The Wildcats, ranked fifth in the nation by Collegiate Baseball, fall to 27-14 on the season while the Hornets improve to 18-21-1.

Sacramento State is now 5-6 against Pac-10 teams in 2005, with wins over Washington State, Stanford and Cal. The Hornets have also won 10 of their last 12 games and are on a seven-game winning streak at Hornet Field.

For the second time this season, senior right-hander Ethan Katz earned a victory against a team ranked in the nation’s top-25. Katz went seven innings allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out three batters. In three innings he was also able to retire the side. Katz, a Los Angeles, native is now 5-6 on the season with a 4.33 ERA. Earlier in the year, Katz earned the win in a 4-3 victory over Stanford, who was ranked 10th in the nation at the time.

Sacramento State climbed out of a 3-0 hole after Arizona tallied three runs in the second inning. The Wildcats’ Jordan Brown scored on a Chris Frey single and Derek Decater then sent a two-run blast over the left field wall to give Arizona the 3-0 advantage. Frey finished the day 2-for-4 with one run and one RBI.

The Hornets responded in the bottom of the third inning when junior Jim Strombach doubled down the right field line scoring junior Everet Rincon and freshman David Flores. Strombach finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two doubles. The Aiea, Hawaii, native continues to lead the team with 53 hits and is also tied for the team lead with 11 doubles. He is also second on the team with a .325 batting average and has now recorded a team-best 16 multiple-hit games.

Sacramento State took the lead for good in the fourth inning when the team capitalized on an Arizona error. With the bases loaded and one out, Strombach’s sacrifice fly deep into right field scored junior Josh Levin. With two outs, freshman Taylor Watanabe singled to right field scoring Flores.

Watanabe was the only Hornet other than Strombach to record multiple hits on the day. The Aiea, Hawaii, native was 2-for-3 from the plate with one RBI and one run. He also leads the team with a .327 batting average.

With Watanabe and Rincon on base, Blauser sent a blast over the left field wall for his second home run of the season and sixth of his career. The homer gave the Hornets a 7-3 advantage on their way to the victory. Blauser, an Elk Grove, Calif., native finished the day going 1-for-3 with three RBIs and one stolen base.

Senior pitcher Warren Rosebrock took the mound in the eighth inning and earned his second save of the season. The right-hander from Valley Christian Academy retired the last four batters of the game, striking out two.

David Coulon (2-2) took the loss for Arizona, after pitching 3.2 innings and allowing six runs (two earned) on six hits.

Sacramento State will attempt to keep its home-winning streak alive, playing UC Irvine tomorrow at 1p.m. at Hornet Field. The game can be heard on KSSU Radio and www.hornetsports.com.