UC Riverside, which knocked off 22nd-ranked USC on Tuesday, improved to 10-10 with the victory. Sacramento State dropped to 7-10-1 overall this season. The Hornets pounded out eight hits in the game, but failed to produce in the clutch, batting .000 (0-5) with runners in scoring position and .091 (1-11) with runners on base.

Simmons (3-1), who finished the game throwing 100 pitches, walked just one batter while striking out. Simmons’ only blemish was a fourth-inning, two-run homer from Sacramento State’s Matt Wilson. The home run was the first of the season for Wilson as eight different Hornets had a hit during the game.

UC Riverside got on the board with two runs in the top of the first inning on a two-run homer from Salotti. The Highlanders added single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings off Hornet starter Ethan Katz. UCR’s runs in both the fourth and fifth innings came on two-out RBIs from Brian Steinmeyer (RBI-single) and Salotti (RBI-double), respectively. The Highlanders got their final run of the game in the sixth on a leadoff home run from Matt Cunningham.

After allowing Everet Rincon and Wilson to reach base with one out in the eighth inning, Simmons was pulled in favor of Adam Reifer, who quickly induced two fly-ball outs to end the Sacramento State threat. Anthony Claggett pitched a perfect ninth inning for his third save of the season.

Katz (1-4) took the loss, allowing five runs and nine hits over six innings. Marshall Hendon kept the Hornets close by pitching three innings of no-hit ball in relief of Katz. In fact, Hendon would have retired the side in order in all three innings of his outing except for a Hornet error in the seventh inning.

Joining Salotti with multiple-hit games for UC Riverside were Brett Bigler (2-4) and Cunningham (2-4).

Sacramento State and UC Riverside resume their brief two-game series tomorrow (Saturday, March 12) at Hornet Field at 1 p.m.