JACOBO'S SEVEN RBI DAY LEADS BASEBALL TO DOUBLEHEADER SPLIT AGAINST NEVADA

5/10/2008

RENO, Nev. - The Sacramento State baseball team split a day-night doubleheader with the Nevada Wolf Pack, falling in game one 6-5 before posting a 13-4 game two victory on Saturday, May 10 at Peccole Park.

With the day's action, the Hornets move their record to 21-29 on the season, 12-14 in Western Athletic Conference play, while Nevada moves to 30-20 overall, 17-10 in the WAC.

In game one, the Hornets opened the scoring in the top of the first, as following a pair of base hits by seniors Taylor Watanabe and Ryan Blair and a sacrifice bunt by fellow senior David Flores, junior Gabe Jacobo provided a RBI ground out, giving the Hornets a 1-0 lead. The lead increased to two runs in the top of the second, as senior Wes Oberlin connected on his 11th home run of the season to left field, making the score 2-0 in favor of Sacramento State.

Nevada got a run back in the bottom of the third on their first hit of the game, as Tyson Jaquez connected on his fifth home run of the season to left field, pulling the Wolf Pack to within a run at 2-1. Nevada tied the score up in the bottom of the fourth, as following a single from Jason Rodriguez and a double by Shawn Kort, Terry Walsh provided a RBI ground out, tying the score at 2-2.

Sacramento State then retook the lead in the top of the fifth, as Flores connected on a RBI single, scoring junior Blake Crosby, who had led off the inning with a single, making the score 3-2. Later in the inning, Blair scored an unearned run on a Wolf Pack error, pushing the advantage to 4-2. The Wolf Pack tied the score with one swing of the bat in the bottom of the seventh, as Jaquez hit his second home run of the ball game, a two-run shot to left center field, tieing the game at 4-4.

The top of the eighth saw the Hornets regain the lead, as Flores led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch before taking third base on a sacrifice bunt by Jacobo. Sophomore Tim Wheeler then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, scoring Flores to give the Hornets a 5-4 lead.

The Wolf Pack, however, were not done, as they scored in the bottom of the ninth on back-to-back RBI singles by Jason Sadoian and Matt Bowman to give Nevada a 6-5 win. Junior Jeff Roth (2-3) picked up the loss for the Hornets, allowing two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Kyle Howe (8-1) picked up the win for Nevada, throwing a complete game six-hitter, allowing five runs, four earned, while striking out six.

Game two started much the same way as game one, as Sacramento State scored a run in the top of the first for the third straight game. Blair provided a one out single, advanced to second base on a stolen base and third on a throwing error, and was driven in on a single by Flores, giving the Hornets a 1-0 advantage. The advantage stretched in the top of the second, as Roth, serving as the designated hitter, singled home Wheeler, who had doubled off the wall, to increase the lead to two runs.

The Hornets opened up the contest in the fifth, as they pushed five runs across to take a 7-0 lead. In the inning, Blair was awarded a RBI after reaching on a fielders choice, while Jacobo proved a two-run double and Oberlin connected on a two-run single. The lead increased to 10-0 in the sixth as Crosby and freshman Brent Hottman connected on back-to-back doubles, Flores provided a sacrifice fly RBI and Jacobo connected on a RBI single.

Nevada extended the game in the seventh on a three-run home run by Travis Simas, cutting the lead to 10-3. The Hornets immediately pushed the advantage back to three in the top of the eighth, as Jacobo hit a three-run shot of his own to left-center, his 13th of the season, giving the Hornets a 13-3 advantage. The Wolf Pack scored one more run in the bottom of the eighth to account for the final margin of 13-4.

Junior Brian Smith (4-1) picked up the win, allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings, striking out four. Brock Stassi was awarded the loss after allowing six runs, five earned, on seven hits in 4.1 innings of work.

Sacramento State was led by Jacobo on the day, as he went 3-for-8 with seven runs batted in, while Flores went 3-for-6 with three RBI. Nevada collected three home runs and six RBI on the day from their two catchers, Jaquez and Simas.

The two teams will finish the four-game set on Sunday, May, 11 at 1 p.m. at Peccole Park.