The Hornets had a 6-5 lead going into the bottom of the inning, before a three-hit, one error inning led to the Gaels scoring two runs for the win.

Senior Marshall Plouffe made his first start of the season on the mound and went four innings, allowing six hits and five earned runs. Senior Warren Rosebrock came on in relief pitching 4.1 innings, allowing five hits and two runs (one earned). Rosebrock took the loss for the Hornets, he is now 2-2 on the year with a 2.38 ERA.

At the plate, Sacramento State (7-12-1) was led by senior Brett Flowers, who recorded three hits and four RBIs in the game. The Huntington Beach, Calif., native now leads the team with 15 RBIs while batting .303. Flowers also leads the team with seven multiple hit games and five multiple RBI games.

Junior Jim Strombach, who is batting .325 this season, was walked at both his at-bats. Strombach, who has started every game in right field this year, scored two runs in the game as did senior catcher Matt Wilson.

The Hornets continued their first-inning success going ahead 2-1, when a Flowers’ single up the middle scored Wilson and Strombach. Sacramento State has now out scored it opponents 24-7 in the first inning this year.

Saint Mary’s (6-11) went on to take a 4-2 lead, before the Hornets responded with a four-run inning in the top of the fifth. Wilson’s second double of the season to left center field, scored freshman David Flores, who had singled earlier in the inning. Junior Josh Levin picked up an RBI when his ground out helped Strombach score his 15th run of the season. Flowers then hit his first home run of the season off Saint Mary’s pitcher Chris Mezzavilla, also scoring Wilson. The two-run blast gave Sacramento State a 6--5 lead going into the final three innings. For Flowers, it was the third home run of his career.

Both relief pitchers, Rosebrock and Saint Mary’s Allan Lobban, held things scoreless in the seventh and eighth innings until the Gaels scored the game-winners in the bottom of the ninth.

Lobban (1-1) earned the win for the Gaels. J.P. Musgrove and Sam Carter led Saint Mary’s with two RBIs each.

Saint Mary’s is now 3-0 against Sacramento State in 2005. The teams will meet again at Hornet Field on May 11.

Sacramento State will next travel to Oregon State for a three-game series beginning at 3 p.m. on Friday. Live stats can be followed on www.osubeavers.com. The game can also be heard through Yahoo sports.

The Hornets will not return home until Saturday, March 26 for a 2 p.m. game with Stanford.