Freshman outfielder Kyle Moses went 3-for-5 but the Hornets lost to CSUN on Sunday.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Cal State Northridge's Kyle Williams smacked a three-run home run in the second inning and the Sacramento State baseball team lost the rubber match of a three-game series with the Matadors, 5-3, on Sunday afternoon at John Smith Field.
The Hornets (1-2) tallied nine hits in the game but left seven men on base. The Matadors (2-1) compiled five runs on eight hits, but it was Williams' big fly in the second inning that broke the game open early. Cal State Northridge never trailed after the home run.
Sacramento State had chances but CSUN pitchers got out of tricky jams on two occassions. In the sixth inning with two outs, Trevor Paine singled to drive home Kyle Moses and move Derrick Chung to third. Clay Cederquist walked to load the bases and the Matadors made a pitching change but reliever Brandon Warner forced a line out to left to end the inning. In the ninth, David Del Grande walked to lead off but closer Jacob Leyba tallied a line out to left and then forced a double play ball to end the game. The Hornets had innings end on double plays twice in the game.
Moses, a freshman outfielder, went 3-for-5 with two runs scored at the leadoff position to pace the Hornets while fellow freshman, third baseman Rhys Hoskins, went 2-for-2 with a run in his collegiate debut.
Sacramento State starter Zach Morgan took the loss after allowing four runs on three hits and three walks in four innings with three strikeouts. Freshman reliever Brennan Leitao gave up one run on four hits in four innings with three strikeouts in his first career appearance while senior R.J. Davis surrendered one hit in one inning in his Sacramento State debut. Davis, a Florin HS graduate, redshirted last season after transferring from Oral Roberts.
Cal State Northridge was led at the plate by Williams, who had two bunt singles in addition to his three-run home run. Starter Jacob Petersen earned the win for the Matadors after going 5.2 innings with three runs on eight hits while Leyba recorded the save.
Sacramento State is back in action tomorrow at John Smith Field with a 2 p.m. first pitch against Saint Mary's.
Cal State Northridge 5, Sacramento State 3 (Feb 19, 2012 at Sacramento, Calif.)
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Cal State Northridge 030 100 010 - 5 8 0 (2-1)
Sacramento State.... 110 001 000 - 3 9 1 (1-2)
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Pitchers: Cal State Northridge - Petersen, Jacob; Warner, Brandon(6); Leyba, Jacob(9).
Sacramento State - Morgan, Zach; Leitao, Brennan(5); Davis, R.J.(9).
Win-Petersen, Jacob(1-0) Save-Leyba, Jacob(1) Loss-Morgan, Zach(0-1) T-2:36 A-283
HR CSUN - Williams, Miles.
Weather: 58 degrees, sunny, WSW 4 MPH
Game: 03CSUN12
