Box Score SACRAMENTO, CALIF.  — Sacramento State defeated Utah Valley, 9-5, in the rubber match of the conference-opening series. UVU (15-19, 1-2) jumped out to an early lead thanks to homers from Derek Houston and Hunter Katschke, but Trevor Wilson went five innings without allowing a hit to help the Hornets (15-22, 3-3) come back in the game.
 
Sacramento State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a single by Jace Jeremiah that ricocheted off Garrett Miller's foot into center field. The Wolverines answered right back during the top of the second inning after a single from Brody Block. Houston took a 3-1 pitch over the left field wall for his fourth career home run and tie the game up at 2-2.
 
The Wolverines jumped in front in the third inning when Katschke hit his 12th homer of the season to make it 3-2. The UVU offense kept the pressure on the Hornets' staff after Mason Strong doubled on the first pitch he saw and lined it down the line. He came around to score when Chipper Beck singled through the middle to put Utah Valley up 4-2.
 
Cooper Brass reached on a pinch-hit single in the fourth inning and stole second base as UVU won a challenge, as he was originally called out. He moved to third on a groundball before scoring on Carpenter's one-hopper over the head of the first baseman for an RBI double to make it 5-2.
 
The Hornets went to the bullpen and brought in Wilson, who retired the next 15 straight hitters and allowed the Sacramento State offense to rally, including a four-run fourth inning, before adding a run in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to take a 9-5 lead.
 
The Wolverines chased Wilson with two outs in the ninth inning after Will Applegate and Katschke worked walks and later moved to third base on a wild pitch. An infield pop-up that was aided by the wind ended the late UVU rally.
 
UP NEXT
Utah Valley will travel to Air Force for a non-conference series starting Monday, April 13, at 3 p.m. MT from Colorado Springs. The Wolverines return home to UCCU Ballpark for a three-game WAC series against Utah Tech next weekend in the Old Hammer Rivalry.