Senior Steve Cuckovich recorded his first career shutout to lead the Sacramento State baseball team to a 5-0 win over Pacific Sunday afternoon at Billy Hebert Field. The win gave the Hornets a final record of 3-1 against the Tigers this season and also gave the squad only their second victory on the road. Sacramento State raised their record to 15-13 on the year while the Tigers fell to 19-12.Cuckovich (4-1) gave the Hornets their second shutout of the season after scattering five hits while striking out two and walking only two in the first complete game of his career. The Sacramento native recorded the Hornets first shutout since junior Marshall Plouffe accomplished the feat against Minnesota on March 18 at Hornet Field. Cuckovich, who is holding opponents to a .263 batting average, also lowered his ERA from 5.54 to 4.47.
Sacramento State got on the board first in the second inning when junior Mikela Olsen drove in two runs with a double. With one out, junior John Acha singled to right center and then advanced to second on a base hit by junior Chris Kinsey to center. Olsen would follow with a gapper to left center to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead.
The Hornets would add another run in the seventh when Acha scored on a double steal. Acha led off the inning with a single to left field and then advanced to second after a groudout to third by Kinsey. Acha would then move to third on a wild pitch by Pacific starter Sergio Silva. After junior Jesse Schmidt walked, Acha and Schmidt pulled the double steal to give Sacramento State a 3-0 lead.
Sacramento State added another run in the eighth after an RBI single to short by freshman Jim Strombach. Senior Tim Reimer opened the inning with a single to left field and then preceded to steal second and third base. With one out, Strombach pulled a ball into the hole allowing Reimer to score.
The Hornets made it 5-0 in the ninth after Schmidt drove in Kinsey from third with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Silva (3-3) was tagged with the loss after allowing four runs on 12 hits while striking out six and walking one in eight innings.
Olsen and Kinsey each finished with a 3-for-5 performance from the plate to lead the Hornet offense. Acha and Strombach also added multiple hits to contribute to the squad. In the past two games against Pacific, Sacramento State’s No. 3-5 hitters (Kinsey, Olsen, Schmidt) have combined to go 15-for-25 (.520) with two home runs, three doubles and nine RBI. Schmidt, a native of San Diego, Calif., increased his team-high hitting streak to 13 games after going 1-for-3. Sophomore Matt Wilson, who had not played at catcher for the Hornets due to tendinitis in his throwing elbow, started his first game behind the plate since Feb. 15.
The Hornets will next travel to Berkeley, Calif., to take on Cal on Wednesday, April 2, at 2:30 p.m. at Evans Diamond.
