Nevada improves to 20-26 overall and 7-12 in the Western Athletic Conference and the Hornets fall to 20-31 overall and 8-12 in league.

An inning prior it looked as if Sacramento State had the upper hand, when sophomore David Flores needed just one pitch in the top of the eighth to give Sacramento State a 3-2 lead.

The sophomore blasted a two-run homer, his third of the season, to score the Hornets’ go-ahead and finish his night with a 3-for-4 performance. Senior Buddy Morales, who finished the game 2-for-3, reached base leading off the inning after being hit by Nevada starter Ryan Rodriguez.

After surrendering two runs to Nevada in the first inning, sophomore right-hander Mitch Lively (0-5) settled down, holding the Wolf Pack scoreless through the next seven innings. The Lassen, Calif., native took the loss after surrendering two singles in the ninth. In 8.1 innings of work, Lively allowed four runs on nine hits while striking out three.

Nevada’s Wesley Dorsett (3-5) earned the win after holding the Hornets scoreless in the ninth.

Sacramento State scored its first run in the second, after Morales and Flores produced consecutive singles off Rodriguez. Devin Spurling’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners to third and second and Jim Strombach’s sacrifice fly scored Morales to cut Nevada’s lead in half, 2-1.

Nevada scored early, posting two runs on four hits in the first. After recording back-to-back singles to start the inning, Matt Bowman’s one-run single scored Durell Williams.

Shawn Scobee then produced a sacrifice fly to plate Baker Krukow.

The final game of the series is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.