Sacramento State improves to 5-6 and remains undefeated at 4-0 on their home field, while the Bison start off their season 0-1.

The Hornets entered the bottom of the eighth trailing 5-3, but North Dakota State pitcher Shane Bushland started the inning by hitting senior shortstop Everet Rincon and then walking junior second baseman Patrick Cummins. A wild pitch advanced both runners to second and third, before right-hander Jeff Kyllo replaced Bushland on the mound. The 6-foot-3 freshman then walked Gary Johnson before surrendering the base-clearing double to Keiper. The Los Angeles native then scored the fourth run of the inning.

Keiper, in his second season after transferring from Cal State Dominguez Hills, continues to lead the Hornets with a .444 batting average, 20 hits, 11 RBIs and four doubles.

Sacramento State trailed North Dakota State for most of the game with Bison starter Tom Branca pitching 7.0 innings and holding the Hornets to three runs on four hits.

In the top of the second inning, North Dakota State’s Sean Thom singled up the middle to score Jared Sullivan and Ryan Langlais and take a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third, senior center fielder Jim Strombach led off the inning with a single and stole second, before advancing to third on a David Flores ground out. An RBI-single to right field from Rincon scored Strombach to cut the Bison lead to 2-1. Rincon is now on a six-game hitting streak while batting .351.

North Dakota State took a 3-1 lead in the top of the sixth inning, but Sacramento State senior second baseman Brian Blauser evened the score with a two-run homer to left center. The blast reached the top of the parking garage and was the Elk Grove, Calif., native’s second home run of the year.

Billy Sinacori earned the win for the Hornets, relieving starter Justin Demé in the eighth inning. Sinacori pitched 2.0 innings, allowing one run on three hits. In the ninth inning, the Auburn, Calif., native retired the side in order to end the game.

Demé went 7.0 innings, surrendering four runs (three earned) on four hits with four strikeouts.

Kyllo took the loss for the Bison, giving up two runs on one hit while walking two.

Sacramento State will return to the field for their second game of the River City Classic at 2 p.m. on Friday, hosting Portland. A live audio broadcast can be heard on www.hornetsports.com with Dylan McKenzie doing play-by-play. The first game of the day begins at 10 a.m. with Saint Mary’s and North Dakota State.