BASEBALL TAKES DOWN NO. 17 STANFORD 5-3
3/25/2008
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – For the second time in seven days, the Sacramento State baseball team knocked off a ranked Pac-10 foe, as they took down No. 17 Stanford 5-3 on Tuesday, March 25 at Hornet Field.
With the win, the Hornets improve to 6-14 on the season, while the Cardinal fall to 10-6.
Stanford opened up the scoring in the top of the fourth, as Brent Milleville provided a RBI groundout that was followed by a two-run home run by Jeff Whitlow, his first of the year, which gave Stanford a 3-0 advantage.
Sacramento State struck back for two runs in the bottom of the inning, as senior David Flores led off the inning with a double, and was quickly brought home on a two-run homer off the bat of junior Gabe Jacobo, his fourth of the season, pulling the Hornets to with one run at 3-2.
The Hornets would take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth, as after two quick outs to start the inning, junior Hunter Martinez drew a walk, and senior Ryan Blair connected on a single. Flores then doubled down the line, scoring both Martinez and Blair to give Sacramento State a 4-3 lead. They added an insurance run later in the inning, as sophomore Tim Wheeler singled throw the right side, scoring Flores to account for the final score of 5-3.
Three Hornets, seniors Corey Weglin and Alvaro Orozco and junior Nick Buchta, threw three innings apiece in the victory. Weglin started and kept the Cardinal scoreless, allowing three hits, while striking out two. Orozco (3-0) threw the middle three innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits while striking out two Stanford batters, and picked up the win. Buchta closed the door on the Cardinal, allowing just one hit in his three innings of work, striking out four and picking up his first career save.
“The key in today’s game was that we held Stanford to just one inning with scoring opportunities,” head coach John Smith said following the win. “Our pitchers did a great job retiring the leadoff batters, limiting their chances to score. All three of them (Orozco Weglin and Buchta) had great command today, throwing the ball right where we wanted it thrown.”
Blair, Flores, Wheeler, and senior Brett Tanigawa each had two hits for the Hornets. Flores, the school’s all-time leader in doubles, had a pair of two-baggers on the day, while Blair added his sixth double of the season. Jacobo’s home run gives him 18 for his career, which now ranks him in a three-way tie for ninth place in the school’s all-time home run charts.
“We had some big hits in the fifth inning with two outs and we were able to keep the inning going and score three runs,” Smith said. “This was a big time win.”
Austin Yount picked up the loss for Stanford, going two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on three hits while walking two Hornets. Cord Phelps had three hits to pace the Cardinal offensively, while Jeff Whitlow went 2-for-4, adding his first home run of the season.
Sacramento State returns to action this weekend, as they host Hawai’i for a four-game Western Athletic Conference set at Hornet Field. The series kicks off with a 2 p.m. first pitch on Friday, March 28, and continues with a double header starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday and a single-game Sunday matinee at 1 p.m.
3/25/2008
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – For the second time in seven days, the Sacramento State baseball team knocked off a ranked Pac-10 foe, as they took down No. 17 Stanford 5-3 on Tuesday, March 25 at Hornet Field.
With the win, the Hornets improve to 6-14 on the season, while the Cardinal fall to 10-6.
Stanford opened up the scoring in the top of the fourth, as Brent Milleville provided a RBI groundout that was followed by a two-run home run by Jeff Whitlow, his first of the year, which gave Stanford a 3-0 advantage.
Sacramento State struck back for two runs in the bottom of the inning, as senior David Flores led off the inning with a double, and was quickly brought home on a two-run homer off the bat of junior Gabe Jacobo, his fourth of the season, pulling the Hornets to with one run at 3-2.
The Hornets would take the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth, as after two quick outs to start the inning, junior Hunter Martinez drew a walk, and senior Ryan Blair connected on a single. Flores then doubled down the line, scoring both Martinez and Blair to give Sacramento State a 4-3 lead. They added an insurance run later in the inning, as sophomore Tim Wheeler singled throw the right side, scoring Flores to account for the final score of 5-3.
Three Hornets, seniors Corey Weglin and Alvaro Orozco and junior Nick Buchta, threw three innings apiece in the victory. Weglin started and kept the Cardinal scoreless, allowing three hits, while striking out two. Orozco (3-0) threw the middle three innings, allowing just one earned run on four hits while striking out two Stanford batters, and picked up the win. Buchta closed the door on the Cardinal, allowing just one hit in his three innings of work, striking out four and picking up his first career save.
“The key in today’s game was that we held Stanford to just one inning with scoring opportunities,” head coach John Smith said following the win. “Our pitchers did a great job retiring the leadoff batters, limiting their chances to score. All three of them (Orozco Weglin and Buchta) had great command today, throwing the ball right where we wanted it thrown.”
Blair, Flores, Wheeler, and senior Brett Tanigawa each had two hits for the Hornets. Flores, the school’s all-time leader in doubles, had a pair of two-baggers on the day, while Blair added his sixth double of the season. Jacobo’s home run gives him 18 for his career, which now ranks him in a three-way tie for ninth place in the school’s all-time home run charts.
“We had some big hits in the fifth inning with two outs and we were able to keep the inning going and score three runs,” Smith said. “This was a big time win.”
Austin Yount picked up the loss for Stanford, going two-thirds of an inning, allowing three runs on three hits while walking two Hornets. Cord Phelps had three hits to pace the Cardinal offensively, while Jeff Whitlow went 2-for-4, adding his first home run of the season.
Sacramento State returns to action this weekend, as they host Hawai’i for a four-game Western Athletic Conference set at Hornet Field. The series kicks off with a 2 p.m. first pitch on Friday, March 28, and continues with a double header starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday and a single-game Sunday matinee at 1 p.m.