Feb. 18, 2006

Box Score

Moraga, CA- The Saint Mary's baseball team dropped its first series on the season with a 13-1 defeat by the Sacramento State Hornets. Matt Campbell earned the victory for the Hornets while Saint Mary's Michael Nisco was tabbed for his first loss on the year. With the win, Sacramento State improves to 3-5 while Saint Mary's falls to 4-3.

Campbell went seven strong for the Hornets, allowing one run on five hits with three strikeouts in route to the victory. James Wheeler and Chris Mols combined for two innings of perfect relief.

The lone run for the Gaels came in the bottom of the third. Saint Mary's true freshman Joel Staples crushed a hanging curve ball over the left field wall for the home run. The roundtripper was his first hit at the collegiate level.

The Hornets opened the game up early with four runs in the first. After a tough error that could have ended the inning, the Hornets took advantage. Kyle Atrat got the Hornets going with an RBI on the fielder's choice which scored Gary Johnson. Buddy Morales singled to center field which scored Montana Dye and then Atrat was able to score on a wild pitch. Flores ended the big inning with a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Brian Blauser.

Sacramento State then tacked on four more in the fourth. Pat Keiper drove in two on a single to left field. Dye drove in Keiper on a fielder's choice and Atrat was able to bring in Johnson on a sac fly to right field.

In the sixth, the Hornets kept it going with three more. Atrat added to his big day with two more RBIs. Atrat singled to left field to score Everet Rincon and Keiper. Morales added one more when Johnson scored on an error.

Sacramento State finished its scoring with two more in the eighth. Jim Strombach came in to pinch hit and delivered with an RBI single to left. David Flores tacked on the final run with an RBI single to right.

Staples led the Gaels offensively with a 1-for-3 day, adding an RBI and a run scored. Orben Frederick, Sam Carter, Preston Young and Gilbert Urbina added hits for the Gaels.

On the mound, Nik Bandak pitched 2 1/3 innings with two runs and a strikeout. Chris Duke threw a perfect ninth with two strikeouts.

Saint Mary's will look to salvage the series tomorrow when it heads to Sacramento to close out the home-away-home series. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. from Hornet Field.