Brandon Creel pitched three innings of one-hit ball in relief but the Hornets lost to Minnesota.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The Sacramento State baseball team dropped another close game, this time 3-1 to Minnesota on Wednesday afternoon at John Smith Field. All but two of the Hornets' 17 games this season have been decided by two runs or less.
The Hornets fall to 4-13 on the season while Minnesota, of the Big Ten Conference, improves to 6-7.
Starting pitcher Karl Maas (1-2) took the loss for the Hornets as the senior allowed three runs on six hits over six innings with two strikeouts and no walks. Minnesota starter Tom Windle (2-0) earned the win as he surrendered just one run on four hits in five innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Reliever Scott Matyas pitched a perfect ninth inning to earn his fourth save of the season.
Carter Loud led the Hornets with two hits and the team's lone RBI while Dan Olinger led the Golden Golphers with two hits and two RBIs.
Minnesota, which was scheduled to play its home games at the Metrodome this season, has played all of its contests on the road so far this season after the dome's roof collapsed in December from heavy snow. The Golden Gophers played a three-game neutral-site set with Gonzaga over the weekend at John Smith Field.
On Wednesday at John Smith Field, the Hornets struck first. After Andrew Ayers led off with a double down the left field line, Loud singled home the game's first run as the Hornets took a 1-0 lead. Maas cruised through the first five innings and the Hornets' best starter in terms of ERA looked strong.
But a big inning for the Golden Golphers, all with two outs, in the sixth turned the tables.
Minnesota's Trip Schultz doubled down the left field line and Kyle Geason took first after he was hit by a pitch in the next at-bat. First baseman Olinger snuck a triple just inside the right field line, bring both Schultz and Geason home. Olinger scored on a wild pitch in the next at-bat.
That would be enough as the Hornets could not get another run on the board in the 3-1 loss.
Sacramento State and Minnesota will meet up again at 2 p.m. on Thursday at John Smith Field.
