Box Score

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – In a game all about defense, Sacramento State made the last defensive play of the game to secure a sweep of Texas State with a 1-0 victory Sunday. The Bobcats drop to 12-19 overall and 5-4 in the Western Athletic Conference while the Hornets improve to 18-14 and 5-4.
 
Texas State put up just three hits, all of them coming after the seventh inning, but only allowed six hits to the Hornets. Sacramento State scored in the first inning after three consecutive singles, but the Bobcats had a chance to tie the game in the ninth.
 
Morgan Mickan led off the inning with a double, and Sac State starter Brennan Leitao walked Garrett Mattlage. Andrew Stumph advanced both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but with two runners on and just one out, disaster fell upon the Bobcats.
 
Colby Targun hit a jam shot shallow fly ball headed to no man's land in shallow right field, but second baseman Andrew Ayers made an over the shoulder grab. Mickan took off for home in an effort to tie the game, but Ayers made the throw in time to end the game. Mickan slid through the catcher's legs, but never reached home.
 
Mickan led the Bobcats offensively with two walks and a 1-for-2 day at the plate. Ben McElroy was also 1-for-2, and Cody Lovejoy broke a no-hitter with a hit up the middle in the seventh.
 
There wasn't much offense for either team. After the first inning, the Hornets only reached second twice, both times it was the same player, Nathan Lukes. Mickan touched second in the first inning, but he had to steal it. No Bobcat saw second again until the ninth. Leitao was pitching his no hitter into the seventh without a strikeout, benefitting from outstanding Sacramento State defensive plays throughout the game.
 
In the eighth inning, McElroy led off with a hit to right field, and the Bobcats brought in Brooks Orton to pinch run. After a Tyler Pearson fly out, J.D. Stinnett looked to push Orton to second with a fly ball to right field that almost dropped. Instead, Lukes made a diving play on the ball for the second out. A groundout ended the inning for Texas State.
 
Kyle Finnegan pitched five innings for Texas State, giving up six hits, three in the first, and the only run of the game. He struck out two and walked one. Donnie Hart and Hunter Lemke closed the game out with Hart going 2.1 innings and Lemke getting the final two outs. Neither gave up a hit.
 
Texas State stays on the road for the midweek game but brings it closer to home with a Tuesday game at 6 p.m. at Texas.