BASEBALL SCORES EARLY AND LATE BUT FALLS TO SAINT MARY'S 8-6

3/9/2010

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Sacramento State baseball team scored four runs in the bottom of the first and two runs in the bottom of the ninth, but fell to the Saint Mary's Gaels by a score of 8-6 on Tuesday, March 9.

With the loss, the Hornets fall to 4-6 on the season, while the Gaels improve to 4-6.

The Gaels opened the scoring in the top of the first, as Justin Fazio connected on a RBI single to left field. The inning could have bigger for Saint Mary's, as the single advanced Ryan Mulligan to third, but freshman Blake Miller took the cutoff throw, pump-faked toward second base and tossed the ball back to junior Derrick Chung, who tagged out Mulligan caught between third base and home.

Sacramento State then erupted for five hits in the bottom of the first, pushing four runs across the board against Saint Mary's starter Dylan Chavez, who lasted just the one inning. Junior Jake Chilton led off the inning with a single, and after a groundout, senior Josh Powers walked. Following a wild pitch, with Chilton moving to third and Powers advancing to second, junior Trevor Bloom singled to center field, plating Chilton to tie the score at 1-1. The Hornets then took the lead on a wild pitch which was coupled with a throwing error by Saint Mary's catcher Mulligan, allowing Powers to score and Bloom to advance to third.

Junior Derrick Chung then tripled to center field, scoring Bloom to give the Hornets a 3-1 lead. Junior Brent Hottman finished up the inning with a RBI single that scored Chung, giving Sacramento State a 4-1 advantage.

Saint Mary's fought back, scoring one run in the top of the second and two in the top of the third to tie the score at 4-4. The score remained that way until the top of the sixth, as with the bases loaded Gaels DH Cole Norton tripled to left center field, clearing the bases to give Saint Mary's a 7-4 advantage. Mikey Reynolds, the next batter, then singled home Norton, extended Saint Mary's lead to 8-4.

The Hornets then mounted a rally in the bottom of the ninth inning. Junior Kyle Baskett and Powers walked to start the inning, and following a strike out, Chung singled through the left side to loead the bases. Freshman Andrew Ayers, making his first start of the season, connected on a two-run single to center, pulling the Hornets to within two runs at 8-6. Junior Kirby Young then walked, loading the bases with two down for freshman Blake Miller. Miller worked the count to 3-2, but took a called third strike from reliever Brandon Berl, the lone batter he faced, to give the Gaels the victory.

Martin Agosta (1-0) came on in relief of Chavez, who was chased from the game following the first inning, and pitched well to pick up his first career win. The freshman allowed just two hits over 4.0 innings without surrendering a run. Agosta, in combination with Dorsey Ek, held the Hornets to just two hits between the second and eighth innings. Berl (1) picked up the save after striking out the lone batter he faced to end the game. Senior Trevor York (0-1) picked up the loss out of the Hornet pen, allowing four runs on four hits in 2.0 innings of work. Hornet freshman Jason Hampton started the ballgame, going 3.0 innings allowing four runs on nine hits.

Bloom, Chung, and Ayers led the Hornets offensively with two hits apiece, while Ayers posted a team-best two RBI. Saint Mary's was led by Norton, who was 3-for-4 with five RBI before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth.

The two team's will battle again at Hornet Field on Wednesday, March 10. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.