The eighth-ranked Beavers improve to 5-4, while the Hornets fall to 6-7 on the year.

Oregon State got on the scoreboard early when Kunda tripled to right center, scoring Mike Lissman. But Sacramento State responded, taking a brief 2-1 lead when senior first baseman Brian Blauser rocketed his third home run in as many games, off the scoreboard in center field.

The Elk Grove, Calif., native leads the team with four home runs this season, improving his career total to 11.

The Beavers then put up four runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take their final advantage. With the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the fourth, Cole Gillespie scored on a fielding error and Kunda’s RBI-single was responsible for Oregon State’s second run.

In the top of the fifth, Taylor Graham’s home run fell just inside the left field foul poll for Oregon State and Geoff Wagner followed up the long blast with a RBI-single to give the Beavers a 5-2 edge.

Oregon State’s Eddie Kunz, who came on in relief of starter Anton Maxwell, earned his first victory of the year, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing one run on two hits while striking out three.

Senior left-hander Matt Campbell (1-3) took the loss for the Hornets after pitching 4.0 innings and allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out two. Junior right-hander Cyrus Sarraf took the mound in the fifth and in 3.2 innings allowed two runs on six hits with three strikeouts.

Sacramento put up its third run in the bottom of the seventh when senior designated hitter Pat Keiper singled over Beaver pitcher Eddie Kunz, scoring sophomore second baseman Taylor Watanabe from third base.

Keiper, who finished the day 2-for-4 and maintained his team-leading 11-game hitting streak, continues to lead the team hitting .453 with 24 hits, 14 RBIs and five doubles.

Also recording hits for Sacramento State were outfielders Montana Dye and Jim Strombach and Watanabe, who led off the bottom of the first with a double down the left field line.

Sacramento State plays its final game of the River City Classic at 2 p.m. on Sunday, hosting San Francisco. The game will be a doubleheader for the Dons, who are playing Washington State in the 10 a.m. game.