HINKLE DOUBLES AND KATZ STRIKES OUT NINE, BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH IN LOSS TO PACIFIC
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - In his final outing as a Hornet, senior right-hander Ethan Katz pitched eight innings and collected a season-high nine strikeouts, although his performance was not enough as Sacramento State fell 4-1 to Pacific on Friday afternoon at Hornet Field.In just two seasons with the Hornets, Katz will finish his career with a 15-14 record . The Los Angeles, native sits eighth in program history with a 157 career strikeouts and sits 10th in program history having pitched 205.2 innings.
Katz allowed just four runs on seven hits in the loss, but it was his counterpart, the Tigers’ Luke Massetti (7-6), who held the Sacramento State offense to just one run on three hits.
Massetti pitched a complete game and retired the side in order in six innings while collecting three strikeouts.
Pacific, now 25-28 on the season, was aided in the second inning when center fielder Ramon Glasgow singled to center field scoring Brett Manning and Will Brindza.
With a 2-0 lead, the Tigers added a run in the third when a RBI-single from Manning scored Brandon Gottier for the 3-0 lead. Manning led Pacific’s offense, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Sacramento State (20-34-1) brought the score to within 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh, when senior second baseman Cliff Hinkle doubled to right center and then scored off a single from junior Brian Blauser. For Hinkle, it was his first double of the season.
The Tigers added their fourth run in the top of the eighth when third baseman Justin Baum doubled to score Matt Berezay.
Katz ends 2005 with a 6-9 record and a 4.52 ERA having pitched a team-high 95.2 innings and recording a team-high 67 strikeouts.
The Hornets and Tigers will continue their three-game series at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Hornet Field. Sunday’s game will also be a 1 p.m. start with senior festivities kicking off at 12:45 p.m. as Sacramento State honors 11 departing seniors.
