DAVIS, Calif. — The Sacramento State baseball team got the tying and winning runs on base in the ninth inning of a one-run game, but the Hornets were unable to cash in as host UC Davis escaped with a 3-2 victory in the second meeting between Causeway foes on Tuesday afternoon at Phil Swimley Field at Dobbins Stadium in Davis, Calif.
With the loss, Sacramento State fell to 10-15 overall heading into this week's three-game Western Athletic Conference series at Grand Canyon, which begins on Thursday (March 28) in Phoenix, Ariz. The Aggies improved to 13-10 overall and have now won the first two games of the three-game midweek "series" between the two.
The Hornets finished with a 10-7 advantage in the hit column as senior Gunner Gouldsmith, sophomore JP Smith, and junior Matt Masciangelo each finished with a pair of hits on the day as Sacramento State posted double-digit hits for the eighth time in the team's last 10 outings.
Gouldsmith's two-hit day extended the senior's hitting streak to 18 consecutive games, accomplishing the feat with a single just two pitches into the ballgame. It is the longest hitting streak by a Hornet since Nathan Lukes hit safely in 20 consecutive games from March 21 to April 21, 2014, and is tied for the seventh-longest recorded streak in school history along with Derek Brown in 1994 and Blake Crosby in 2009.
Both of Masciangelo's hits went for doubles — the second time this season that the junior has had a pair in a single game this year, joining his performance against Minnesota on March 2.
The Aggies were the first to break onto the scoreboard with a pair of runs in the second on back-to-back doubles and a run-scoring single for a 2-0 advantage.
A Ryan Christiansen sacrifice fly in the fourth made it a one-run game in the fourth as Elie Kligman singled and went all the way to third after walks to Jorge Bojorquez and Masciangelo. That brought up Christiansen, who sent a fly ball deep enough to right to score the run and make it 2-1.
UC Davis got the run back with a sacrifice fly of its own in the seventh before the Hornets made it tight in the final two innings.
Smith laced a one-out single to center to get the rally started and moved all the way to third after Klligman and Bojorquez each drew walks to load the bases. However, a ground ball to the left side was handled for a force at third to end the inning.
The Hornets threatened again in the ninth, this time pushing across a run to inch closer. A double by Masciangelo was followed by a Christiansen single to put runners at the corners for Gouldsmith, who dropped a single into centerfield to make it 3-2.
Back-to-back strikeouts put Sacramento State's collective backs against the wall, but Cesar Valero kept the rally alive with the last of his team's six walks to load the bases once again. UC Davis, however, wriggled off the hook, inducing a pop-up on the infield to end the game.
Max Hippensteel (1-0) was credited with the win after throwing two scoreless innings, scattering two hits, and striking out three. Kaden Hogan notched his first save despite allowing a run in the ninth, striking out a pair and allowing three hits in his only inning of work.
Sophomore Jaxon Byrd (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing two runs on six hits over the first three innings and striking out three. Relievers Ian Winterhalder, Noah Lucchesi, Andrew Monson, and Brady Chavez were solid, allowing an unearned run on just one hit, walking three and striking out seven over the final five combined innings.
Thursday's opener at Grand Canyon and Friday's game two against the Lopes are scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch, while Sunday's series finale sees the two teams go head-to-head at Noon.
