Heading into tonight?s match-up with Stanford at 6:30 at Raley Field, the Sac State baseball team won on Sunday at Cal Poly, to avoid a sweep at the hands of the Mustangs last weekend at Baggett Stadium.

In Sunday?s 6-2 win, the Hornets rode the arm of Mike Miranda, as the senior threw a complete game-seven-hitter, allowing only two runs. Miranda improved to 7-4 on the year for the Hornets, who improved to 19-28 overall and 3-9 in Big West Conference play. The Mustangs fell to 28-17 overall and 6-3 in conference action.

“His slider and his fastball had good pop,” head coach John Smith said. “We held him back a day and he did well.”

Cal Poly jumped ahead 2-0, but in the top of the fifth inning, the Hornets? Aurelio Jackson and Carlos Morales had RBI singles, to tie the game at two.

Morales would prove clutch again two innings later as he hit a three-run home run to put Sac State up 5-2, after Jackson and second baseman Bobby Ciani singled. It was the fifth home run of the season for Morales, who went 3-5 in the win, with four RBI.

“He got hot. He?s definitely picked us up,” said Smith of Morales, his third baseman. “He had a big clutch hit (Sunday) and the night before, although he probably feels like he?s struggling because he?s not getting pitches to hit.”

The bats were alive on Saturday, as the Mustangs took down the Hornets, 9-5, in front of a crowd of 716; the largest of the series.

Cal Poly got started early, as Scott Sheldon drove in three runs in the first three innings, on separate RBI doubles, putting the Mustangs up 4-1.

Sac State answered in the top of the fourth inning, as designated hitter Dave Lusk slammed a two-run home run down the left field line, closing the margin to 4-3. In the top of the sixth inning, Sac State took a 5-4 lead on a bases loaded walk by Jackson.

In the last of the sixth inning, Sac State?s Benny Gonzalez (3-6), came on to pitch and gave up four runs while only getting one out. Cal Poly then led, 8-5, and held on for the win.

“His (Benny Gonzalez) last two outings, I don?t know if he?s been concerned with his thumb (which was sore) or what.” Smith said. “But it (return from thumb injury) seems to have had some effect on him.”

Ciani paced the Hornets with three hits in four at bats.

In the series opener on Friday, the Hornets were defeated, 4-3, when Cal Poly?s Kevin Tillman broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh inning with an RBI single off freshman pitcher Chris Kinsey.

Cal Poly led 2-0 until the top of the sixth inning when Sac State?s Mario Celillo homered and Jackson singled and eventually scored on a double by Morales tying the game.

Cal Poly responded in the last of the seventh inning when Tillman?s RBI single gave it a 3-2 lead. The Mustangs added a run in the next inning and a ninth inning rally by Sac State fell one run short.

The schedule does not get any easier for Sac State, as they play host to Stanford tonight at 6:30 at Raley Field. Stanford (32-10) is currently ranked number one in the Baseball Weekly/ESPN Coaches? Poll, number two in the Collegiate Baseball Poll and number three in Baseball America.

Smith is looking at this game like any other, his boys need a win.

“Any win makes us feel like we?re getting something for what we are putting in,” Smith said. “Right now, we?re not getting enough base hits in clutch situations.”

This weekend, Sac State travels to UC Riverside for a three game set.