SACRAMENTO — Seniors Jorge Bojorquez and Cesar Valero combined to drive in five of the team's seven runs on the night and visiting Sacramento State scored in four of the final five innings en route to a 7-3 victory over Nevada on Tuesday night at Don Weir Field at Peccole Park in Reno, Nev.
The Hornets improved to 13-17 overall and a perfect 2-0 in April just 24 hours after defeating San Francisco at home by a 7-1 score on Monday night. Sacramento State has now beaten the Wolf Pack twice this season when you include the 21-9 victory at home on March 19, extending its winning streak to four in the series overall and the fifth time in the last six meetings.
Nevada fell to 12-13 overall with the loss.
Every Sacramento State starter finished with at least one hit on the night as Bojorquez, Matt Masciangelo, and Cameron Sewell each collected a pair of hits to lead the way. As a team, the Hornets rapped out 12 hits for the game, reaching double figures for the third straight contest and the 12th time in 16 games.
Junior Elie Kligman, who finished with a single and a walk, extended his hitting streak to four games — the longest active streak of any Hornet — and has reached base safely in each of his last nine games.
Sacramento State got on the board first as Kligman singled to left and went all the way to third on the play when the ball was mishandled in the outfield and rolled to the wall. Bojorquez then wasted little time cashing in, dropping a single into left centerfield for the 1-0 lead.
The Wolf Pack added single runs in the third and fourth innings on a solo home run and a sacrifice fly to take their first lead on the night, but it didn't last long.
An infield single to lead-off the fifth by Gunner Gouldsmith set the table for JP Smith, who doubled down the left field line to put a pair in scoring position. Valero followed with a walk to load the bases and Bojorquez came up big two batters later, driving a single up the middle to bring home two and give Sacramento State the lead for good.
A Sewell RBI single in the seventh inched the Hornets further ahead, but a wild pitch with two in scoring position kept Nevada close, making it a one-run game at 4-3 with two innings to play.
That's when Valero came up with a huge double in the eighth, scoring Tyler White and Masciangelo — who both singled — for some breathing room, and Masciangelo capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the ninth for the final 7-3 score.
Cooper Rons (4-2) was credited with the win, allowing just one hit in his lone inning of relief of starter Ian Winterhalder, who went four innings in his first career start, giving up two runs on three hits and striking out a pair. Freshman Kade Brown picked up his fifth save of the year, entering the game in the seventh and throwing the final 2.1 innings, allowing just two baserunners and striking out three.
Sacramento State returns to Western Athletic Conference play with a three-game series this weekend, welcoming California Baptist to John Smith Field. The series begins Friday (April 5) at 4 p.m., followed by a 7 p.m. first pitch on Saturday (April 6). The series finale is scheduled for Noon on Sunday (April 7).
