FRESNO, Calif. – Sacramento State jumped to an early 2-0 lead through an inning but Fresno State scored multiple runs in four straight innings to pull away for a 9-2 win on Tuesday night.

In its final midweek game of the season, Sacramento State (24-25) scored twice before an out was recorded but Fresno State (26-22) responded with nine runs on 20 hits, the most against the Hornets this season.

The first three Hornets reached against Fresno State starter JJ Santa Cruz. Ian Dawkins drew a leadoff walk and Trent Goodrich ripped an RBI double to left center to bring him in. A wild pitch moved Goodrich to third and Vinny Esposito hit two hard foul balls and sat in a full count against Santa Cruz when coach Mike Batesole decided to go to the bullpen.

Dominic Topoozian inherited the full count and Esposito hit his first pitch through the left side to bring in Goodrich. A walk to Andrew McWilliam and an infield single from PJ Floyd loaded the bases with two away but Topoozian got out of the first inning with no further runs scoring.

The Bulldogs had a single but did not score in the bottom of the first but scored two runs in each of the next three innings. Leading 6-2 in the fifth, Korby Batesole made it an 8-2 lead with a two-run homer and Jake Stone brought in another run with an infield single to put the home team ahead 9-2.

Austin Root got the last two outs in the fifth and put up zeros in the sixth and seventh innings to go 2.2 scoreless innings. Chad Perry pitched the eighth inning and retired the side in order with two strikeouts.

Hornet pitchers totaled six strikeouts and no walks in the game. The Hornets got runners on base in four other innings, getting two aboard in the ninth, but Bulldog pitchers stranded seven Hornet baserunners. Esposito finished 2-for-4 while freshman Kody Gardner had a double for his first career extra-base hit.

Sacramento State plays three more non-conference games this week with a series at San Diego. Game times against the Toreros are 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.