The Sac State Baseball team came back from a three run deficit to defeta Saint Mary?s 5-3 Friday at Hornet Field.

The Hornets hitting combined with some key pitching down the stretch were the difference in the first game of what was supposed to be a three game non-conference series.

The doubleheader scheduled for Saturday was rained out. No make-up date has been set.

Mike Miranda pitched eight innings to pick up his third win of the season. Miranda (3-1) gave up three runs on eight hits, while striking out four batters and walking one. In his last two outings, the senior pitcher has struck out fourteen batters while only walking one.

Offensively, Sac State was led by freshman third baseman Chris Kinsey. In his best game of his young collegiate career, the Elk Grove, CA native went four for four with two home runs. The Hornets are now over the .500 mark for the first time this season at 7-6.

Saint Mary?s (5-9) started off the game with a couple of singles and a sacrifice fly that put it up 1-0.

Kinsey singled off Gael starter Mike Byer to start of the bottom of the second inning for Sac State. Kinsey then stole second and scored on a single by center fielder Aurelio Jackson. On the play, Kinsey beat the throw from right fielder John Engers and slid underneath the tag from Gael catcher Brian Houle to tie the game at one.

Saint Mary?s took the lead again in the top of the fourth when Kaziim Summerville tripled off the right field wall. He scored two batters later on a sacrifice fly. The Gaels added one more run in the top of the sixth before Kinsey took the game over with his bat.

In the bottom of seventh, Kinsey led off the inning and took a 2-2 pitch deep over the left field wall. On the very next pitch, pinch hitter Seth Atchue homered to left center tying up the game.

This was the second time in as many games that the Hornets have homered on back-to-back pitches. Barba then doubled to right center and Jackson was hit by a pitch. The runners advanced on a failed pick off attempt to first base. After Lusk was intentionally walked, Barba scored on a catchers interference call.

The Hornets added one more run in the eighth inning when Kinsey again led off the inning with a towering home run, this one to center field. Kinsey now leads the team with four home runs.

Michael Penbera came on in the ninth for 2/3 of an inning to earn his second save of the year.