SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Junior Mikela Olsen''s seventh-inning, three-run homer erased a two-run deficit and proved to be the game-winning hit as the Sacramento State baseball team defeated Pacific, 7-5, Saturday afternoon at Hornet Field.Pacific had taken a 5-3 lead in the top of the seventh on Josh Snook''s two-run homer, but the Hornets posted four runs in the bottom half of the inning, highlighted by Olsen''s team-leading 10th home run of the season. Olsen finished the game 3-for-4 with a run scored and three RBIs as the Hornets'' Nos. 1-6 hitters combined to go 13-for-25 (.520) with seven runs and seven RBIs.
Junior Chris Kinsey, who struck out three in two innings while picking up his third save of the season, went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBIs, including a two-run homer in the first. Everet Rincon (2-for-4, two runs), Jesse Schmidt (2-for-4, one run and one RBI) and Matt Wilson (2-for-4, one RBI) each had two hits to round out the five Hornets with multiple-hit games.
Sacramento State, which dropped a one-run decision at Pacific Friday night to begin the three-game series, improved its record to 15-15. Pacific dropped to 19-11 with the loss. The two teams will play the rubber game of the three-game series tomorrow (Sunday, March 30) in Stockton, Calif., at 1 p.m.
Pacific opened the scoring in the top of the first on Chase Headley''s RBI-single before Kinsey''s two-run homer in the bottom half of the inning gave the Hornets a 2-1 lead. Sacramento State added to its lead in the third inning on a Schmidt RBI-single before Pacific responded with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings to tie the game at 3-3.
The Tigers went ahead in the seventh on Snook''s blast, but Olsen lined a 2-0 pitch over the right-field fence off Pacific reliever Jason Godkin in the bottom of the seventh. The Hornets added an insurance run later in the inning on Wilson''s RBI-single scoring Schmidt. Godkin (3-3) took the loss for Pacific, allowing four runs and five hits in 0.1 innings of relief.
The Hornets'' Andy Mohr (1-2) picked up his first win of the season despite throwing just two pitches to end the seventh inning. Sacramento State starter Marshall Plouffe was pulled in the fifth inning after allowing three runs and nine hits in 4.1 innings.
The two teams combined for 26 hits, including 14 from the Hornets, which was their fourth-best mark of the season. All but one Pacific starter (Aaron Harper) recorded at least one hit, led by Snook who finished 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs.
