DAVIS, Calif. – Three Hornet pitchers held UC Davis to just two runs and Sacramento State broke a late tie with a run in the eighth and another in the ninth for a 4-2 victory over the Aggies in the first of two meetings this season between the Causeway rivals.

Sacramento State (18-13) won its fifth straight game against the Aggies in Davis and picked up 2.5 points in the all-sport Causeway Cup competition. UC Davis (19-11-1) lost for just the fourth time at home this season in its 13th home contest.

After a 15-7 Hornet win over the Aggies in Davis last year, the first inning looked like a harbinger of another offensive shootout. With one out in the top of the first senior Scotty Burcham tripled into the gap in right center and the following batter, junior Nathan Lukes, was hit by a pitch. Junior Chris Lewis then singled to shortstop to score Burcham and sophomore Brandon Hunley followed with another single to make the score 2-0.

UC Davis came right back in the bottom of the first with consecutive singles from Tanner Bily and Tino Lipson. The Hornets cut down Lipson on a stolen base attempt but, with Bily at third, Austin March lifted a sacrifice fly to right to bring in the run and make it a 2-1 game.

In the fourth inning UC Davis got a leadoff double from Isaak Silva and, after a single moved the runner to third, tied the game on a sacrifice fly from Brad Pluschkell. Meanwhile, two Aggie pitchers retired 11 straight batters and allowed just one more Hornet baserunner into the seventh inning.

Burcham jump started the Hornet offense in the eighth inning on a one-out single. Lukes replaced him on base on a fielder's choice, stole second, and then scored the go-ahead run on a throwing error by UC Davis shortstop Evan Heptig. In the ninth, freshman Vinny Esposito had a one-out double and came in to score on a two-out single from senior Kyle Moses

Junior closer Sutter McLoughlin needed just five pitches to set down the Aggies in the ninth with his 31st career save. In his five save appearances this year McLoughlin has five saves and has needed just 38 pitches to do so without allowing a baserunner over 4.2 innings pitched.

Senior Ty Nichols got the win in relief for the Hornets throwing four scoreless innings and allowing just four hits and no walks. He entered after senior Jake Stassi threw the first four innings and allowed just two runs on six hits. Justin Mullins was the third of five UC Davis pitchers and took the loss allowing one unearned run on two hits and a walk in 2.2 innings pitched.

Burcham and Esposito each had two hits for the Hornets while Silva went 3-for-4 with a run scored to lead the Aggies. UC Davis had a 10-8 edge in hits but committed the games only error, leading to the game-winning run. Each team left seven men on base.

UC Davis came into the game ranked fourth in the NCAA with 79 stolen bases this season, averaging 2.6 steals per game, but was 0-for-1 in stolen bases attempts against catcher Gunner Pollman on Tuesday and had a runner picked off at second by Nichols. The Hornets totaled three steals in the game in as many attempts.

Sacramento State concludes its eight-game road trip this weekend in a WAC series at Utah Valley starting at 5 p.m. Pacific time on Friday. The Hornets and Wolverines are tied for third place in the WAC with identical 6-3 conference records.