SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Sacramento State baseball team, winners of five of its last seven contests, opens a run of eight-straight games away from home this weekend, traveling to Texas for a three-game Western Athletic Conference series at UT Arlington on April 17-19. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT on Friday, followed by a Noon PT start on Saturday, and a 10 a.m. first pitch for Sunday's finale -- all on the ESPN+ platform.
PLAY BALL!
WHAT: Sacramento State (16-22, 3-3 WAC) at UT Arlington (14-21, 3-3 WAC)
WHEN: Friday-Sunday, April 17-19, 2026
TIME: 4 PM PT (Fri.) / Noon PT (Sat.) / 10 AM PT (Sun.)
WHERE: Arlington, Texas
STADIUM: Clay Gould Ballpark
FOLLOW:
Game 1: ESPN+ | WAC International | Live Stats
Game 2: ESPN+ | WAC International | Live Stats
Game 3: ESPN+ | WAC International | Live Stats
GAME NOTES: Sacramento State | UT Arlington | Western Athletic Conference
PROBABLE STARTERS
Fri.: RHP Ethan Lay (9 GS, 3-1, 2.18 ERA) at RHP Caylon Dygert (9 GS, 3-3, 3.40 ERA)
Sat.: RHP Kurt Marton (5 GS, 2-3, 5.12 ERA) at LHP Kyle Winkler (4 GS, 3-1, 2.76 ERA)
Sun.: RHP Carson Timothy (9 GS, 2-4, 4.59 ERA) at RHP Danny Valadez (2 GS, 2-1, 2.35 ERA)
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS
• UT Arlington, which has dropped four of its last five, enters the weekend with a 14-21 overall record and is tied with Sacramento State in the WAC standings at 3-3
• The Mavericks are coming off a midweek loss at Dallas Baptist (10-5) on Tuesday (April 14) after dropping 2-of-3 at league-leading California Baptist last weekend
• UTA's only league series win came against Tarleton State to open the conference schedule, winning two straight after dropping the opener to start WAC play on April 2-4
• Senior infielder Xavier Melendez - the reigning WAC Player of the Week -- paces the UTA offense, batting .379 with eight doubles, five home runs, and 32 RBI, while scoring 21 times and posting a .980 OPS on the year
• Junior infielder Harold Laracuente is the only other Maverick regular batting better than .300 on the year, hitting .313 with 12 doubles, 33 runs scored and 18 RBI while walking 20 times
• As a team, UT Arlington is batting .256 with 22 home runs and 187 runs scored (5.34 runs per game), ranking last in the WAC in average and runs scored
• As a staff, the Mavericks rank fourth in the WAC with a 5.31 ERA, striking out 214 hitters and walking 127 over 306.2 innings while opponents are batting .286 against them
SERIES NOTABLES
• This is only the fifth series between UT Arlington and Sacramento State with each school winning a pair while the Mavericks hold a 7-5 lead in the series overall
• The Hornets have won the last two series with UTA, winning 2-of-3 in Arlington in 2024 and taking 2-of-3 at home in 2025
• Sacramento State has won five of the last eight overall after UT Arlington won the first four games
• This weekend marks only the second series played between the two schools in Texas since that first one in 2024
MILESTONE WATCH LIST
• Sacramento State enters the weekend needing just one more victory to reach 1,000 all-time wins in the program's Division I history
• Since it's first full Division I season in 1990, the Hornets have posted a 999-1,060-4 record
AND THE AWARD GOES TO
• Senior RHP Ethan Lay and junior RHP Kurt Marton were two of more than 140 Division I pitchers from across the country named to the College Baseball Foundation's initial National Pitcher of the Year watch list for 2026 the organization announced on March 11
• The duo are two of four total hurlers honored from the WAC, joined by California Baptist right-handers Michael Malki and Bryan Peck on this year's list
• Lay was named the Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week for the second time in his career on March 23 after facing just one over the minimum in eight shutout innings and striking out 11 in the series opener against Winthrop
• He retired the first 11 batters of the game before Winthrop broke up the perfect game with a double in the fourth, then proceeded to retire the final 13 batters he faced -- seven via strikeout -- holding the Eagles to an .040 average
• Junior outfielder Erick Dessens was named the Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week for the first time in his career on April 6 following a red-hot weekend at Utah Tech in the Hornets' WAC opening series
• It was the first award for a Sacramento State player since Tyler White was named the league's player of the week on March 3, 2025
• Dessens hit .643 (9-for-14) with a 1.738 OPS for the series while adding four runs scored, clubbing a pair of home runs, and driving in nine
• He finished with multiple hits in all three contests, including a perfect 5-for-5 effort in the finale during which he reached base six times thanks to an intentional walk in the third inning
TEAM TIDBITS
• Sacramento State's win over San Francisco on Tuesday (4/14) marked the first time in 15 tries that the Hornets have won a game when the opponent scores first
• It was also Sacramento State's third come-from-behind victory this season after trailing the Dons, 2-0, after the top of the first
• The Hornets also rallied for wins at Kansas (3/25) and against Utah Valley (4/11)
• The 12 runs against San Francisco marked the eighth time that Sacramento State has scored 10-or-more runs in a game this season, posting a 7-1 record in those games
• With 13 hits against the Dons, the Hornets posted its 16th game with 10-or-more hits -- 13 of those coming in the last 22 games
• Prior to that, it had only been able to collect double-digit hits three times in its first 16 games
• Sacramento State is 11-5 when they have double-digit hits, winning nine of their last 11
• Of the Hornets' 22 defeats this year, 12 of those have been decided by two runs or fewer, with eight of those coming by a single run
• When Sacramento State hits a home run this season, it is definitely getting its money's worth as 19 of its 24 long balls have been multi-run home runs
• The only solo homers have come from Dessens against Saint Joseph's (2/19), Poturnak against Pacific (3/11) and in game one against Utah Valley (4/10), and both Harry and Dessens against Nevada (4/6)
• Outside of that, Sacramento State has hit 8 two-run home runs, 9 three-run blasts, and 2 grand slams
• 15 of the team's 24 home runs have come in the first four innings and the Hornets are 12-5 this year when leaving the yard compared to just 4-17 when they don't
• Both of the team's grand slams have come in the eighth inning or later
• This marks the ninth consecutive season (not counting the 2020 pandemic year) that the Hornets have hit at least one grand slam, and the seventh time in that stretch that they have hit multiple grand slams in a single year
• Sacramento State has started quickly, scoring 90 of its 228 runs (39.4 percent) in the first three innings this season
• 50 of those 228 runs this year have come in the second inning alone -- the most of than any inningÂ
• The Hornets have scored first in 15 of their 16 wins this year, going 15-8 when they crack the runs column before their opponents
• Sacramento State has posted a "big inning" (four or more runs) 18 times this season, finishing 10-4 in games in which they have done so
• The seven-run second inning in the series finale against Pacific on March 15 were the most in single inning this season and the most since the Hornets put up seven in the seventh inning of a 9-2 win at Utah Valley on May 11 of last year
HORNETS AT THE PLATE
• Junior outfielder Erick Dessens enters the weekend having collected hits in 23 of his last 26 games, including 12 multi-hit performances and a perfect 5-for-5 (reaching base a total of six times) in the series finale victory at Utah Tech (4/4)
• That five-hit performance made him the first Hornet to collect five hits AND finish 5-for-5 at the plate since Gunner Gouldsmith did so against Stephen F. Austin on May 11, 2024
• During that stretch, he has upped his batting average 130 points to .348 on the year
• Dessens leads the team with 16 multi-hit games, while his five RBI against the Trailblazers is one of his team-best 14 multi-RBI contests -- the latter nine more than the next closest Hornet
• In his last 26 games, Dessens batting .413 (45-for-109) with 24 runs scored, seven doubles, a triple, seven home runs, and 36 RBI
• Senior Ryan Ellis has been a little bit of a table-setter, a little bit of a run-producer, and has experiences a whole lot of success as of late, collecting hits in six of his last seven games and batting .563 (9-for-16) over that stretch, scoring nine runs and driving in six while collecting five doubles
• That performance has raised his average 61 points to .322 on the year
• Ellis has drawn at least one walk in seven of his last eight games, including a stretch of multiple walks in five consecutive outings from April 2-10
• In total, he has multiple walks in eight games and stands second on the team in the category while pacing the squad with a .524 on-base percentage
• In five games last week, Ellis put together a play-of-the-week type performance posting a 1.822 OPS against Nevada, Fresno State, and Utah Valley hitting .500 (5-for-10) with a 1.100 slugging percentage and a .722 on-base percentage, scoring five runs, doubling four times, adding a triple, and walking eight times
• Although his team-high hitting streak came to an end at 13 games in the opener against Utah Valley (4/10), freshman outfielder Sam Harry continues to produce at the top of the Hornets' line-up
• Harry has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games, batting .444 (28-for-63) with 21 runs scored and 13 RBI, collecting five doubles, the first two home runs of his collegiate career, to go with seven walks
• His 13-game hitting streak is the longest by a Hornet this year and the longest since Jakob Poturnak hit in 14 consecutive games and Cameron Sewell did so in 13 straight last season
• Harry drove in six runs as part of a three-hit night against Nevada (4/6) -- a total that is tied for eighth on the school's single-game RBI list
• With his two home runs in the win over Nevada, Harry became the first Hornet to hit two home runs a game and drive in six since Sewell accomplished both feats at Pacific on March 18, 2025
• Sophomore outfielder Brett Ott enters the weekend having reached base safely in his last 11 consecutive games, hitting safely in nine of those
• During that stretch, Ott is batting .324 (11-for-34) with eight runs scored and seven walks
• He is one of four Hornets with an on-base percentage of better than .400 on the year along with Ellis (.524), Luis Pimentel-Guerrero (.433), and Harry (.422)
• After going hitless in his previous four games, Pimentel-Guerrero has been a menace in the Hornets' last two wins, going a combined 5-for-8 (.625) with three runs and three RBI
• His 3-for-3 performance in the win over San Francisco on Tuesday marked his sixth game this year with three-or-more hits and gave him his 12th multi-hit contests in 2026
• It's been home sweet home for Poturnak, who hit .333 (6-for-18) with two doubles, a home run, and six RBI in the Hornets' recent six-game homestand
• Junior catcher Ayden Hadley finished 2-for-4 in Tuesday's midweek game against San Francisco, setting a new Sacramento State career high
HORNETS ON THE MOUND
• Senior RHP Ethan Lay has been stellar over his last five starts with four of those of the "quality" variety
• In that stretch, Lay 3-0 with a pair of no-decisions and a 1.09 ERA, having allowed just four earned runs over 33 innings of work, walking only four and striking out 39
• The Hornets are a combined 4-1 in those starts against Pacific (3/11), Winthrop (3/19), Kansas (3/25), Utah Tech (4/2), and Utah Valley (4/10)
• Opponents are hitting just .203 (25-for-122) in those starts while Sacramento State has outscored the opposition, 42-14
• Of Lay's six walks this season, four have come on full counts and the other two have been four-pitch walks
• His 10 strikeouts against Utah Valley marked his third double-digit strikeout total this season and the fourth of his Sacramento State career
• Lay has six "quality starts" this season and 13 in his Hornet career (seven in 2025)
• He threw 123 pitches over his eight innings in the win over the Wolverines -- the most pitches by a Hornet starter since Austin Roberts threw 124 in a seven-inning no-decision against Grand Canyon on May 16, 2019
• Freshman RHP Trevor Wilson picked up his second career win in the finale against Utah Valley, throwing five hitless and scoreless innings of relief — including retiring the first 15 batters he faced into the ninth
• The five innings were a career high for the freshman, while the four strikeouts are tied for his second-highest total of the season
• Junior RHP Kurt Marton logged his first collegiate save in the series finale against Utah Valley, needing only six pitches to record the final out with the tying run on deck
• He is the fourth Hornet to record a save this year behind Wilson (3), Andrew Monson (1), and Sean Carey (1)
• After beginning his collegiate career as a starter with the Hornets as a true freshman -- including a no-hitter against Northern Illinois in his first collegiate start -- senior RHP Colin Hunter has been stingy as a reliever this season, allowing two earned runs (1.59 ERA) in nine appearances, striking out 15 and walking only six
• He has not allowed an earned run over his last four games (7.0 IP), scattering five hits and striking out eight -- including a season-high four against Utah Valley (4/10) while holding opponents to a .192 average (5-for-26)
• Hunter also entered as a pinch runner late in the win over San Francisco (4/14)
• Two midweek appearances, two midweek wins for freshman RHP Devin James, who has picked up the "W" in Sacramento State victories over Nevada and San Francisco in back-to-back weeks
• James picked up his first career win in his first career start against the Wolf Pack, throwing a career-high three shutout hitless innings, then tossed two innings of relief, scattering two hits in a win over the Dons
• In seven appearances overall (9.2 innings) this year, James has held opponents to a .182 average
• Senior RHP Andrew Monson has "come in like a lion" in March and has yet to "go out like a lamb"
• In his last nine appearances (10.1 innings), the senior has gone 1-0 with a 1.74 ERA, allowing just two earned on eight hits while striking out 13 and walking a pair
• Opponents are hitting just .216 (8-for-37) against him in that stretch
• He has allowed one or fewer runs in 13 of his 14 appearances this season -- including eight shutout appearances -- and boasts a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5-to-1, having issued only four free passes on the year
• Senior RHP Elijah Rogalski's comeback story continues as he has not allowed an earned run over his last five appearances (7.1 innings), scattering five hits and striking out 10 -- a career-high seven of those at Creighton (3/28) in 3.2 innings
• Overall, Rogalski has posted a 1.54 ERA and .171 average against in eight appearances (five starts)
HORNETS IN THE WAC
TEAM HITTING (AS OF 4/14)
• Sacramento State ranks tied for third in triples (5), fifth in hits (335), doubles (68), walks (163), on-base percentage (.366) and stolen bases (21), sixth in average (.265), runs scored (228), home runs (24), RBI (206), and slugging percentage (.384)
TEAM PITCHING (AS OF 4/14)
• Sacramento State ranks second in the league in ERA (4.75), innings pitched (322.0), fewest hits allowed (307), fewest runs allowed (208), strikeouts (317), and opponent batting average (.246), while rankings fourth in fewest walks (134)
INDIVIDUAL (AS OF 4/14)
• Dessens leads the WAC in hits (57), is second in RBI (46), sixth in home runs (9), ninth in slugging (.573)
• Ellis is second in on-base percentage (.524), fifth in OPS (1.066), tied for eighth in walks (24)
• Harry is tied for fifth in sac flies (3), ninth in doubles (11)
• Ott is tied for second in triples (2) and tied for sixth in steals (9)
• Pimentel-Guerrero is tied for sixth in walks (25)
• Sewell is sixth in hit by pitches (9)
• Perazzo is tied for fourth in sacrifices (5)
• Lay leads the WAC in innings (53.2) and fewest walks allowed (6), is second in ERA (2.18), strikeouts (64), and batters caught looking (17), third in average against (.221), sixth in fewest runs allowed (22), and tied for ninth in fewest hits allowed (46)
• Wilson is tied for third in saves (3)
HORNETS IN THE NCAA
TEAM (AS OF 4/14... TOP 100 RANKINGS ONLY)
• Sacramento State ranks 42nd in fewest walks per nine (3.75), 45th in WHIP (1.37), 52nd in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.37), 63rd in ERA (4.75), 65th in fewest hits allowed per nine (8.58), 73rd in sacrifices (18), 91st in doubles (68), and 100th in strikeouts per nine (8.9)
INDIVIDUAL (AS OF 4/14... TOP 100 RANKINGS ONLY)
• Lay is 3rd in strikeout-to-walk ratio (10.67), 7th in fewest walks per nine (1.01), 29th in WHIP (0.97), 37th in strikeouts (64), 39th in ERA (2.18), 97th in strikeouts per nine (10.73)
• Dessens is 11th in hits (57), 28th in RBI (46), 47th in total bases (94), 55th in hits per game (1.50), 58th in RBI per game (1.21)
• Perazzo is 71st in sacrifices (5)
