SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Paced by the stellar performance of freshman right-hander Nestor German and senior Justin Mazzone, Seattle U baseball (11-16, 5-8 WAC) blanked 24th-ranked Sacramento State (21-8, 13-4 WAC), 6-0, in the series opener at John Smith Field. With Friday's result, the Redhawks also logged their first win over a ranked opponent on the road since April 29, 2014, when they knocked off No. 7 Washington.
Offensively, Seattle U pieced together a hit parade finishing with a season-high 15 hits. In total, six Redhawks had multi-hit outings, as Mazzone, Gavin Rork, Chase Wells, Drake Maningo and Austin Lively were each 2-for-4, Julian Kodama was 2-for-5, while the balance of the lineup had one hit apiece. On the other side of the ball, the Redhawks allowed just three hits from the Sacramento State lineup.
Seattle U wasted little time getting on the board, as Mazzone lifted the Redhawks to the 2-0 lead in the first, as he blasted a two-run shot to right. Then in the seventh, he repeated gave Seattle U a 4-0 advantage with another two-run home run.
Mazzone recorded home runs number five and six of year, while pushing career total to 15, tying Josh Kalalau (2010-11) for second on the Redhawks career list.
In the ninth, Connor O'Brien added to the Seattle U margin as he slapped a two-run single to left, inflating the lead to 6-0. Austin Lively and Gavin Rork scored on the play as they notched back-to-back one-out singles. During O'Brien's at-bat, Rork moved into scoring position with his league leading 12th steal of the season.
In spite being held scoreless from the second through the seventh, Seattle U batters churned out eight hits in 24 trips to the plate during that stretch, including a four-hit fourth. The Redhawks capped the evening with eight runners stranded.
On the mound, German dazzled as he kept Sacramento State off-balance as he tossed a season-long six scoreless innings. The right-hander, who was credited with the win, made his appearance after starter Morgan White left due to an injury just prior to the start of the second. German then made way for Brady Liddle who was perfect in his outing as he worked the eighth and ninth.
The series with Sacramento State will resume tomorrow with a scheduled doubleheader. First pitch of game one is slated for 2 pm.
NOTES:
• First shutout win since Feb. 19, 2019 at UNLV
• First shutout win at Sac State since May 20, 2016