The Nevada baseball team (23-17) defeated the Sacramento State Hornets (23-17) by a score of 12-6 at Peccole Park on Tuesday, April 22.
Sacramento State struck first in the opening frame. Center fielder Tyler White singled to second, and left fielder Luis Pimentel-Guerro followed with a double to left-center, driving in White for the game’s first run.
Nevada quickly answered in the bottom of the second. After two quick outs, center fielder Jackson Waller flied out to right and shortstop Michael Ball flied out to center. Left fielder Taylor Holder jump-started the offense with a solo home run to left.
Right fielder Jacob Doyle followed with a bunt single, setting the stage for first baseman Donovan Ratfield, who crushed a two-run shot to left. Catcher Jake Harvey then doubled down the left-field line, capping a two-out rally and giving the Pack a 3-1 lead.
In the third, third baseman Sean Yamaguchi singled, and designated hitter Billy Ham was hit by a pitch to put two on. A fielding error loaded the bases, and Ball delivered an RBI single. Holder followed with a sacrifice fly, and Doyle drove in another run with a groundout, extending Nevada’s lead to 6-1.
The Hornets chipped away with a run in the fourth off another single from White, cutting the lead to 6-2. Nevada responded in the bottom half with a sacrifice fly from Harvey to make it 7-2.
Sacramento State rallied in the sixth. Second baseman Cameron Sewell and shortstop Michael Perazzo were both hit by pitches, and White followed with a two-run double down the left-field line. After another hit batter, the Pack made a pitching change.
Pimentel-Guerro flied out, but first baseman JP Smith added an RBI single to center. Catcher Elie Kligman flied out, and third baseman Jameson Mullin capped the inning with an RBI single to right, cutting the deficit to one at 7-6.
Nevada answered in the bottom of the seventh. Yamaguchi walked, and Ham was hit by a pitch to put two on. Waller knocked in a run with a single, and Ball followed with a two-run double. After a pitching change, Holder struck out, but Doyle launched a two-run homer to left-center. Ratfield popped out and Harvey fouled out to end the inning, but not before the Pack pushed across five runs to take a 12-6 lead.
Nevada’s bullpen shut the door over the final two innings to secure the win.
The Pack’s next challenge will come on the road as they travel to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to take on the Air Force Falcons 16-25 (8,10) in a three-game series from April 25 to April 27.
James Wolfgang Perez can be reached via email dominicgutierrez@unr.edu or via X @jpereznevada
