The Sacramento State baseball team lost a non-conference game to the visiting San Francisco Dons Tuesday afternoon at Hornet Field, 12-4. The Hornets (1-2) have failed to beat the Dons (3-2) in eight consecutive meetings.

After a scoreless first inning for both sides, the Dons scored the first run of the game in the top of the second inning. Dons’ catcher Ryan Lipkin singled to left field and drove in a run after two lead-off walks.

The top of the third inning proved to be deadly for the Hornets. Starting pitcher freshman Brandon Sandoval balked the second run of the inning with his second balk of the game. After walking the next batter on a 3-1 count, Sandoval was relieved by freshman pitcher Chris Baek, who made his first appearance of his college career.

With runners on first and third base, Dons’ right fielder Kyle Morgan smoked Baek’s second pitch as a college pitcher over the 370-foot-sign in right-center field for a three-run home run.

Sandoval and Baek gave up eight runs, seven of which were earned, in four combined innings of work. Hornet pitchers allowed only one run over the last four innings; senior Ryan Magee, junior Eric Fergosi, freshman Tommy Elrod and Doug Stinson each pitched an inning.

Hornets’ junior left fielder Gabe Jacobo went 2 for 4 with three RBI. The only other Hornet with multiple hits in the game was senior third baseman David Flores.

Freshman outfielder Joe Espana hit a single up the middle on the first pitch of his first at-bat as a college baseball player in the bottom of the ninth inning.

Hornets’ coach John Smith was able to put a number of different pitchers and players into the ballgame because the game was out of reach. He said that it is always good to get players experience in game-time situations even when you are on the wrong side of a 12-4 score.

“I’m still trying to see what guys fit into certain roles,” Smith said. “Right now I don’t know who our best nine guys are. I don’t know what our best pitching rotation is yet.”

The Hornets will travel to the desert to play a three-game series this weekend against the Arizona Wildcats, who are ranked in the top five of every college baseball poll.

Andrew Eggers can be reached at [email protected]