Freshman Rhys Hoskins had three RBIs but the Hornets lost at Utah Valley.
OREM, UTAH - The Sacramento State baseball team was done in by a big inning once again, as Utah Valley scored seven runs in the sixth inning and the Hornets lost, 13-8, to the Wolverines on Saturday afternoon at Brent Brown Ballpark.
Utah Valley used a seven-run fourth inning to defeat the Hornets, 10-6, yesterday.
On Saturday, the Hornets (12-13) had eight runs on 13 hits with one error. Utah Valley (9-11) posted 13 runs on 15 hits with one error.
The Hornets scored twice in the first inning and freshman starting pitcher Brennan Leitao was cruising, with a 2-1 lead heading into the fifth. Utah Valley scored twice in the fifth inning to take a 3-2 lead but really extended its advantage in the sixth.
Shortstop Kai Hatch led off the sixth with a solo home run to left but it was Austin Heap’s grand slam later in the inning that did the real damage.
The Hornets did rally, scoring six runs on seven hits in the seventh inning to make it a 10-8 Utah Valley advantage. But the Wolverines scored three more runs in the bottom of the seventh to put the game away.
Leitao (2-1) took the loss for the Hornets after giving up nine runs (eight earned) on 12 hits in 5.1 innings. Five Hornets had two hits in the game and the Sacramento State offense combined to hit five doubles. Freshman left fielder Rhys Hoskins had a team-high three RBIs on a bases-loaded double in seventh. Junior first baseman Clay Cederquist had another strong game against the Wolverines, going 2-for-5 with two RBIs.
Utah Valley starting pitcher Adam Gunn (2-3) earned the win after allowing two runs on five hits in five innings. Heaps went 2-for-5 with a game-high six RBIs to pace the Wolverines offensively. Hatch and third baseman Jake Rickenbach each had three hits.
The Hornets split their four games in Utah but it just the beginning of their season-long 12-game road trip. Sacramento State will play midweek games at Saint Mary’s and San Francisco before heading to Bakersfield next weekend for a three-game series with the Roadrunners.
Utah Valley 13, Sacramento State 8 (Mar 24, 2012 at Orem, Utah)
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Sacramento State.... 200 000 600 - 8 13 1 (12-13)
Utah Valley......... 010 027 30X - 13 15 1 (9-11)
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Pitchers: Sacramento State - Leitao, Brennan; Kopas, Daniel(6); Lukes, Shea(6); Davis, R.J.(7);
Kraemer, Garrett(8) and Chung, Derrick. Utah Valley - GUNN, Adam; OLSON, Preston(6);
BARTO, Jeff(7); BRIMHALL, Craig(7); SWENSON, Josh(9) and EXON, Alex.
Win-GUNN, Adam(2-3) Loss-Leitao, Brennan(2-1) T-3:02 A-560
HR UVU - HEAPS, Austin (2); HATCH, Kai (1).
Weather: 60 - Partly Cloudy
Davis, RJ faced 1 batter in the 8th.
Game: 25UVU12
