BASEBALL POSTS THIRD STRAIGHT VICTORY WITH 10-3 DECISION OVER SAN FRANCISCO STATE

4/6/2010

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Senior Robert Butler gave the Hornets eight solid innings on the hill, while junior Kirby Young went 3-for-4 with 5 RBI, as the Sacramento State baseball team defeated San Francisco State by a score of 10-3 on Tuesday, April 6.

With the victory, the Hornets improve to 11-15-1 while the Gators fall to 17-21.

All of the runs Sacramento State would need came in the bottom of the third, as four runs crossed home plate on five hits and four SFSU errors. Junior Kyle Baskett drove in the first run of the inning with a RBI single, and was followed by freshman Andrew Ayers, who notched a RBI single of his own to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead. Later in the inning, Young provided the Hornets their third run with a RBI sac fly, and junior Trevor Paine finished the scoring with a RBI single to left, giving Sacramento State a 4-0 lead.

San Francisco State would get all three runs that they scored over the course of one inning, the top of the fourth. Ryan Williams drove in the first run with a RBI groundout, and Sean Proni followed with a RBI single, cutting the Hornet lead to 4-2. The lead shrank to 4-3 after the next batter, Brian Bianchi, provided a RBI single to right field.

But that would be as close as the Gators could get, as the Hornets posted three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to increase their lead back to four runs at 7-3. Senior Justin Mezzaneras walked to lead off the inning, and was immediately driven in on a RBI double by Baskett. Two batters later, freshman Blake Miller provided a RBI double down the left-field line, platting Baskett. Miller came around to score on a RBI triple by Young, increasing the Hornet lead to four runs.

More insurance came in the bottom of the sixth, as with two down, Miller reached on a bunt single, and after senior Josh Powers was hit by a pitch for the 10th time this season, Young drove both runners home with a RBI double to right field. The lead increased to 10-3 in the eighth as with two down again, Powers singled to left and came home on a RBI double by Young, accounting for the final margin of 10-3.

Butler (1-0) picked up the win for the Hornets in what was his strongest outing of the season, allowing just four hits, which all came in the three-run fourth inning, over eight innings. He struck out six batters, walked just one and hit one batter. Freshman Jason Hampton pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning, sealing the Hornet win. A.J. Comaskey (0-4) picked up the loss for the Gators, allowing four runs, of which just one was earned, on six hits in three innings of work.

Young finished the day 3-for-4 with two doubles, a triple, and five runs batted in. Young now boasts a team-leading 31 RBI on the season. Paine extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a 2-for-5 performance at the plate, and increased his batting average for the season to .395. Baskett and Miller also finished the day with two hits apiece for the Hornets.

Sacramento State returns to action on Wednesday, April 7 as they take on the San Francisco Dons. First pitch from San Francisco is scheduled for 2:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on www.hornetsports.com.