SACRAMENTO, Calif. — After combining for 23 runs in a pair of close games to kick-off the series, Sacramento State and visiting Seattle U decided it was the pitcher's turn to shine as the Redhawks edged the host Hornets by a 2-1 score in the series finale on Sunday at John Smith Field.
With the the series already in hand, Sacramento State fell to 20-15 overall and 8-4 in Western Athletic Conference play after taking the first two games by the scores of 6-4 on Friday and 7-6 in 11 innings on Saturday night.
Seattle U improved to 13-22 overall and 4-8 in conference play, snapping a four-game losing streak in the process.
Hornet starter Ethan Lay (2-2) and Redhawk starter Kenny Ishikawa (3-3) matched one another zero for zero through the first five innings before Sacramento State was able to break up the shutout with a run in the bottom of the sixth.
Tyler White spun a ball down the right field line that buried itself in the corner for a triple with one out and he was promptly brought home by Matt Masciangelo, who dropped a line drive single into left centerfield for the 1-0 lead.
Seattle U answered back with two in the top of the seventh on one swing of the bat with two outs. Brandon Stinnett chopped a ball down to first base that could have ended the inning had it not bounced squarely off the front of the first base bag and popped into the air, allowing Stinnett to reach first.
That brought up Tervell Johnson, who hit his first home run of the year just out of the reach of a leaping Masciangelo in left field, giving the Redhawks a 2-1 advantage.
The Hornets had their chances, but could not come up with the clutch hit, getting a runner to third with two outs in the home half of the seventh, stranding a pair in the eighth, and getting the tying run to second in the ninth with one out to no avail.
Seniors White and Masciangelo each finished with a pair of hits, while White's triple with his fourth of the year — the most by a Hornet since Wehiwa Aloy finished with five in 2023. Luis Pimentel-Guerrero added a walk to reach base safely for the 18th consecutive game — matching teammate Jakob Poturnak for the longest such streak this year — while Poturnak and Cameron Sewell added singles.
Lay pitched well in the loss, allowing the two runs on six hits and striking out six over 6.2 innings of work before giving way to the bullpen. Noah Lucchesi and Brady Chavez combined to throw 2.1 shutout innings, striking out one apiece.
Ishikawa allowed the one run on three hits and struck out six in the win before Rafael Espinoza nailed down his second save of the year with three shutout innings, allowing three hits and striking out six as well.
Sacramento State makes a return trip to Davis on Tuesday (April 15) to take on the Aggies for the second time in a week at 6 p.m., before opening a three-game conference series against California Baptist beginning Thursday (April 17) and running through Saturday (April 19).
