UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. — Max Thomas led the Sacramento State men's golf team in the final round of the Seattle U Redhawks Invitational on Tuesday, with an even-par 72. The Hornets moved up one position in the standings during the day to place 11^th overall.
 
Thomas shot 36 on both sides of the course on the way to his fourth round of par or better during the spring. The freshman opened play with a birdie on the par-4 10^th but stood at 1-over three holes later with bogeys on Nos. 11 and 13. A birdie on the par-4 14^th returned him to even before a bogey on No. 16 brought him back to 1-over where he remained at the turn. Once on the front side of the course. He birdied the par-5 first and par-4 second to drop to 1-under. Bogeys on Nos. 4 and 5 swung him back above par before birdies on Nos. 6 and 8 landed him in red numbers. Thomas ended his round with a bogey on the par-3 ninth to close even. His efforts during the final round lifted him 13 spots in the standings into a tie for 59^th at 79-74-72-225.
 
Gabriel Smith had the highest overall finish for Sacramento State during the tournament, tying for 14^th place with rounds of 79-63-74-216. Smith was 4-over through his first seven holes before playing the rest of his round at 2-under. Smith carded his first birdie on the par-4 second but immediately followed with a bogey on No. 3. After two pars, he birdied the par-4 sixth and the par-5 eighth and then closed with a pair of pars.
 
Jake Aberle shot 73 on Tuesday and tied for 53^rd overall at 76-75-73-224. Aberle fluctuated between 1-under and 1-over throughout the round. He played his first nine holes at 1-over par with birdies on Nos. 12 and 15 to go along with three bogeys. He started the front nine with three pars, birdied the par-5 fourth and then parred the next four holes before ending with a bogey on No. 9.
 
Luke Dugger and Zach Mate each shot 74 with rounds comprised of one birdie and three bogeys.
 
St. Thomas and UC Riverside tied for the team championship as each totaled 856 to finish at even par. Oregon State was third overall at 3-over par while George Mason (10-over) and host Seattle U (13-over) rounded out the top five.
 
Sacramento State will wrap up its regular season on Apr. 11-13 at the El Macero Classic. The team will then compete at the Big West Championship on Apr. 27-29 at La Quinta CC.
 
Seattle U Redhawks Invitational
University Place, Wash. | Chambers Bay
Par 71 (Rd. 1-2), 72 (Rd. 3) | 7, 143 Yards
 
Team Standings
T1. St. Thomas 284-293-279-856
T1. UC Riverside 292-289-276-856
3. Oregon State 287-293-279-859
4. George Mason 281-299-580286-866
5. Seattle U 286-296-287-869
6. Idaho 298-282-290-870
T7. Utah Tech 282-295-295-872
T7. George Washington 298-290-588284-872
9. UC San Diego 292-288-293-873
10. Lamar 295-297-288-880
11. Sacramento State 306-287-293-886
12. Creighton 297-295-295-887
13. Abilene Christian 303-300-294-897
T14. Penn 297-303-299-899
T14. UC Santa Barbara 308-292-299-899
16. Eastern Kentucky 306-302-296-904
17. North Idaho 300-309-296-905
18. Sacred Heart 303-303-301-907
 
Individual Top Five
1. Matt Armstrong, ST, 69-71-66-206
2. Vaughn McMeans, GM, 70-69-69-208
3. Hartej Grewal, UCR, 69-71-69-209
T4. Ashton McArthur, UT, 71-70-141
4. Kevin Lin, SU, 69-72-69-210
5. Samuel Johnson, UI, 73-69-71-213
 
Sacramento State Scores
T14. Gabriel Smith 79-63-74-216
T41. Luke Dugger 72-76-74-222
T53. Jake Aberle 76-75-73-224
T59. Max Thomas 79-74-72-225
T86. Zach Mate 83-75-74-232