Wolf Pack wins with walk-off home run
Sunday, May. 11, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
Nevada first baseman Shaun Kort said he thinks about baseball all the time—even during finals week.“At least we can go to our finals with a good attitude,” Kort said.
Kort hit an outside fastball over the left field fence for a home run Sunday, giving him something good to think about as he studies for his final exams this week.
The 13-12 win also moved the Wolf Pack within one game of Fresno State for first place in the Western Athletic Conference standings.
“Every game means something this late in the season,” Nevada coach Gary Powers said. “We have to first think about getting through finals and then think about taking on San Jose State next week.”
The Wolf Pack also won the first two games of the series 14-5 and 6-5, but lost the third game 13-4 on Saturday.
Nevada trailed 12-9 going into the ninth inning, but was sparked by Kevin Rodland’s leadoff single.
“I told him I didn’t want anybody else at the plate in that situation,” Kort said. “He was really seeing the ball well today and I was pretty sure he would get us started.
“This team really has no holes in the lineup.”
Jason Sadoian followed with another single and Matt Bowman was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jason Rodriguez. Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly to get Nevada within two runs and then Kort came to the plate.
“It’s the first walk-off home run of my career,” Kort said. “I was going crazy, but it didn’t hit me until I rounded second base and saw everyone getting out of the dugout and mobbing around home plate.”
It was the second home run of the game for Kort and his sixth of the season. Both of his home runs were to the opposite field on Sunday.
“The wind helped because it was blowing that way,” Kort said. “I wasn’t really trying to hit it that way, though. I was just trying to look for an elevated pitch and drive it.”
The Wolf Pack will end its season next week with a four-game series at San Jose State. It will be Nevada’s first meeting with the Spartans this season.
Fresno State concludes its season with a four-game series at Sacramento State.
“It’s hard not to watch the standings this time of the year,” Kort said. “I think we have one of the best teams in the west.”
Nevada reliever Sammy Miller got the win, throwing the last two innings and allowing two runs. Derek Achelpohl was the starter for the Wolf Pack, but he left the game after he pitched 2.2 innings and allowed four earned runs.
Sacramento State’s closer Jeff Roth got the loss.
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