ERIE, Colo. — The Sacramento State men's golf team concluded the first two rounds of the Mark Simpson Colorado Invitational at 2-under par and is 12^th place. The Hornets were led Gabriel Smith who recorded rounds of 72-71-143 and is tied for 30^th place.
 
In the first round, Smith and Jake Aberle each shot 2-under par round of 70. Smith began his round on the 10^th hole and played the back nine even with three birdies and three bogeys. Once past the turn, he birdied the par-5 second and par-4 third and fourth holes to drop to 3-under. A bogey on the par-3 fifth moved him to 2-under and he finished there following a birdie on No. 7 and a bogey on No. 8.
 
Aberle was 1-under through his first nine holes with birdies on Nos. 13 and 1 and a bogey on No. 16. He then parred five-straight holes, birdied the par-5 seventh and closed the round with three more pars.
 
The remaining three golfers for the Hornets each shot 74 to finish 2-over par in the first round. Zach Mate had two birdies and four bogeys. Max Thomas posted three birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey. Mason Benbrook made his Hornet debut and had three birdies, a bogey and two double bogeys.
 
Smith and Thomas led the team in the afternoon with rounds of 71. Smith birdied the 11^th and bogeyed the 17^th to make the turn even. A bogey on the par-5 second took him to 1-over where he remained until birdies on the par-5 17^th and par-4 17^th. Smith's total leaves him 14-strokes behind the individual leader as Arkansas State's Thomas Schmidt shot 64-63-127.
 
Thomas began the second round with a bogey on No. 9 before picking up birdies on the par-4 11^th and 13^th holes. He moved to 2-over on the round following bogeys on Nos. 16, 18 and 3. From there, he birdied the par-4 fourth and ended his day with birdies on the par-5 7 and par-4 eighth.
 
Thomas is tied with Aberle for 63^rd place as each own a 36-hole total of 145. Aberle had three birdies, four bogeys and a double-bogey in the second round to shoot 75.
 
Mate and Benbrook are tied for 67 at 2-over par overall. The pair each shot 72 in the second round to finish even in the afternoon. Mate was 3-under through his first 10 holes behind a trio of birdies. However, he bogeyed three of his final six holes. Benbrook birdied his first three holds (Nos. 12-14) and remained at 3-under through 12 holes. A bogey on No. 6 and a triple on the par-4 10^th moved him to 1-over before he birdied the par-4 11^th.
 
Long Beach State was 32-under as a team during the opening two rounds and holds a 1-stroke edge over Arkansas State. Host Colorado is four strokes off the lead while Southern Illinois (22-under) and Loyola Marymount (14-under) complete the top five.
 
The tournament will conclude with the third round on Tuesday morning.
 
MARK SIMPSON COLORADO INVITATIONAL
Erie, Colo. | Colorado National GC
Par 72 | 7,787 Yards
 
Team Standings
1. Long Beach State 276-268-544
2. Arkansas State 275-270-545
3. Colorado 268-280-548
4. Southern Illinois 269-285-554
5. Loyola Marymount 281-281-562
6. UTEP 283-280-563
T7. Texas State 279-287-566
T7. Wyoming 286-280-566
T9. Creighton 284-284-568
10. Tarleton State 284-285-569
11. Boise State 288-290-572
12. Sacramento State 288-286-574
T13. Gonzaga 289-286-575
T13. UC Irvine 287-288-575
T15. Eastern Washington 293-283-576
T15. Denver 283-293-576
17. Utah State 292-288-580
18. Northern Colorado 292-292-584
19. Cal State Fullerton 306-297-603
 
Individual Top Five
1. Thomas Schmidt, ARKST, 64-63-127
2. Steen Zeman, LBSU, 67-65-132
3. Cooper Tate, UNC, 66-67-133
T4. Parker Paxton, COLO, 66-69-135
T4. Alejandro De Castro, LBSU, 67-68-135
T4. Jake Wallis, ARKST, 68-67-135
 
Sacramento State Scores
T30. Gabriel Smith 70-71-141
T63. Jake Aberle 7-75-145
T63. Max Thomas 74-71-145
T67. Zach Mate 74-72-146
T67. Mason Benbrook 74-72-146