SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A trip to the West Coast saw Texas State (3-4) drop both games of a doubleheader to Sacramento State on Saturday at John Smith Field. The Hornets won the first game 8-4 and took the night cap 5-4.
 
GAME 1: SACRMENTO STATE 8, TEXAS STATE 4
The Hornets struck first in the third with a run. The next half inning saw Will Hollis smash a 1-0 pitch over the right field fence to tie the game 1-1. It was the senior's first homer of the season.
 
Sac State answered back with a run in the bottom of the fourth and extended its lead to 6-1 with four runs in the fifth.
 
Justin Thompson started off the sixth by getting plunked and would advance to second on a wild pitch. Following a ground out that moved him to third, the junior third baseman scored on another wild pitch to cut the deficit to four.
 
The Hornets extended their lead in the seventh with two more runs to go up 8-2.
 
With one gone in the eighth, Thompson singled up the middle. Hollis battled and on the 11 pitch he saw was able to draw a walk. Jaxon Williams was also issued a free pass to load the bases. After a pitching change, Bryce Bonner beat out a grounder on an attempted double play to plate a run and cut the deficit to five.
 
Tucker Redden led off the ninth with a double to left center. Wesley Faison followed with another double, this time to left field, to score a run. Thompson would record an infield single but nothing else in the frame.
 
Zachary Leigh (0-1) took the loss after giving up two runs in the first four innings on four hits and walks while striking out two. Scott Randall (1-0) recorded the win as he struck out three in five innings while giving up just one run.
 
Cade Bullinger threw a career-high 3.1 innings of relief with two strikeouts. Also recording an out in relief was Triston Dixon and Matthew Nicholas.
 
Hollis, Redden and Thompson all went 2-for-4 in the game. Thompson scored twice and both Hollis and Redden came around to score a run apiece.
 
GAME 2: SACRAMENTO STATE 5, TEXAS STATE 4
After a scoreless first by both teams, the Hornets got on the scoreboard with a two-run home run from Martin Vincelli-Simard.
 
With an out in the fifth, Cade Manning was walked on five pitches. Two batters later, Bryce Bonner laced a double to left center. Isiah Ortega-Jones then smashed a 1-0 pitch off the second deck of the parking garage behind the left field fence to put the Bobcats ahead 3-2.
 
Sac State tied the game in the bottom of the frame behind three walks and an infield single.
 
Hollis led off the sixth by smoking a 1-0 pitch off the center field wall. As the centerfield was fielding the ball, he slipped which allowed Hollis to get all the way to third. A couple of batters later, Jose Gonzalez hit a deep fly ball to left to bring Hollis home and put Texas State back up 4-3.
 
Like the previous inning, the Hornets were able to answer back their next time at the plate but this time with two runs to retake the lead.
 
Manning lead off the ninth with a single to right field. He was lifted for Chase Evans, who advanced to second on a wild pitch. Tucker Redden laid down a sacrifice bunt to put Evans 90 feet away from tying the game. However, the next two batters both struck out to end the contest.
 
Austin Smith (2-1) took the loss as he went 3.1 innings with three strikeouts while giving up two runs, both unearned. Ryan Tinsley (1-0) picked up the win and Stone Churby earned his second save of the season.
 
Trevis Sundgren started on the rubber and went 4.2 innings. The right-hander struck out four while surrendering three runs on six walks and two hits.
 
Both Manning and Ortega-Jones had a team-high two hits on the night.
 
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