Lancers Even the Series with the Hornets

Saturday, March 30

Riverside, Calif.

5:00 PM

California Baptist University

18-9, 3-2

Sacramento State

17-9, 3-2

Sacramento State

California Baptist

Photo by: Reagan Lee

Lancers Even the Series with the Hornets

3/30/2019 9:41:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Andrew Shortall, Director of Athletics Communications

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – Several standout performances at the plate and another strong four innings on the mound from Matt Amrhein led California Baptist University to a 6-5 win over Sacramento State on Saturday night.

It evened up the Western Athletic Conference series with the Hornets for CBU, with the finale starting at noon on Sunday at Totman Stadium. The Lancers improve to 18-9, 3-2 in the WAC, while Sacramento State falls to 17-9, 3-2. Fans can follow Sunday's game with live stats and video at CBULancers.com/live.

Nick Plaia was the definition of clutch for CBU on Saturday. As the leadoff man, Plaia went 2-for-5 with three runs batted in, including the game winner in the bottom of the eighth. He collected both his hits with two strikes and two outs to drive in key runs for the Lancers.

Doesn't get much more clutch than Nick Plaia tonight. He has his second 2⃣➖strike and 2⃣➖out RBI hit to give CBU a 6-5 lead going into the ninth inning. #LanceUp pic.twitter.com/SY87mjXxon
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 31, 2019

True freshman Chad Castillo had himself a game, going 3-for-4 with a run and RBI, as well. Andrew Bash had two hits, including a solo home run, while Rory Smith went 2-for-4 and scored twice.

The Lancers' offense did most of their damage against the Hornet's top relief pitcher, Austin Roberts, who is ranked as one of the Top 100 Relievers in the NCAA by D1Baseball.com. Roberts was also ranked 91^st among 2019 Major League Baseball Draft Eligible Pitchers coming into the season.

Luke Navigato extended his hitting streak to 15 games when he hit a solo homer in the bottom of the first to give CBU a 1-0 lead.

Luke Navigato doing what Luke Navigato does, killing the ⚾️❗️

The senior destroys the first pitch he sees to give CBU a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. He's hitting .420 with five home runs and 22 runs batted in this season.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/TU5zJkSCmr
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 31, 2019

Jorge Valerio held Sacramento State scoreless over the first four innings. He gave up just one hit and worked around two errors to keep the Hornets off the board. Plaia made a great running catch in center field to keep CBU ahead in the top of the fourth.

Nick Plaia makes a great running catch in center to keep this a 1⃣➖0⃣ CBU lead going into the bottom of the fourth. Jorge Valerio has been great, giving up just one hit and working around two errors to keep Sacramento State off the board.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/u7sIc5YBnX
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 31, 2019

The Hornets broke through with three runs in the fifth inning on three hits and two run-scoring squeeze bunts. The Lancers answered right back to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth.

John Glenn and Harrison Spohn led the inning off with a double and a walk, respectively. Castillo came through with a single to left to score Spohn and then an error put two Lancers in scoring position.

Chad Castillo gets his second hit and drives in a run with a single to left field to cut CBU's deficit to just one, 3-2, in the bottom of the sixth.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/DMhx0Ja0Xk
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 31, 2019

Plaia brought them both home with a hard shot up the middle to give CBU the lead again, 4-3.

📢📢 CBU takes back the lead 📢📢

Nick Plaia laces a two-out, two-strike single up the middle to give the Lancers a 4-3 lead going into the top of the seventh, capping off a three-run inning.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/6KiZPxiIw0
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 31, 2019

Bash's solo homer in the seventh gave the Lancers an insurance run, up 5-3, but the Hornets erased it and tied the game with a pair of unearned runs in the eighth. The Lancers got the response they needed in the bottom of the inning.

💣

Andrew Bash blasts an insurance run into the netting in left field. The Lancers lead 5-3 going into the eighth inning after that solo homer.#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/lgqZ2lVERX
— CBU Baseball (@CBUbaseball) March 31, 2019

Smith and Castillo mounted a threat with a one-out single and double, respectively, in the bottom of the eighth. Sacramento State got the second out on a strikeout, but Plaia came through with a 2-2 single to right field to score the go-ahead run.

Amrhein made the one-run lead stand up, as he worked around a one-out single to secure his second victory of the season. After throwing the final 4.2 innings for his third save in the 5-2 win at San Diego State on Tuesday, Amrhein threw the final four innings on Saturday. He danced around four hits, three walks to not give up an earned run.