Tanner Mendonca allowed just two earned runs in 6.1 innings but took the loss at UCSB.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Down two runs in the ninth inning, the Sacramento State baseball team had the bases loaded with just one out but UC Santa Barbara was able to turn a 6-4-3 double play to cut the comeback short and the Hornets lost the first of a three-game set, 4-2, to the Gauchos.
The Hornets fall to 3-7 on the season while the Gauchos improve to 4-3. UCSB is undefeated at home this season, bumping its record up to 4-0 at Cesar Uyesaka Stadium.
Sacramento State has had nine of its 10 games this season decided by two runs or less.
The Hornets were held scoreless through the first seven innings by UCSB starting pitcher Jesse Meaux but in the eighth inning, Hunter Adrian took Meaux deep over the right field fence for his first home run in a Hornets uniform.
It was 3-0 before Adrian's home run cut the UCSB lead to just two, but in the bottom of the eighth the Gauchos added an insurance run to push their lead back to three runs at 4-1.
In the ninth inning, Blake Miller led off with a single to left field and Eli Davis followed suit with his own single to left in the next at-bat. Andrew Ayers loaded the bases with another single to left field and the Hornets had three abord with no outs after three straight hits off Meaux.
Derrick Chung then hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Miller from third and advance Davis from second, making it 4-2 UCSB with two on and one out.
UCSB pulled Meaux for reliever Conner Whalen, but his stay on the mound would be short-lived. Whalen walked Kirby Young to load the bases once again and was yanked for reliever Greg Davis. It proved to be a wise move, as Davis forced Trevor Paine into the game-ending double play.
As a team, the Hornets scored two runs on six hits with no errors. Sacramento State drew one walk while striking out eight times.
Adrian went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead the Hornets, including his home run in the eighth inning. Adrian has now has four hits in his last seven at-bats after posting just one hit in his first eight. He has struck out just three times. His shot to right was Sacramento State's third home run this season.
On the mound, Sacramento State starter Tanner Mendonca earned the loss, dropping his record to 1-1. The freshman pitched 6.1 innings with three runs (two earned/passed ball), eight hits, four walks and five strikeouts.
The Gauchos were led by catcher Dan Camou's two RBIs, going 2-of-4 at the plate. Meaux (1-1) earned the win while pitching 8.1 innings with six hits, two runs, eight strike outs and no walks. Davis earned the save, his first of the season.
The Hornets will play game two of the three-game series with UC Santa Barbara at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Dallas Chadwick will be on the bump for Sacramento State.
UC Santa Barbara 4, Sacramento State 2 (Mar 04, 2011 at Santa Barbara, Calif)
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Sacramento State.... 000 000 011 - 2 6 0 (3-7)
UC Santa Barbara.... 000 101 11X - 4 9 0 (4-3)
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Pitchers: Sacramento State - Mendonca, Tanner; Chamberlin, James(7). UC Santa Barbara -
Meaux, Jesse; Whalen, Connor(9); Davis, Greg(9).
Win-Meaux, Jesse(1-1) Save-Davis, Greg(1) Loss-Mendonca, Tanner(1-1) T-2:24 A-378
HR SAC - Adrian, Hunter (1).
Weather: sunny, some clouds, mid-60s
