Sacramento State baseball was unable to complete the comeback to start its 2013 season against the University of Texas.

The Hornets trailed 6-0 after seven innings, but scored five runs in the eighth to keep the No. 26 ranked Longhorns on their heels. 

Texas was forced to use three relievers in the final two innings, but held on for a 6-5 win after Sac State’s junior outfielder David Del Grande flied out to center field.

“I’m proud of how our guys battled back tonight,” said Sac State head coach Reggie Christiansen. “Texas is always a good team and we did everything we could do tonight.”

Sac State started the game trailing just after the first inning when the Longhorns scored on a bunt single by junior outfielder Matt Payton.

Payton would extend Texas’ lead to 3-0 after driving in a pair of runs two innings later. He would finish the game 4-5 with 3 RBIs and two runs scored. 

“I just kind of hit a rough patch and got myself in a jam,” said Hornets’ starting pitcher Tanner Mendonca, who lasted three innings. “Reggie told me he didn’t want me to throw too many pitches the first game of the year. I was a little disappointed with my outings, but all I can do is learn from it.”

Although Mendonca struggled, giving up four runs on seven hits and walking three batters, the Hornets’ bullpen held Texas to only two runs in five innings of work.

Senior pitcher Brandon Creel pitched most of the relief work.

“He’s going to be our long (innings) guy (out of the bullpen),” Christiansen said. “He did a good job keeping us in the game.”

Creel pitched four innings of relief giving up only one earned run on six hits.

With the Hornets trailing by six to start the eighth inning, sophomore shortstop Scotty 

Burcham started the late rally with a single. Texas gave up four free bases and Sac State responded when Rhys Hoskins, Sac State’s leading hitter from last year, doubled to cut the deficit to 6-3.

The Hornets scored another two runs, but could not score the tying run after Burcham popped up to second base and outfielder Nathan Lukes struck out swinging. 

Although Lukes finished only 1-5 with a double and striking out twice, the freshman has shown he can hit. Last season at Center High School in Antelope, Calif. he batted .450 and struck out only three times in 103 at bats.

Sac State returns to UFCU DischFalk Field and will start sophomore pitcher Brennan Leitao for the second game of the series. Last year, Leitao finished with a 7-5 record and 5.00 ERA. 

First pitch is at noon.

Ryan can be reached on Twitter at @rskuhn