BERKELEY, Calif. — Senior Cesar Valero finished with a pair of hits and sophomore Jaxon Byrd drove home a run with an eighth inning sacrifice fly, but Sacramento State could not capitalize on its chances Tuesday night, falling in a midweek contest on the road at California by a 3-1 score.
The Hornets fell to 3-5 overall with the loss, while the Golden Bears won their fifth straight to improve to 7-1 overall.
Valero collected his second multi-hit game of the year and the 26th of his career, logging a double in the second inning and a single in the eighth. Gunner Gouldsmith and Tyler White also collected singles.
Missed opportunities came back to haunt Sacramento State as the Hornets stranded 12 base runners on the night — seven of those in scoring position and five of those in the first four innings.
California opened the scoring in the first on a Caleb Lomavita home run to left field, but that was the lone mistake in a solid start for freshman Andrew Overland (0-1), who scattered four hits and struck out three over four innings of work while stranding four base runners — two of those in scoring position.
It remained a one-run game until the Golden Bears were able to extend the lead with two more scores in the sixth with two outs. Carson Crawford slugged a home run to left and that was followed by back-to-back doubles by Jarren Advincula and Alex Ritch to make it 3-0.
The Hornets were able to answer back in the top of the eighth, loading the bases with one out. A walk to Tyler White, a single by Valero, and a fielder's choice by Jorge Bojorquez, put runners at every base for pinch-hitter Byrd, who lofted a ball to left that was deep enough to plate White and make it 3-1.
Sacramento State would come no closer as the Hornets were able to muster only a two-out walk in the ninth before a pop-up ended the game.
Oliver Boone (1-0) picked up the win in relief for Cal, allowing just the one run on two hits and striking out five over four innings of work. Tucker Bougie picked up his first save of the year, striking out one in a scoreless ninth.
Following the lone road game in a stretch that sees them play 15 of their first 16 within the friendly confines of John Smith Field, the Hornets return home this weekend for three games on their home turf. Sacramento State is scheduled to open the weekend by hosting Pacific on Friday (March 1) at 1 p.m., before taking on Minnesota in a pair of games on Saturday (March 2) and Sunday (March 3) at 6 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
