Grand slam lifts Sac State past Nevada

RENO – The University of Nevada (22-22) baseball team dropped a midweek nonconference game to Sacramento State (27-18), 7-6, on Tuesday at Peccole Park.

The Wolf Pack stands at 22-22 after the loss while the Hornets improved to 27-18.

Nevada returns to Mountain West action this weekend hosting second place San Diego State for a three-game series. Friday’s game is set for 6 p.m. with Saturday and Sunday’s first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. All three games can be heard on 1450 AM with Don Marchand calling the action.

Sac State scored two runs in the top of the first but Nevada tied it on Brooks Klein’s two-run homer in the bottom of the second. The Pack added another run courtesy of a Hornet error and led 3-2 after two innings.

A five-run third inning gave the Hornets all the runs they would need. Second baseman Andrew Ayers belted a grand slam in the big inning.

The Pack scored runs in the fourth, seventh and ninth innings but it was not enough to overcome the large deficit. Klein’s belted his second home run of the game in seventh inning. Nevada scored a run in the bottom of the ninth but left two runners on base to end the game.

Brandon Creel (6-3) earned the win in relief. Sutter McLoughlin recorded his 13th save of the season pitching the ninth.

Wolf Pack starter Michael Bradshaw (1-1) was tagged with the loss allowing four runs on three hits in 2.1 innings of action.

First baseman Hugo Hernandez and third baseman Brad Gerig led the Pack with three hits each. Klein added three RBIs.

Rhys Hoskins and Justin Higley had multiple hits for the Hornets. Ayers drove in four with his grand slam in the third inning.

Shipley named to watch list

Wolf Pack junior right-handed pitcher Braden Shipley is one of 60 collegiate baseball players named to the Golden Spikes Award watch list as announced by USA Baseball on Thursday. The award goes to the top amateur baseball player in the country.

One of the top collegiate pitchers, Shipley typically draws a crowd of Major League Baseball scouts and executives at each start. Baseball America ranked him 10th in their midseason 2013 draft top 50 as did ESPN. His fastball has been clocked as high as 99 mph.

Shipley will make his next start for the Wolf Pack on tonight against San Diego State at Peccole Park in Reno with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.

The Medford, Ore. native is currently 6-2 with a 2.70 ERA. In 80 innings pitched, he has struck out 76 hitters. Three times this season he has struck out 10 or more batters in a game.

Last season he was named the Western Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year after posting a 9-4 record with conference low 2.20 ERA. Shipley’s career record stands at 16-6 with a 2.77 ERA in 188.2 innings pitched and has totaled 177 strikeouts.