MESA, Ariz. — Sophomore JP Smith slugged a pair of home runs, including a record-breaking three-run blast in the ninth inning to set a new Sacramento State career standard, but a pair of big innings by fifth-seeded Tarleton State lifted the Texans to a 12-6 victory over the eighth-seeded Hornets in an elimination game to open the 2024 Western Athletic Conference Tournament on Tuesday evening at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz.
Sacramento State ended its season at 26-31 overall and 14-16 in WAC play, while Tarleton State improved to 28-28 overall and advance to face fourth-seeded California Baptist on Wednesday (May 22) at 4 p.m.
Smith tied the record with a 424-foot blast over the left field wall in the first to stake the Hornets to the early lead, then put his name atop the school's all-time list in the ninth, following singles by Jaxon Byrd and Brett Ott with a 446-foot shot to left centerfield for the 36th home run of his career. The mark broke the record previously shared by Harvey Hargrove (1995-97) and Martin Vincelli-Simard (2019-23).
The sophomore finished the day 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs scored and four RBI. Junior Elie Kligman added two more hits, including an RBI triple, and Tyler White also drove in a run with an RBI single.
Following Smith's first home run of the game, Tarleton State tied things up with a run in the home half, but the Hornets weren't done.
Sacramento State tacked on single runs in the third and fifth innings to take a 3-1 lead. White's single to right with the bases loaded plated the team's second run and Kligman scored Matt Masciangelo all the way from first with a triple into the right field corner to extend the advantage.
That's when the Texans rallied with a big fifth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring six times to take the lead, then added four more in the sixth, sending nine batters to plate to make it 11-3.
Tarleton State extended its advantage with a solo home run in the seventh before Smith stepped up again in the ninth inning for his record-setting blast.
Senior right-hander Evan Gibbons (6-5) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on 10 hits and striking out three over 4.1 innings of work. Grant Garza (9-1) earned the win in relief, allowing a single run on four hits over 3.1 innings.
