The victory lifted the Hornets’ record to 7-3 this season. It also marked the team’s fourth-straight win and completed a three-game sweep against Centenary. The series sweep was the first for Sacramento State since taking three games from New Mexico State on Mar. 20-22, 1998. The Gentlemen fell to 4-10.

After Centenary tied the game with three runs in the eight inning, the Gents brought reliever Robbie Buhl into the game to start the bottom of the eighth. Buhl opened the inning by striking out Danny Gill. He then walked Tito Barba before getting Tim Reimer to hit a chopper to third. On the play, third baseman Ryan Green charged the ball but had it bounce out of his glove to put runners on first and second. Freshman Everet Rincon singled to left to load the bases for the team’s leading hitter, Chris Kinsey. Buhl, however, worked Kinsey inside forcing the sophomore to pop-up to second base for the second out. Celillo kept the Hornet rally alive when he flared a 2-2 pitch into shallow right field to score Barba and Reimer.

Centenary had an opportunity in the ninth when Dusty Decker walked Patrick Beale to start the inning. Decker, however, struck out Green and Andrew Collup looking before B.J. Grenda grounded to short to end the game.

The Gents started the game’s scoring with a run in the first inning on an infield single by Larry Branson which scored Mark Williams. The Hornets plated two runs in the second on a single by Bret LeVier and an error which allowed a run to score. The team’s lead was short-lived as Centenary led off the third inning with a solo home run by Beale and later scored a run on a Grenda double.

Sacramento State tied the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the third when Matt Wilson hit a sacrifice fly to left field which scored Casey Fuller. The Hornets took a 6-3 advantage in the fifth inning when LeVier hit a bases-loaded double to center.

Sacramento State starter Chris Kinsey kept the Gents at bay until the eighth inning. Kinsey gave up back-to-back singles to Green and Collup to open the inning. He then struck out Grenda but Branson followed with a double to left which scored Green. With runners at second and third, the Hornets turned the game over to Steve Cuckovich. The junior surrendered a single to Tony Cardone and a double to Seth Winterer which tied the game. Dusty Decker replaced Cuckovich and stopped the damage by striking out Dan Davenport and getting a grounder to short.

Decker threw 1.2 innings to earn his first win of the season. Buhl fell to 0-2 with the loss.

Sacramento State will next travel to Santa Clara on Tuesday, Feb. 26. The team’s next home game will be Sunday, Mar. 3, at 1 p.m. against San Francisco.

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