PITCHING HOLDS NEVADA TO FOUR HITS AND OFFENSE PRODUCES IN 6-4 SERIES OPENING VICTORY

5/14/2010

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Four pitchers combined to allow just four hits over nine innings, as the Sacramento State baseball team defeated the visiting Nevada Wolf Pack in game one of a four-game series at Hornet Field.

With the win, the Hornets improved to 17-29-1, 6-11 in Western Athletic Conference play, while the Wolf Pack fell to 27-19-1, 8-8-1 in the WAC.

Sacramento State opened the scoring in the bottom of the second, as with one out sophomore Justin Lamb homered to left-center, his seventh home run of the season, to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead. Nevada struck back in the top of the third, as Shaun Kort connected on a two out, two-run bloop single to left field, taking a 2-1 advantage.

The Hornets were then able to take advantage of some erratic Wolf Pack pitching, plating four runs on just one hit in the bottom of the third to take a lead they would never reliquish. Seniors Dan McCarthy and Josh Powers walked to lead off the inning, and with one down junior Jake Chilton walked to load the bases. Junior Trevor Paine earned a RBI on a walk that tied the score at 2-2, and then the Hornets took the lead on a RBI sacrifice fly off the bat of junior Kirby Young. After Lamb walked to reload the bases, senior Justin Mezzaneras connected on a RBI single through the left side, increasing the Hornet lead to 4-2 and keeping the bases loaded with two down. The final run of the inning came in as freshman Andrew Ayers drew a RBI walk, giving the Hornets a 5-2 lead.

Nevada cut the Hornet advantage to just a run in the top of the fifth, as Kort connected on a two-run homer to right field that made the score 5-4. The Hornets got a run in the bottom of the inning, as Lamb hit a one-out double down the left field line, advanced to third on a single by Mezzaneras, and scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Ayers, giving the Hornets a 6-4 lead. The Wolf Pack put the tying run aboard in the top of the seventh but failed to score, and again failed to score in the top of the ninth after bringing the tying run to the plate.

Sacramento State starter, senior Tommy Elrod, pitched well, allowing three runs on three hits in four innings of work while striking out four. Freshman Brandon Creel (3-0) earned the save out of the bullpen, allowing one run on one hit in 2.2 innings of work. Junior Logan Todd allowed just one baserunner in 1.2 innings of work, and junior Mike Guglielmo threw the final two outs to pick up his first save as a Hornet. Chris Garcia (6-3) picked up the loss for the Wolf Pack, allowing five runs on one hit in 2.2 innings, walking six batters.

Lamb, Mezzaneras, freshman Blake Miller, and Powers led the Hornets with two hits apiece, while Ayers led the Hornets in RBI with two. Kort led the Wolf Pack with a 2-for-4 day, driving in all four Nevada runs.

The two teams continue the series on Saturday, May 15 as they play a doubleheader. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., with a seven inning game two to follow 30 minutes after the end of the first game.