Sacramento State (12-32, 7-14) rode a strong performance by starter Mick Joyce to salvage the final game of a three game set versus Nevada on Sunday. Joyce went seven solid innings allowing just two earned runs on seven hits over seven innings to lead the Hornets in the 5-4 victory over the Wolf Pack.

For the second straight day Sac State jumped out to an early lead. With the bases loaded in the first clean up man and first baseman Gabe Jacobo hit into a 6-4-3 double play, but brought home second baseman Patrick Cummins in the process.

Nevada catcher Konrad Schmidt tied the game in the top of the second, scoring on a Joyce wild pitch. The Hornets answered in the bottom of the inning rallying with two down to retake the lead. After two quick outs catcher Brett Tanigawa kept the inning alive with a single to center field before advancing to second on a wild pitch.

Tanigawa came across to give the Hornets the 2-1 lead when left fielder Gary Johnson hit a timely double to left center.

In the fourth, Nevada threatened to break the game open, leading off the inning with two consecutive base hits from Schmidt and designated hitter Terry Walsh respectively. After a double steal put runners on second and third with no outs, Joyce was able to induce two fly ball outs. The second scored Schmidt to re-tie the game at two.

Joyce got out of the inning relatively unscathed when he got center fielder Jason Sadoian to foul out with runners on second and third.

The pesky Hornets re-took the lead in the fifth when third baseman David Flores hit an RBI double to left field, scoring shortstop Blake Crosby.

The Hornets added to the lead in the sixth on a lead-off home run from right fielder Montana Dye. The solo shot to right center was Dye’s fourth long ball of the season and it gave Sac State a 4-2 cushion.

Nevada mounted a comeback in the seventh taking advantage of a throwing error to cut the Hornet lead to one. Sac State added an insurance run in the eighth on a Wolf Pack throwing error of their own.

The Hornets’ fifth run of the game would prove to be crucial as Nevada would get to the Sac State bullpen for a run in the ninth before closer Mitch Lively came in to shut the door and solidify the 5-4 victory. Lively earned his team leading fifth save of the year.

Despite taking the third game of the series, Sac State is now on the outside of the conference tournament picture looking in. The 2-1 series loss to Nevada combined with New Mexico State’s surprising 2-1 victory over Hawai’i has the Hornets in the WAC cellar.

The Hornets will host the Aggies in a critical final series of conference play next weekend. Sac State will need to take a minimum of two games in the three-game set to keep its postseason hopes alive.

The pivotal series will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday at Hornet Field followed by game two at 2 p.m. Friday. The Hornets last WAC game of the 2007 schedule will be played at 1 p.m. Sunday in Sacramento.