BASEBALL TAKES SERIES FROM HAWAI’I, LOOKING FOR SWEEP ON SUNDAY
5/12/2012
Andrew Ayers tied his career-high with four hits in the Hornets 10-3 win on Saturday.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The Sacramento State baseball team climbed to second in the Western Athletic Conference standings after a 10-3 series-clinching win over previously first-place Hawai’i on Saturday afternoon at John Smith Field.
The Hornets (28-23, 10-7 WAC) became the first WAC team with 10 conference wins after scoring 10 runs on 18 hits with a season-high three errors. The Rainbows (28-20, 8-6 WAC) tallied three runs on eight hits with one error.
Hawai’i was in sole possession of first place while Sacramento State was in fourth entering the weekend. But after two wins, the Hornets are now in second and just a half-game behind Nevada (9-5 WAC), while the Rainbows have dropped to third. The top two teams in the final regular season standings earn a coveted first-round bye at the double-elimination WAC Tournament, which runs from May 24-27 at Hohokam Park in Mesa, Ariz. While the Hornets are done with WAC play after tomorrow’s game versus Hawai’i, the rest of the conference has three games left next weekend.
The Hornets put themselves in second with an offensive explosion on Saturday against the Rainbows.
Sacramento State scored at least one run in five different innings, including three in both the second and sixth. The Hornets’ 18 hits were their most in any WAC game this season and their 10 runs scored was second only to 11 at Louisiana Tech on April 8.
Junior Andrew Ayers had four of the Hornets’ 18 hits as the second baseman nearly missed on becoming the first Sacramento State player to hit for the cycle in the Div. I era (1990+). Ayers hit a single in the first, a triple in the second, a double in the sixth and another single in the seventh. The only out he made was a pop fly to short in the fourth. The Eureka, Calif., native finished with a run scored and a team-high three RBIs.
Freshman Rhys Hoskins also shined, going 3-for-5, with his a two-run home run in the sixth inning, his team-high 10th this season. Senior Trevor Paine also had three hits. The list of standout performers goes on as junior Clay Cederquist went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs, senior Derrick went 2-for-4 with a run and a RBI while David Del Grande went 2-for-4 as well with two runs scored and a RBI.
The offense carried the day and somewhat overshadowed an effective start by sophomore RHP Tanner Mendonca. Mendonca (6-7) earned the win after he allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings with three walks and three strikeouts. Sophomore reliever Hunter Greenwood was strong as well, as the Elk Grove, Calif., native did not allow a single hit in three innings with five strikeouts and only one walk.
Sacramento State and Hawai’i meet at 1 p.m. on Sunday for the final game of the series and the last WAC contest for the Hornets this season. Sacramento State closes out the regular season next weekend with Mountain West Conference member UNLV.
