For the second consecutive game, UC Irvine closer Blair Erickson took the mound in the top of the ninth inning to retire the side in order and prevent the Hornets from scoring the game-tying run.

Sacramento State falls to 6-10 on the year, while the Anteaters improve to 11-6 with Erickson picking up his sixth save of the season.

The Hornets trailed 3-1 heading into the top of the sixth inning, but first baseman Kyle Atrat evened the score with a two-run homer to right field, scoring center fielder Brian Conradi. It was the second home run of the year for the Clovis, Calif., native, who made his first start of the season at first base.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Anteaters took a 4-3 lead when first baseman Jaime Martinez’s sacrifice fly to center field scored Taylor Holiday.

After a scoreless seventh inning, the Hornets came from behind again to tie the game, 4-4, in the eighth. With one out, UC Irvine pitcher Kyle Necke walked Conradi. Senior right fielder Jim Strombach then recorded his second hit of the game, singling to center field. Both Conradi and Strombach advanced on a wild pitch, before Conradi scored from third on a throwing error by Anteater catcher Jeff Werhun.

In the bottom of the eighth, junior right-hander Justin Deme - who entered the game in the seventh inning in relief of starter Matt Campbell – retired the first two batters of the inning. But Holiday kept the inning alive for UC Irvine, picking up his second hit of the game with a single to center field. Martinez, who also finished 2-for-4 on the day with two RBIs, then produced the game-deciding RBI-single to left field, scoring Holiday.

Deme (1-3) took the loss for Sacramento State, pitching 2.1 innings and allowing one run on two hits. Campbell pitched 6.1 innings in the start, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits.

Necke (1-1) earned the win for the Anteaters, pitching one inning and allowing one run on one hit. UC Irvine starter Scott Gorgen went 5.2 innings allowing three runs on five hits.

For the second consecutive game, junior second baseman Gary Johnson recorded multiple hits, going 2-for-4 from the plate for the Hornets. The Fair Oaks, Calif., native was responsible for Sacramento State’s first run of the game in the fifth inning. After senior left fielder Ronnie Machado, Jr., tripled to center field to lead off the inning, Johnson’s RBI-single to left field put the Hornets on the scoreboard.

In his first year out of Sierra JC, Johnson has eight RBIs and is batting .317.

Strombach finished the game 2-for-4, recording the Hornets’ first hit of the game with a double to right field in the second inning. The Aiea, Hawaii native is now hitting .349 on the year with four doubles.

The three-game series ends on Sunday at Anteater Ballpark with first pitch scheduled at 1 p.m. An audio broadcast and gametracker is available on www.athletics.uci.edu.