Even though his name is common, Hornet catcher Matt Wilson is everything but when it comes to baseball.

The Hornet backstop went 5 for 15 in Sac State’s four-game series against Hawaii-Hilo tallying three doubles, three runs and three RBIs.

For the season, Wilson is tied for first on the club with two home runs, tied for second with 15 RBIs, and in the top five of many other statistical categories; this is all coming from the most demanding of defensive positions where any offensive production is a bonus.

“What he’s done this season is even more remarkable because of the fatigue factor that goes into the catching position,” head coach John Smith said. “I expected him to be hitting a wall at this point, but he’s just now hitting second gear.”

Wilson, a fifth-year senior, is a major cog of a Sac State squad trying to right its ship after a disappointing first half of the season.

Much of the trouble the Hornets had early on was their inability to score runs after getting men on base. Because of this, Wilson has been putting in extra work to improve upon what he knows is crucial to his team’s success.

“I’m just trying to focus some more on the hitting aspect of the game, letting the ball travel further in the strike zone,” Wilson said. “It has definitely been paying off.”

Wilson is not only an offensive star for the Hornets, but a leader on the field and in the clubhouse.

“He’s the cornerstone of this club and the iron man of this team,” Smith said. “He’s a great leader and an even better human being.”

After winning the first two games of the series, the Hornets suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of the 3-33 Vulcans on Saturday in the second half of the day’s double-header.

The Hornets came back to win the final game of the four-game series, 4-1, giving them the series victory, three games to one.

Right fielder Jim Strombach led off the game with a double, and Wilson followed it by smoking a double of his own off the left-field fence, scoring Strombach. Left fielder Pedro Santiago then laced a line drive up the middle, scoring Wilson from second.

Third baseman Billy Sinacori sent a soft line drive into left field, scoring center fielder Brian Conradi, making the score 3-0 after three innings.

Conradi singled home pinch runner Travis Kassebaum in the seventh, giving the Hornets a comfortable three run lead heading into the late innings.

Hornet reliever Marshall Plouffe shut down the Vulcan offense, allowing no hits and striking out three to earn the save.

Hornet starting pitcher Matt Campbell turned in a gem, going six and two-thirds innings, scattering four hits and giving up only one earned run for the win.

Sac State is now 12-20-1 on the season. The Hornets’ next game is the opener of a four-game series with Utah Valley State on Friday at 2 p.m.

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Josh Cadji can be reached at [email protected]