Winning is fun, and the Sac State baseball team knows the feeling. It has won its last four games, and 10 of its last 12, and looks for more this weekend as they host the University of Pacific at Hornet Field.

On Saturday, the Hornets? Jeffery Groeger (3-2) allowed six runners over eight innings, in Sac State?s 4-1 victory over Eastern Michigan. This lowered his earned run average to 2.12 on the season.

Groeger is excited about the Sac State (13-8) pitching staff as a group.

“The whole staff seems to be cruising right now,” Groeger said. “We?re starting to put stuff together, guys are getting more innings.”

Sac State head coach John Smith was very pleased with the win over Eastern Michigan (1-11), seeing quality pitching mixed with timely hitting.

“The pitching is the name of the story right now,” he said. “But we also swung better (Saturday) than the last three games. (The game) was the best of the bunch.”

The Hornets jumped ahead early with two runs in the first inning. Senior center fielder Aurelio Jackson led off with a double to left field, advanced to third on an error and scored on a single by Cory Williams. Williams scored on an error.

Three innings later, Sac State?s Ryan Brown drove in junior catcher Joe Evans with a single to left field. The lead grew to 4-0 in the sixth inning when Evans slammed a home run over the scoreboard in left field. Evans leads the Hornets with six home runs, 14 runs batted in and a .689 slugging percentage.

The Hornets also defeated Eastern Michigan, 4-3, on Thursday as Benny Gonzalez improved his record to 3-1 and put his earned run average down to 1.80, the lowest among Hornets? starting pitchers. Williams homered and drove in two runs.

Senior Michael Penbera notched saves in both of the wins over Eastern Michigan.

On Friday, the Hornets beat Chicago State (1-7) 7-0, behind the pitching efforts of juniors Adam Rakela and David Turner and senior Joey Robinson. Rakela pitched six innings in the shutout, allowing five hits and four walks.

“It felt good, I haven?t been out there in a while,” Rakela said of the start. “I was just able to locate my fastball and the defense played well as always.”

Smith was impressed with the right-hander?s performance.

“He threw six strong innings, this was good for him. It makes us that much stronger and it gives him more mound time with six innings,” Smith said. “It will help him in his role as a long reliever and spot starter.

The Hornets led the whole way, starting with two unearned runs in the first inning, because of three consecutive errors by Chicago State?s third baseman Jerrold Brock.

Williams was again one of the hitting heroes, driving in two runs with a two-run single in the bottom of the fourth inning. First baseman Tim Maghan also drove in two runs for Sac State and Tito Barba got three hits in four at bats, and drove in a run.

“Tito was good, he needed that,” Smith said. “Hopefully he?ll carry it over.”

Barba had similar thoughts about his batting stroke, which he has struggled with until recently.

“I think I?ve adjusted, I hope to keep it going,” Barba said. “The team is coming together, we have the chemistry we need.”

At this point, with the schedule toughening up, Smith is encouraged about where his team stands.

“Everybody?s starting to feel more comfortable. Somebody different is stepping up every game,” said Smith about his club. “But every team we play from here on out is pretty darn good.”

The Hornets return to action on Friday, as they hope to keep their winning ways going against Pacific at 2 p.m. at Hornet Field. They will also play the Tigers at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.