SACRAMENTO, Calif. – HBU received another strong pitching performance, this time from junior righthander
Will Ripoll as the Huskies won their third-straight over 23
rd-ranked Sacramento State to clinch the four-game series Sunday afternoon at John Smith Field.
Ripoll (1-1) earned his first win as a Husky, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts and four walks in six innings. Senior lefthander
Austin Spinney tossed 2.2 shutout innings, giving up two hits with a strikeout and two walk, then junior righthander
Morris Austin notched his first save of the year by recording the final out with a strikeout.
Junior shortstop
Diego Davila extended his hitting streak to five games, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run for HBU (5-8), while junior leftfielder
Braden Sanford went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Junior catcher
Tyler LaRue was 2-for-4 and junior designated hitter
Parker Edwards singled and scored.
Steven Moretto went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles for the Hornets (8-4), while Trevor Doyle went 2-for-5.
Tyler Stewart (1-1) took the loss, allowing three runs on three hits with two walks in 1.1 innings. Starter Noah Takacs held the Huskies scoreless on two hits with three strikeouts and a walk in 3.1 innings and Jack Zalasky shut HBU out, allowing no hits with four strikeouts and a walk over the last three.
Sacramento State broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth when Jason Blatnick drew a bases loaded walk.
HBU answered right back in the top of the fifth on Davila's bases-loaded, two-run single, then scoring himself when junior first baseman
Brennen Bales reached on a fielder's choice to make it 3-1.
The Huskies added a run in the sixth when Edwards drew a leadoff walk and later scored on Sanford's infield single.
With the win, HBU claimed its first-ever series victory over a ranked opponent. The Huskies' last win over a Top 25 prior to this weekend was a 3-2 victory over No. 25 Houston on Feb. 21, 2017.
HBU returns to action with a pair of midweek games, first going on the road to face Prairie View A&M Tuesday at 2 p.m. in Prairie View, before coming back home to host Lamar at 2 p.m. at Husky Field.
