A late-inning two-run rally helped the San Francisco Dons overcome an early deficit to beat the Sacramento State Hornets 4-2 at Hornet Field on Wednesday. The loss dropped the Hornets to 9-13 on the season. For the Dons, the win was their fourth in a row and pushed them to a 9-11 record.

The Hornets out hit the Dons 11-6, but left eight runners on base. Hornets first baseman Brian Blauser provided much of the Hornet’s offense, with three hits in four at bats, including his fifth home run of the year. Second baseman Gary Johnson also had two hits and an RBI.

With the score tied at two in the 7th inning, the Dons, aided by shaky Hornet fielding, scored the two runs that would be enough to send them to victory.

San Francisco started the inning by loading the bases with nobody out, thanks to a single, a walk, and an error by Hornet reliever Mitch Lively trying to field a sacrifice bunt attempt.

San Francisco’s center fielder Scott Cousins gave the Dons a 3-2 lead with a sacrifice fly, and another run came in a batter later on Sac State third baseman David Flores’s errant throw to first on a ground ball that would have ended the inning.

The Hornets jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI single by second baseman Gary Johnson. The Dons came right back to tie the score in the top of the third as Hornet reliever Kyle Christensen balked home the tying run from third.

The Hornets temporarily tied the score in the bottom half of the third when Blauser blasted a fastball from Dons reliever John Quine over the left field wall and off of the face of the parking structure for a solo home run.

Quine picked up the win for the Dons, his first of the year, pitching four quality innings. Jason Dufloth pitched three scoreless innings for his first save. Lively was stuck with the loss after giving up the deciding runs in the seventh.

The Hornets used five pitchers in the game, utilizing a sort of committee approach. Starting pitcher Justin Deme threw two scoreless innings, allowing just a hit and a walk.

Sac State continues their homestand on Friday opening a four-game series with Utah Valley State.