SACRAMENTO -- Junior Jorge Bojorquez finished with a pair of hits and freshman JP Smith drove in another run in the series with a first-inning RBI, but Sacramento State could not get the bats going on Saturday, falling to Utah Valley in a pitcher's duel by a 3-1 score at John Smith Field.
The loss snaps the Hornets' three-game winning streak as they fell to 16-15 overall and 5-7 in Western Athletic Conference play, but still leave the weekend with a series win after taking the first two games on Thursday and Friday.
Led by Luke Iverson's three-hit day, the Wolverines improved to 16-14 overall and 4-6 in league.
All but one of the runs were scored in the first two innings as the Hornets opened with a walk to Gunner Gouldsmith and put runners at the corners after a fielder's choice thanks to Bojorquez's infield single and some heads-up baserunning by Wehiwa Aloy to get all the way to third.
Smith then followed with his sixth RBI of the series, rolling a ball to short that was enough to bring Aloy home for the 1-0 lead.
Utah Valley answered with two runs in the second on an RBI double and a sacrifice fly to take the lead as the two pitching staffs settled in to match one another zero-for-zero until the Wolverines added an insurance run in the ninth.
Starter Evan Gibbons (1-4) tied his season high with six innings of work, allowing the first two runs on four hits and striking out three, inducing a pair of double plays and stranding three Utah Valley baserunners. Cooper Rons then came on to pitch the next 1.2 innings, scattering a pair of hits, while Jack Zalasky was charged with the final four outs, allowing the final run on three hits and striking out a pair.
After starter Devin Smith surrendered the run in the first, Nick Sims (1-0) came on in relief for the Wolverines and allowed just two hits and struck out a pair to pick up his first win of the season. Casey Anderson then came on in the fifth and shut down the Hornet offense, allowing just two hits while striking out 10 over the final 4.2 innings to earn his second save of the year.
For Bojorquez, it was his ninth multi-hit game of the season, while Smith, Jeffery Heard, and Garet Crenshaw also added hits — the latter coming up with a pinch-hit double in the bottom of the ninth to try and spark a Sacramento State rally.
It will be a busy week for the Hornets following the Easter holiday as they play five games in the span of seven days. Sacramento State opens with back-to-back road games on Monday (April 10) at Pacific and Tuesday (April 11) at UC Davis before continuing WAC play with a three-game series against UT Arlington beginning Friday (April 14) and running through Sunday (April 16).
