SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento State overcame an early three-run deficit to rally for a 5-3 win over Central Michigan on Wednesday night at John Smith Field. The Hornets improved to 8-4 and won for the second straight day. The Chippewas dropped to 6-6.

CMU jumped out early with two runs in the top of the second. The inning began with a single up the middle and a walk. A second walk loaded the bases with one out before Ely Stuart dropped a sacrifice bunt to score the game's first run. Sacramento State appeared out of the inning in the next at bat but the throw pulled JP Smith off of first base and allowed a second run to cross. The Chippewas made it 3-0 in the top of the fourth on a two-out single through the right side of the infield to score Garrett Navarra.

Sacramento State then turned to its bullpen where Cooper Rons, Trey Goodrich and Jack Zalasky did not allow a run over the final five innings of the game while scattering just three hits. Rons earned the victory following two innings of work where he allowed one hit.

Goodrich danced around some trouble in the seventh inning where he walked the first hitter and then gave up a double to Nick Dardas. He then forced a pop up and was able to snag a bunt attempt out of the air for the second out. The inning ended when Danny Wuestenfeld lined a ball up the middle that hit the foot of Dardas as he broke from second to third.

Zalasky then came on to close out the game with two innings of work. The senior picked up his fifth save of the season in six appearances while striking out five.

Sacramento State's offense was kept at bay for most of the game but the Hornets were able to rally with one big inning. The team's first run came in the fifth when Josh Rolling hit a sac fly to center field scoring Zack Malone who tripled to start the frame.

The following inning, Martin Vincelli-Simard opened with a double to left and Garet Crenshaw was hit by a pitch. JP Smith then muscled a ball into right field to score Vincelli-Simard. Malone walked to load the bases and end the day for CMU starter Garrett Navarra. Ryan Palmblad came out of the bullpen and was greeted on his first pitch by a double down the left field line by pinch-hitter Gunner Goldsmith to empty the bases.

Sacramento State finished the game with eight hits as a team, led by two from Vincelli-Simard. Six others had one hit, including shortstop Wehiwa Aloy who extended his hit streak to 12 games to start his career.

The series continues on Thursday with a single game at 10 a.m. The remaining two games of the series will attempted  to be played on either Friday or Saturday weather permitting.