RENO, Nev. - The Sacramento State baseball team dropped a 14-5 decision to the Nevada Wolf Pack in game one of a four-game Western Athletic Conference series on Friday, May 9 at Peccole Park.
With the loss, the Hornets fall to 20-28 on the season, 11-13 in WAC play, while the Wolf Pack improve to 29-19, 16-9 in the WAC.
The Hornet bats were hot early, as the team jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first. With one out, senior Ryan Blair singled through the right side, and then scored on the 23rd double of the season by senior David Flores. Later in the inning, sophomore Tim Wheeler doubled home Flores, giving the Hornets a 2-0 lead.
The Wolf Pack responded in their half of the first, as Terry Walsh connected on a two-out RBI single, which as followed by Shaun Kort scoring on a Hornet error, and then a two-run double by Kevin Rodland, giving Nevada a 4-2 lead.
The Hornets would fight back, retaking the lead in the top of the second. Senior Travis Kirkman was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and was then sacrificed to second on a bunt by junior Hunter Martinez. That brought up Blair, who singled for the second straight inning, scoring Kirkman to pull the Hornets to within one. Flores was then hit by a pitch, setting the school's career record, as he has now been hit by a pitch 37 times in his career, with this free pass advancing Blair to second. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, allowing junior Gabe Jacobo to single home Blair to tie the score at 4-4. The Hornets then took the lead at 5-4 on a RBI ground out by senior Wes Oberlin, which scored Flores for the second straight inning.
The Hornets had five hits through the first two innings, but would only chalk one more up during the remainder of the game. Nevada tied the score in the bottom of the second on a lead off home run by Jason Sadoian, and took the lead for good in the on a RBI ground out by Walsh in the fourth, on which Flores made an impressive bare-handed stab to nail him of an infield hit. The Wolf Pack tacked on an additional run in the inning, scored two more in the sixth on a Mike Hale home run, three more in the seventh including Sadoian's second solo home run, and two addition in the eighth to account for the final margin of 14-5.
Senior Alvaro Orozco (4-2) picked up the loss for the Hornets, allowing seven runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings in relief of junior starter Jose Ramirez, who allowed five runs on five hits with four walks in 1.1 innings. Rod Scurry (5-6) picked up the win for the Wolf Pack, allowing just one hit over his final six innings of work, recording seven strike outs, all of which took place in his last four innings of work.
Flores was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a RBI to pace the Hornets at the plate, while Blair finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and a RBI. Sadoian and Walsh each finished with three RBI, with Sadoian posting a 4-for-6 day, while tripling his home run total on the season to three.
The two teams will be back in action with a day-night doubleheader, starting at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 at Peccole Park.
RENO, Nev. 
