MESA, Ariz. -- Senior
Ryan Ellis finished 2-for-3 with a tape-measure home run, a double, and three RBI, while senior
Luis Pimentel-Guerrero added two hits and a home run of his own as fourth-seeded Sacramento State held-off third-seeded Utah Tech for a 5-3 victory, eliminating the Trailblazers from the postseason and keeping their own season alive for one more game.
Sacramento State improved to 28-31 and moved on to face second-seeded California Baptist on Friday night at 7 p.m. PT. The winner advances to "Championship Saturday" against No. 1 Tarleton State, needing to beat the Texans twice to clinch the crown and the league's automatic NCAA Tournament berth. Utah Tech finishes its season at 34-24 overall.
After spotting the Trailblazers a run in the first, the Hornets answered on Pimentel-Guerrero's fifth home run of the year that cleared the wall in right field on the first pitch of the second inning to tie the game at one.
That sent Sacramento State off to the races as Ellis' titanic blast cleared the stacked bullpens in right field -- his third of the year -- to give the Hornets the lead for good in the third and they tacked on two more in the fourth on RBI doubles by
Brett Ott and Ellis for a 4-1 advantage.
Utah Tech responded to make it a one-run game with two in the sixth, but a sacrifice fly by Ellis in the home half of the frame put Sacramento State back up two and the Hornets shut the Trailblazers down from there.
Carson Timothy (5-4) went 5.1 innings, allowing two earned on five hits, walking one and striking out a career-high six to pick up the win before turning it over to the bullpen.
Trevor Wilson went two innings and gave up just one hit while working around three walk and striking out two before
Sean Carey came on to shut the door, earning his second save of the year with 1.2 scoreless, hitless innings.
Erick Dessens,
Jakob Poturnak, and
Nikhil Beasley also added hits for the Hornets, who out-hit Utah Tech by an 8-6 margin. With his performance Thursday, Ellis now has five hits in three tournament games thus far -- all going for extra bases (four doubles and a home run) -- while driving in a team-high five.
