SAN JOSE STATE RALLIES TO AVOID SWEEP, BEATS BASEBALL 8-7
4/29/2012
Senior Hunter Adrian went 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs in a loss at SJSU.
SAN JOSE, Calif. – After taking the first two games of the series, the Sacramento State baseball team missed out a sweep as San Jose State used a late rally to defeat the Hornets, 8-7, on Sunday afternoon in a Western Athletic Conference game at Municipal Stadium.
Sacramento State missed out on a sweep for the second straight time, as the Hornets did the same last weekend against Nevada, winning the first two games before losing the series finale.
Despite not sweeping either the Spartans or Wolf Pack, Sacramento State has won three WAC series this season for the first time since 2007. Sacramento State has a three-game set at Fresno State next weekend before wrapping up league play with Hawai'i at home. The Hornets won just six conference games a season ago but have won seven already this year and are tied for second with Nevada in the seven-team WAC.
The Hornets (24-20, 7-5 WAC) lost on Sunday despite scoring seven runs on 12 hits with no errors. The Spartans (20-19, 5-4 WAC) tallied eight runs on six hits with one error in the win. SJSU also benefited from 10 walks issued by Sacramento State pitchers.
Hunter Adrian was the early hero for the Hornets, with hits in each of his first three at-bats, including a leadoff homer in the second inning, a RBI triple in the third and a two-RBI single in the fifth. He ended the day by going 4-for-4.
Adrian and the Hornets’ offense made up for a shaky start by sophomore Tanner Mendonca. The right-hander allowed five runs on three hits and issued five walks in two innings.
Sacramento State’s bullpen kept the Spartans off the board in the middle innings, but SJSU broke through in the late frames to pull out the come-from-behind win. Pinch hitter Anthony Bona hit a two-out, two-RBI double in the seventh and first baseman Matt Lopez singled in a run in the eighth as the Hornets lost for the first time this season (21-1) when leading after the sixth inning.
San Jose State 8, Sacramento State 7 (Apr 29, 2012 at San Jose, Calif.)
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Sacramento State.... 013 030 000 - 7 12 0 (24-19, 7-5 WAC)
San Jose State...... 203 000 21X - 8 6 1 (20-19, 5-4 WAC)
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Pitchers: Sacramento State - Mendonca, Tanner; Creel, Brandon(3); Nichols, Ty(5); Hoelzen, Tyler(7); Davis, R.J.(8). San Jose State - Jones, Zack; Martin, Sean(5); Kafka, Jason(5); Aldrete, Mike(7); Contrades, Kalei(9).
Win-Aldrete, Mike(6-1) Save-Contrades, Kalei(2) Loss-Hoelzen, Tyler(1-1) T-2:57 A-332
HR SAC - Adrian, Hunter (4).
Weather: Sunny, 78 F, 3 mph to Left
Game: 44SJSU12
