Sacramento State dropped to 22-25 on the year while Oregon State improved to 24-11. It marked the first time the Hornets have dropped to three games below .500 since the 2002 season. The squad’s six fielding errors was the most since recording the same amount against Saint Mary’s on Feb. 17, 2002.

The Beavers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Aaron Mathews drove in a run with a single through the left side and Shea McFeely scored on the play after a throwing error by junior Ryan Browne in left field.

The Hornets evened the contest (2-2) after two runs scored on a fielding and throwing error by Chad Schroeder at second base. With two outs, senior John Acha singled to right field and then advanced to third on a throwing error by Beaver starter Andy Baldwin on a failed pick-off attempt. After junior Brett Flowers walked, Browne hit a high pop to second base. Schroeder settled under the ball but failed to make the play as it landed behind him, allowing Acha to score from third. After grabbing the ball, Schroeder threw wildly to third base trying to get a sliding Flowers. The ball bounced off of third-base coach Rusty McLain and went into the Hornet dugout, allowing Flowers to score.

Oregon State increased its lead to 8-0 in the second inning after tallying six runs on three hits while also taking advantage of four Hornet errors and two wild pitches.

The Beavers added another four runs in the third (12-2) when Tyler Graham hit an RBI single through the left side, McFeely drove in two runs with a triple to right field and then later scored on a passed ball by junior Kyle Aure.

Sacramento State cut the deficit to 12-5 in the bottom of the eighth inning after scoring three runs on four hits. With one out, Flowers and juniors Andy Hnilo and Travis Kassebaum hit consecutive singles to load the bases. In the next at-bat, LeVier drove in a run with a fielder’s choice to second. Junior Buddy Morales followed with a double in the right-center gap to clear the bases.

The Hornets added another run in the ninth when Hnilo hit an RBI single to right field. With one out, junior Pedro Santiago singled up the middle and then advanced to second on a single by Flowers to right. In the next at-bat, Hnilo poked a shot into right to score Santiago from second.

Baldwin (5-3) earned the win after allowing two runs (none earned) on four hits while walking two and striking out three in 6.0 innings of work.

Junior Marshall Hendon (1-3) was tagged with the loss after giving up 11 runs (six earned) on eight hits while walking two and striking out one in 2.2 innings. Freshman Mick Joyce and seniors Andy Mohr and Renecke Stelzriede combined for 6.0 innings of scoreless relief for the Hornets.

Hnilo led the Hornet offense by finishing 3-for-3 from the plate while scoring a run and driving in run. Flowers (2-for-4) and Aure (2-for-3) also finished with multiple hits to lead the squad.

Sacramento State will next travel to Nevada to face the Wolf Pack on Tuesday, April 20, at 2 p.m.

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