SACRAMENTO – A pair of right-handers in Sacramento State Eli Saul and UT Rio Grande Valley’s Kevin Stevens played pitching in a classic singles pitcher’s duel to open the match at the 2022 Western Athletics Conference Tournament, but it was a two-hander that surpassed past Vaqueros right up front, claiming a 2 -1 win over the Hornets on Wednesday morning at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz.
Native Arizona Jorge Bojorquez (Nogales, Ariz.) Finished 3/4 and scored the only goal of the day for Sacramento State, falling 30-25 overall and will face Sam Houston, the Southwest Division’s top seed, or New Mexico State, West Division’s fourth seed, in a knockout match on Thursday morning (May 26) at 9am
UTRGV has improved overall to 33-23 and will meet the winner of the Aggies and Bearkats at 4pm
Saul (6-1) suffered his first loss of the year despite his eighth “quality start” at the top of the season, allowing only two runs with six shots in over 7.2 innings work, pass four and get 13 ground ball passes. It was the first time in five that the Hornets had lost one of their Vancouver, BC openers, entering the league with a perfect 14-0 of the season.
Stevens (9-2), meanwhile, strong to eight, allowed a run of six hits and 12 defeats, while getting some help from his defense in the eighth after a singles pair and walk load the base before 6-4 -3 plays end the threat.
Sacramento State also had a ninth-place scoring game against Ricky Gerik, Jr., thanks to singles and footwork, but an out-and-out hit was enough to end the game, yielding for Gerik, Jr., his Saturday. Savings of the season.
The Hornets were first on the board in the opening half after UTRGV had placed a double in the top half only to be empty, as Bojorquez doubled to the middle right and moved to third on a Trevor Doyle ground ball. After a strike, juniors Martin Vincelli-Simard Grip and go through with a single RBI to center, easily scoring Bojorquez to lead 1-0.
It was an advantage that didn’t last long, though, as Vaqueros ran back with two back-flips in the second part on foot and had Jacob Hirsh steal the base that sent Isaac Lopez to the plate, who finished. count before rolling a single. Cross the left side to force the game.
That score lasted until the end of the eighth round when both pitchers took control. Stevens retired from Sacramento State 12 straight games, advancing to the eighth round after a doubles midway through a singles pair helped him get through to the third, while Saul retreated 15 of 16 beaters from UTRGV from the second round. three through Saturday, only to have a harmless single-player fight by Cameron Blake in season five.
With even the pitcher unwilling to blink, Vaqueros finally scored the opener, again with two passes, in the eighth game when Brandon Pimentel lone swam across the right and scored all the first words of the match. Brett Cain brace. Fair defeat between a pair of Hornets charging down the left lane for a 2-1 advantage.
Jack Zalasky entered the field to get the last hitter of the eighth and threw the ball 1-2-3 in the ninth to give his team a draw, but Sacramento State couldn’t find a shot in time.
After a strike, Gunner Gouldsmith hit a shot on target on the left sideline and moved into second on Bojorquez’s third hit of the day – a hit to center. Doyle then walked to load the bases for Dawsen Bachobut Stevens swerved off the hook with a ball on the ground, turning it into a half-time doubles game to keep it a one-way game.
Steven Moretto then single with one of the ninth, where he is replaced by Keith Torresand Hornet ordered the latter two Jeffery Heard take a walk before Gerik, Jr., closes the door.
The results mark Sacramento State’s 16th single-run run of the year, which has won three of four such games before.
Meanwhile, Bojorquez notched his 18th most hit game of the year and his third three-hit performance of the season – his first since finishing the match 3 for 5 in front of the Grand Canyon on May 6.
