CHUNG AND HOSKINS HOMER IN BASEBALL'S FIFTH STRAIGHT VICTORY, 13-3, AT UTAH VALLEY
3/22/2012
Derrick Chung hit his first home run since 2010 in the Hornets' victory on Thursday night.
OREM, Utah - Senior Derrick Chung and freshman Rhys Hoskins each hit home runs in an eight-run third inning and the Sacramento State baseball team won its fifth straight game, 13-3, on Thursday night at Brent Brown Ballpark.
The Hornets (12-11) tallied 13 runs on a season-high 19 hits with no errors while Utah Valley (7-11) tallied three runs on six hits with two errors in its home opener. The Wolverines played their first 17 games on the road.
Sacramento State has scored 34 runs while hitting .357 as a team over its five-game winning streak, the longest by the Hornets since 2009. Sophomore Justin Higley is hitting a team-high .500 in that stretch. Freshman Rhys Hoskins, who leads the team with a .394 batting average overall this season, is third, hitting .455 in the last five games.
The duo was red hot once again on Thursday against the Wolverines. The Jesuit High School graduates combined to go 7-of-10 with five RBIs and three runs scored. Hoskins had three of those RBIs on a home run in the Hornets' big third inning.
Hoskins led off the inning with a single up the middle and, after a single by senior Trevor Paine and a fly out, he scored on junior Andrew Ayers' sacrifice fly to left. With two outs and just one man on base, it looked like the Wolverines would get out of the inning after minimal damage. But the Hornets were just getting started.
Higley smacked a double to right center to drive home Paine and freshman Scotty Burcham followed with another double to bring in Higley. Utah Valley pulled reliever Ryan Chadwick and put in Chris Kerns but it didn't stop the bleeding. Senior Derrick Chung hit Kerns' third pitch over the wall in left center for a two-run home run. It was the Cypress, Calif., native's first home run since the 2010 season.
With the bases cleared, sophomore David Del Grande reached on a throwing error by the third baseman before Will Soto drew a walk. Hoskins, who started the inning with a single, took a 2-1 pitch deep to dead center for a three-run home run in the next at-bat. It was his team-best fourth big fly of the season.
Sacramento State scored seven of its eight runs in the third inning with two outs. The Hornets pulled off a similar feat against Darmouth on Sunday, when they tallied six runs with two outs in the seventh inning.
The Hornets' crooked number in the third came after tallying three runs on three hits in the second inning. The Hornets eventually tacked on single runs in the seventh and eighth, but they were not needed, as sophomore Tanner Mendonca was strong on the mound.
Mendonca (3-3) earned the win after surrendering three runs on just five hits in eight innings with six strikeouts and three walks. He retired the side in order in the first, fifth and eighth innings. Senior catcher Brent Hottman, who never before pitched in a collegiate game, relieved Mendonca in the ninth and gave up only one hit while throwing 14 pitches.
Utah Valley used six pitchers in the game and all but two gave up at least two runs. Starter Blake Krahenbuhl (1-3) took the loss after allowing three runs on three hits in 1.2 innings.
Game two of the three-game set at Utah Valley is at 5 p.m. PT tomorrow. The Hornets and Wolverines conclude the series at 11 a.m. on Saturday.
