NUNEZ PROVIDES WALKOFF HIT AS BASEBALL DEFEATS UC DAVIS 7-6

3/7/2010

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Junior A.J. Nunez made the most of his first career start in the Green and Gold, connecting on a RBI single with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, which scored freshman pinch runner Andrew Ayers and gave the Sacramento State baseball team a 7-6 victory over the UC Davis Aggies on Sunday afternoon.

With the win the Hornets improve to 4-5 on the season, while UC Davis falls to 6-6.

After trailing 5-2 in the middle of the fifth inning, the Hornets plated runs in four of their final five innings to pull out the victory. After tying the score at 5-5 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run single by junior Jake Chilton, the Hornets would go on to take the lead in the bottom of the seventh, as Nunez hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring sophomore Justin Lamb and giving his club a 6-5 lead. UC Davis would tie the contest in the top of the eighth, as leadoff man Seth Batty reached on a bunt single, stole second base, advanced to third on a fly out and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Justin Schafter.

The score remained tied at 6-6 entering the bottom of the ninth, setting the stage for the walk off heroics. Lamb started the inning with a single through the left side, and after he was lifted for the pinch runner Ayers, junior Brent Hottman laid down a successful sacrifice bunt, advancing Ayers to second. Following a ground out, and with Ayers still on second base, Nunez took a 2-0 offering from UC Davis reliever Sean Watson and drilled it through the left side of the infield, scoring Ayers from second and giving the Hornets the 7-6 victory.

The final few exciting innings were preceded by a both pitching staffs having difficulty finding the strike zone. UC Davis' pitching staff walked nine batters and hit one Hornet hitter, while the Hornet staff walked four and hit five Aggie batters. Six of the 13 runs that came across home plate in the game were batters who reached base by either walking or being hit by a pitch.

Junior Andrew Galvan (1-0) pitched tremendously out of the Hornet bullpen, allowing just one run on three hits over the final four innings, striking out three without surrending a walk. Watson (0-1) picked up the loss, allowing one run on two hits in 0.2 innings of work.

Four Hornets recorded multi-hit games, including Hottman, Lamb, Nunez, and senior Josh Powers. Junior Derrick Chung, Chilton and Nunez each drove in a pair of runs apiece.

UC Davis was led offensively by Scott Lyman, who was also their starting pitcher, as he went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI.

Sacramento State returns to action on Tuesday, March 9 as they host the Saint Mary's Gaels. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. from Hornet Field.