SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Sacramento State men's baseball team dropped a doubleheader to the Gonzaga Bulldogs on Saturday, March 22 at Hornet Field. Game one saw the Bulldogs win 9-5, and they followed it up with an 18-12 game two victory.
With the results of the day, the Hornets fell to 5-14, while the Zags improved to 15-8.
In game one, Gonzaga struck for a run in each of the first two innings, on a RBI double by Marcus McKimmy in the first and a single by McKimmy in the second. The Hornets struck back for a run in the bottom of the third, as senior David Flores connected on a RBI double, scoring fellow senior Ryan Blair to close the gap to 2-1.
Gonzaga had three runners cross the board in the fifth inning to take a 5-1 advantage, as three different Bulldogs connected on RBI base hits. The Hornets answered right back with three of their own in the sixth inning, as senior Jeff Hannah smashed a two-run double down the right field line, and junior Blake Crosby hit a RBI single, pulling the Hornets back to within a run at 5-4.
The Zags answered back in their next time at the plate, as with the bases loaded, McKimmy delivered again, this time with a bases clearing double, giving him five RBI in the game and his team an 8-4 advantage. The Hornets manufactured a run in the bottom half of the inning, as Flores walked to lead off the inning, and was brought home on a double by junior Gabe Jacobo, closing the gap to 8-5. But it would be as close as Sacramento State would get, as Gonzaga added an insurance run in the top of the ninth to account for the final margin of 9-5.
Matt Fields (3-1) pitched 5.1 innings, giving up four runs on nine hits with one walk and three strikeouts, picking up the win. Cody Martin came on to pitch the eighth and ninth innings, collecting his second save of the series and fourth of the season. Hornet sophomore Trevor York (0-4) threw 4.1 innings, allowing five runs, four earned, on 10 hits, walking two while striking out three. McKimmy finished the contest 3-for-6 with five RBI for the Zags, while Blair, Jacobo, and sophomore Tim Wheeler each provided two hits to pace the Hornets.
Game two was all about offense from the start, as the teams traded runs early and often. Gonzaga kicked off the scoring in the top of the first, as McKimmy connected on a RBI single, and Jason Chatwood scored on a double play, making the score 2-0.
The Hornets then scored the games next seven runs, scoring three in the bottom of the first and four in the bottom of the second. With runners on second and third with one out, Jacobo hit a two-run double to center, scoring Crosby and Blair to tie the score at 2-2. The bases were loaded later in the innings with two down, and freshman Derrick Chung secured his first career RBI, after being hit by a pitch, giving the Hornets the 3-2 lead. They extended it in the second, as with one out, three straight batters were hit by Gonzaga starter Cory Powell, loading the bases. Reliever Chris Highmark then uncorked a wild pitch, allowing Crosby to score, which was then followed by a two-run single by Wheeler, making the score 6-2. Wheeler then stole second and third, and was brought in on a RBI single by Hannah, giving the Hornets a 7-2 lead.
Gonzaga came back, however, as they scored the game's next eight runs, two in the third, five in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a 10-7 lead. McKimmy provided a RBI single in the third, and a RBI double in the fourth, as Gonzaga had six different players produce RBI during the run. Sacramento State then tied the game at 10-10 in the fifth, as the Bulldogs defense committed three errors in the inning, The lone Hornet RBI in the inning game from senior Brian Boyd, whose single scored Hannah, who had reached base after the pitcher Highmark was unable to hold on to an underhand flip from first baseman Ryan Wiegand.
The Zags pulled away, scoring four runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings against the Hornet 'pen, taking an 18-10 lead into the middle of the seventh. Sacramento State was then able to score one run in both the seventh in and the eighth innings, as senior Brett Tanigawa collected a pinch hit RBI on a fielders choice in the seventh, and Crosby scored on a double play in the eighth, accounting for the final margin of 18-12.
The Hornets produced 10 hits in the game, but the Zags had 20 hits in producing their 18 runs. Neither starting pitcher factored in the decision, as Highmark (1-2) picked up the win in relief, while freshman Trevor Paine (1-1) picked up the loss for the Hornets. Mark Castellitto was 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI in the contest, while Wiegand went 4-for-6 with three RBI. The Hornets got two hits and two RBI apiece from Jacobo and Wheeler. Chung, who started the game at second base, shut the Bulldogs down over the final 2.1 innings on the hill, allowing one hit while striking out one without surrendering a walk.
Sacramento State returns to action on Tuesday, March 25 as they host regional rival Stanford at 2 p.m. at Hornet Field.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. 
