SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento State and UC Santa Barbara needed 11 innings to settle Saturday's contest. Despite putting runners on base most of the afternoon, the Hornets were unable to score, falling 1-0 to the Gauchos.

The game's lone run came on UC Santa Barbara's Mason Eng's two-out RBI double into the left field corner. Eng was a late game substitution, entering the game at catcher in the in the bottom of the 10th.

In a game filled with big moments and big plays, it was a call late in the game that might prove the most memorable. Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the 11th, Sacramento State's Josh Walker was hit on the leg by an 0-2 pitch. Rather than take his base, the home plate umpire ruled that Walker had stepped into the pitch, resulting in a strikeout to end the game.

The Hornets would have had runners at first and second in a one-run game, but instead saw their last chance end prematurely.

Although that was the team's last chance, the Hornets had multiple other opportunities to get on the scoreboard. Despite managing just four hits, Sacramento State had runners on base in nearly every inning, including multiple runners on base in three innings.

Perhaps the team's best opportunity came in the bottom of the seventh, when the Hornets loaded the bases with two outs. Dawsen Bacho, who led the team in RBIs and two-out RBIs a season ago, was unable to deliver, going down swinging as UC Santa Barbara escaped the jam. 

Similarly, the Hornets escaped jams of their own, including a crucial inning-ending double play with runners on the corners in the top of the ninth.

In the top of the 10th, sophomore reliever Jack Zalasky inherited a bases-loaded, one out situation. He struck out his first batter before inducing a ground out to first base to keep the game scoreless. 

Senior outfielder Matt Smith was responsible for another one of the afternoon's top moments, robbing a home run from UCSB's Jason Willow to open the 11th inning.

Smith had two of Sacramento State's four hits on Saturday and is now 4-for-8 with a double and two RBI on the young season.

Not to be lost in the commotion of Saturday's extra-inning game is Scott Randall's excellent 2020 debut. The junior right-hander, who was named to the WAC preseason all-conference team, tossed six shutout innings while scattering just four hits. He did not walk a batter and struck out five. 

Through the season's first two games, the Hornets' starters, Parker Brahms and Randall, have combined to throw 11.2 scoreless innings while allowing just seven hits, walking none, and striking out 12.

Junior reliever Stone Churby made his season debut on Saturday, pitching two shutout innings for the Hornets. Churby, alongside Brady Rodriguez and Travis Martizia, led the Hornets in appearances a season ago.

Sacramento State and UC Santa Barbara will conclude their series tomorrow at 1 p.m. PT at John Smith Field.

Sophomore right-hander Travis Adams is expected to take the mound for the Hornets while the Gauchos will counter with right-hander Michael McGreevy.

More details on tomorrow's game – and all upcoming Hornets baseball games – can be found online at HornetSports.com. Fans can also keep up with the Hornets on the Hornet Sports Experience app.