BASEBALL HAS BATS AWAKEN IN DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP OF SAN JOSE STATE.
5/1/2010
SAN JOSE, Calif. - After averaging just two runs per game over their last five Western Athletic Conference matchups, the Sacramento State baseball team saw its offense burst out of the slump with a combined 19 runs in a doubleheader sweep of San Jose State on Saturday afternoon.
With the victories, a 7-4 triumph in game one and a 12-3 victory in game two which was scheduled for seven innings, the Hornets improve to 16-23-1 on the season, 5-6 in WAC play, while the Spartans fell to 16-25, 4-7 inside of the WAC.
In game one, Sacramento State opened the scoring in the top of the second, as with junior Jake Chilton on second base and two out, junior Kyle Baskett connected on a RBI double to left-center, scoring Chilton, to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead. Junior Kirby Young then followed with a RBI single, scoring Baskett from second to increase the lead to 2-0.
The lead grew to 3-0 in the top of the fourth, as senior Josh Powers connected on a RBI single off of the glove of Spartan third baseman Corey Valine, scoring Baskett, who had singled to lead off the inning. The lead grew to 7-0 in the top of the sixth, as Baskett walked, Young was hit by a pitch and freshman Blake Miller walked, loading the bases. After Powers popped out to second base, junior Trevor Paine hit the first pitch he saw deep over the center field fence for his first career grand slam, giving the Hornets a seven run cushion.
San Jose State broke through for three runs in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the lead to 7-3 with two out and two runners on, forcing the Hornets to bring in junior closer Andrew Galvan in a situation where he would need 10 outs to complete the save. He got out of the sixth unscathed, and the Spartans would not rally again until the bottom of the ninth, as after one run was in and the tying run was at the plate, he forced Alex Sofranac to fly out to center fielder Justin Mezzaneras to end the game at 7-4 in favor of the Hornets.
Senior Robert Butler (2-1) picked up the win for the Hornets in game one, allowing three runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings of work. Galvan picked up his sixth save, allowing one run on two hits in 3.1 innings of work. Blake McFarland (5-2) picked up the loss for the Spartans, allowing two runs on six hits in 2.1 innings of work.
The offense came early and often in game two for the Hornets, which included a four run first inning, with all of the runs coming with two down. Paine started the scoring with a RBI single, and after a double by Powers, junior A.J. Nunez hit a two-run single through the right side, and moved all the way to third on a fielding error by Spartan left fielder Tim Quiery. Mezzaneras then brought Nunez in from third with a RBI single to left, giving the Hornets a 4-0 lead.
After junior Brandon Sandoval sent the Spartans down in order in the bottom of the first, the Hornets scored three more runs in the top of the second to take a 7-0 advantage. After freshman Andrew Ayers and Miller each walked, Young hit a three-run shot over the center field fence, increasing the Hornet lead to seven runs. The lead moved to 8-0 in the top of the third, as after Mezzanares walked to lead off the inning, Ayers doubled him home, moving the advantage to eight runs.
After the Spartans got a run back with an unearned run in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 8-1, the Hornets increased the lead to 10-1 in the top of the fifth, as Ayers connected on his second straight double, this time driving in two runs to push the lead to nine runs. San Jose State pushed a pair across the board in the bottom of the sixth to pull to within 10-3, but the Hornets were not done for the day.
In the top of the seventh, sophomore Justin Lamb hit a towering solo home run to left-center field to increase the Hornet lead to 11-3, and later in the inning with the bases loaded, Paine reached on an infield single, scoring Ayers to account for the final margin of 12-3.
Sandoval (2-2) threw seven innings in his second start back from injury, picking up a complete game while allowing just two earned runs. John Austin (1-5) picked up the loss for the Spartans, lasting just one inning while allowing four runs, three of which were earned, on four hits.
Offensively on the day, five Hornet hitters hit above .500, led by Paine and Powers, who each recorded five hits. Paine led all batters with six RBI, while Young finished with four hits and four RBI. Baskett finished 3-for-6 with a RBI and three runs scored, while Mezzaneras finished 3-for-5 with a RBI, two walks and one hit by a pitch. Each Hornet to bat over the two games reached base, with 10 Hornets finishing the day with at least one hit.
Karson Klauer and Alex Sofranac led the Spartans with four hits apiece on the day, with Klauer and Breyon Canez each added two RBI apiece for San Jose State.
The two teams will close out the four-game series tomorrow in San Jose. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - After averaging just two runs per game over their last five Western Athletic Conference matchups, the Sacramento State baseball team saw its offense burst out of the slump with a combined 19 runs in a doubleheader sweep of San Jose State on Saturday afternoon.
