The Sacramento State Hornets dropped the first game of a critical three game series with a 15-7 decision to the defending national champion Fresno State Bulldogs, Thursday at Hornet Field. With the regular season in its final days both teams are fighting for their playoff lives and the winner of the next two games will dictate who goes to the WAC tournament and who goes home.

After a scoreless first inning the Bulldogs took advantage of a Hornet meltdown and shot out to a 6-0 lead. The inning saw only three hits by the Bulldogs, a walk and three errors by the Hornets defense, and was capped off by a three run home run by the Bulldog’s Alan Ahmady.

The Hornets failed to keep pace in the bottom of the second. After a single out and two promising base hits the Bulldogs quickly ended the inning with a double play that left a runner on third.

The Bulldog offence would add two more runs in the third. Dusty Robinson of Fresno State hit a solo home run over the right -field fence just outside of the reach of the outstretched glove of senior Jeff Roth and the second run would come home unearned on yet another Hornet error.

The Hornets managed to make it on the board as well in the bottom of the third when junior Josh Powers brought home sophomore Brent Hottman on an RBI double. Powers managed to advance to third on a sacrifice fly by junior Tim Wheeler hit to deep right-field for the innings second out, but would be left on base after senior Blake Crosby struck out.

The Bulldogs advanced the score to disparaging 10-1 with a two run home run in the top of the forth but the Hornets were quick to respond with some offence of their own. Roth made it to base quickly after the first pitch of the inning was thrown to his feet he was struck at the elbow by the second despite his best efforts to avoid it. Sophomore Derrick Chung then advanced him to second on a single to left-field hit just over the head of the short stop. Roth would then advance to third despite a double play when freshman Justin Lamb hit the ball to the left side, which was sent to second and then first for the outs. Before the inning was out Roth would score on an infield single from freshman Ivan Otsuka.

Despite the continued deficit now standing 12-2 heading in to the bottom of the fifth, the Hornets showed signs of life. With Powers and senior Hunter Martinez on base Wheeler smashed a single down the right-field line to score Martinez and advance Powers to third. Powers made it home for the second run of the inning, which also moved Wheeler to third on a sacrifice fly from Roth. Wheeler would also make it to the plate on an RBI single hit through the right side by Chung. Now with 2 outs Lamb came to the plate and connected with the ball sending to deep right, just over the head of the bulldog fielder. Chung blew past third as the defender caught up to the ball and rounded third as the ball was sent home and he slid into home for the score just as the ball arrived for the fourth and final Hornet run of the inning.

The score would get no closer than 12-6. The Hornets managed to add a seventh run but by the games end the Bulldogs would have 15 of their own to counter.

Andrew McFadden can be reached at [email protected]