Jack Arroyo and junior Andy Hnilo each finished with a team-high two hits each but the Sacramento State baseball team fell to Washington State in the championship game of the River City Classic, 6-2, Sunday afternoon at Hornet Field.The Hornets fell to 9-5 on the year while the Cougars improved to 4-2. In the other games, Santa Clara edged Saint Mary’s (5-3) and Cal Poly defeated San Francisco (5-1).
Washington State took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third after an RBI single by Grant Richardson. With two outs, Jay Miller and Kaeo Rubin drew consecutive walks from freshman Justin Demé. In the next-at bat Richardson laced a single to center to score Miller from second.
The Cougars increased their lead to 6-0 in the fourth after an RBI walk by Miller, a three-run double by Rubin and an RBI single by Zach Farrar. With two outs and a man on first, Justin McClure was hit by a pitch and Justin Hart drew a walk to load the bases. After Miller drew a bases loaded walk, Rubin followed with a double to left-center field to clear the bases. In the next at-bat, Richardson was hit by a pitch and both runners advanced on a wild pitch by Demé. Farrar followed with a single to short to score Rubin before Richardson was thrown out at the plate.
Sacramento State made it 6-1 in the bottom of the fourth when junior Brett Flowers homered over the left-center wall. For Flowers, a native of Huntington Beach, Calif., it was his first home run of the season.
The Hornets cut the deficit to 6-2 in the sixth after a solo-home run by Hnilo to left center. For Hnilo, a native of Palo Alto, Calif., it was his third homer of the year.
Bryce Chamberlin (2-0) earned the win after allowing two runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out six in 6.0 innings.
Demé (1-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on five hits while walking five in 4.0 innings of work. Freshman Mitch Lively, Mick Joyce and Billy Sinacori combined for 5.0 innings of shutout relief.
Arroyo, a native of Manteca, Calif., extended his season-high hitting streak to 14 games after finishing 2-for-4 in the game.
Jeff Miller led the Cougars with a 2-for-4 performance from the plate.
Sacramento State will next host UC Davis on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 2 p.m. at Hornet Field.
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