SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Seattle U baseball (13-17, 7-9 WAC) entered Sunday's finale looking for a series sweep over 24th-ranked Sacramento State (22-10, 14-6 WAC), after posting shutouts in the first three games of the weekend. However, the Redhawks fell, 11-4, as they were out hit 15-7 and surrendered three errors.
Scoreless after two, Seattle U and Sac State traded a three-run frame in the third before each scoring once in the fourth to be tied at 4-4. From there the Hornets took over, tallying seven unanswered runs over the next four innings, while the Redhawks were held scoreless and went 2-for-14 at the plate during that stretch.
"This was a disappointing way to end an otherwise good weekend," said Seattle U head coach Donny Harrel. "Our pitching today and defense were not up to standard and was part of the reason we had a hard time holding onto the lead. We're however really happy to have won the series on the road against such a tough opponent like Sac State, and will try to build on this next week."
Chase Wells accounted for the game's first run with help from Connor O'Brien, who registered a base knock to left in the third, for his 15th RBI of the season. Gavin Rork and O'Brien later scored during the inning.
The Seattle U scoring was capped in the fourth, as Drake Maningo hustled across home giving the Redhawks a one-run lead thanks in part to a sacrifice fly from Andrew Haight, who recorded his first-career RBI.
After keeping step with Seattle U in the third and fourth, Sacramento State took its first lead of the series in the fifth in the fifth with a lead-off home run before scratching across an unearned run make it 6-4. Following a scoreless sixth, the Hornets then plated four in the seventh and one in the eighth to provide the final margin.
At the plate, O'Brien and Wells led the way they were each 2-for-4 on the day. Maningo's lead-off double in the fourth was his lone hit of the afternoon in two official at bats. Kai Alberghini and Austin Lively each singled in the ninth. For Alberghini the lead-off knock was his first-career hit.
On the mound, the Redhawks dug into the bullpen early as starter Riley Sinclair exited after surrendering three runs on five hits in three complete innings. The right-hander also finished with three strikeouts and four walks. A platoon of arms then followed as Alex McBee (0.1 IP), Desmond Parisotto (1.2 IP), Kohl Petersen (1.0 IP), Brady Liddle (1.0 IP), Mason Hoover (1.0 IP). Parisotto was charged with the loss as he surrendered the go-ahead runs in the fifth.
Next series: The Redhawks will head to Texas to for a four-game set with UTRGV, April 23-25.