THREE BIG INNINGS COST BASEBALL IN LOSS TO LOUISIANA TECH
5/7/2010
RUSTON, La. - The Sacramento State baseball team fell to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs by a score of 17-11 in game one of a Western Athletic Conference series at J.C. Love Field.
With the loss, the Hornets fall to 16-26-1, 5-8 in WAC play, while the Bulldogs improved to 22-22, 7-10 inside the WAC.
Sacramento State took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, as junior Trevor Paine hit a three-run homer to right-center, his eighth of the season. The lead held until the bottom of the fourth, when the Bulldogs scored four runs to take a one run lead, which included a three-run double by Ashton Hughes and a RBI single by Kyle Roliard.
The Hornets retook a 5-4 lead in the top of the fifth, as freshman Andrew Ayers scored on a fielding error by the Bulldogs, and junior Kirby Young provided a RBI groundout. But the lead was shortlived, as Louisiana Tech scored seven runs in the bottom half of the inning on six hits, taking an 11-5 lead.
The score remained that way until the top of the seventh, as the Hornets got a pair of two run homers by junior Trevor Bloom and sophomore Justin Lamb to cut the lead to 11-9. Sacramento State would pull the game to within a run in the top of the eighth on a RBI single by Paine, trailing just 11-10 entering the bottom of the eighth.
But, Louisiana Tech mustered six more runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 17-10 lead. The Hornets struck for one more run in the top of the ninth on a fielder's choice groundout by Lamb, but a bases loaded double play would end the game at 17-11.
Will Alvis (1-1) picked up the victory in relief for the Bulldogs, allowing four runs, two earned, on three hits in 2.2 innings, striking out five. Sophomore Jesse Darrah (3-5) picked up the loss for the Hornets, allowing six runs on 10 hits in four innings. Caleb Dudley (2) picked up the save for Louisiana Tech, allowing one run on three hits in 1.1 innings.
Senior Josh Powers and Paine led the Hornets with three hits apiece, with Paine driving in four and Powers scoring three runs and connecting on a pair of doubles. Lamb finished with three RBI, and connected on his fourth home run of the season. The top five batters in the Louisiana Tech lineup each finished with at least three hits.
The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, May 8th beginning at 1 p.m. CDT.
RUSTON, La. - The Sacramento State baseball team fell to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs by a score of 17-11 in game one of a Western Athletic Conference series at J.C. Love Field.
