Katz, who last season got the win in a 2-1 upset of the Cardinal, repeated the feat, giving up just two hits through his first eight innings on the mound.

The Hornets snapped a seven-game losing streak and their record improves to 8-15-1 as Stanford falls to 13-8 on the year. For the Cardinal, it was only the third game they had lost on their home field this season. For the Hornets it was only their second win on the road this season.

Katz, who finished the game with seven strikeouts and who leads the pitching staff with 37, improves to 2-5 on the year.

The Hornets jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning, when junior Jim Strombach scored his team-leading 18th run of the season. He led off the inning with a single and eventually scored after senior Brett Flowers recorded a ground out RBI.

Flowers finished the game with two RBIs and the Huntington Beach, Calif., native continues to lead the team with 19.

A pitching dual ensued between Katz and Stanford’s Mark Romanczuk, with neither allowing a run until the top of the fifth inning, when Romanczuk was the first to surrender a score.

Sacramento State produced three runs in the top of the fifth as Romanczuk gave up three runs and four hits. Freshman David Flores led off the inning with a double (his third of the season) to left field.

Junior Everet Rincon then singled followed by Strombach, who reached on a fielder’s choice. Senior Matt Wilson was hit by a pitch to load the bases, before junior Josh Levin singled to center field scoring Rincon and Strombach. Levin, a San Jose, Calif., native finished the game 2-for-3 from the plate and is now averaging .311.

Flowers then registered his first hit and second RBI of the game when he singled to left field, scoring Wilson.

The Hornets held on to their 4-0 lead from the fifth inning, with Katz failing to surrender a hit and facing only 12 batters until the bottom of the ninth, when he walked the first batter of the inning, John Hester, and then gave up a single to Michael Taylor.

Senior Warren Rosebrock came in to face one batter, walking Brendan Domaracki and loading the bases.

Senior Marshall Plouffe then entered the game and walked Ben Summerhays, scoring Hester. With the bases loaded, Jim Rapoport reached on a fielder’s choice as Taylor scored.

A sacrifice fly from Adam Sorgi, scored Domaracki, bringing the Cardinal within a run, 4-3. Plouffe, who picked up his first save of the season, got the Hornets out of a jam as Chris Minaker struck out swinging.

Flowers and Levin finished the game with two RBIs apiece, while Wilson and Levin had multiple hit games. Wilson and Flores were also the only two players to register doubles in the game.

Junior Brian Conradi, who started in center field, stole his sixth base of the season.

Stanford’s Romanczuk finished the game going seven innings and giving up nine hits and four runs.

The teams finish their two-game series on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Hornet Field. The game can be heard on KSSU 1580 and www.hornetsports.com.