SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento State scored twice in the seventh inning but was unable to overcome a four-run deficit as the Hornets dropped Sunday's rubber match against UC Santa Barbara, 4-2.

Sacramento State falls to 1-2 overall on the young season after losing back-to-back games against the Gauchos on Saturday and Sunday. UC Santa Barbara leaves Sacramento with a 2-1 record.

Right-hander Travis Adams took the mound for the Hornets on Sunday and for the third straight game, Sacramento State's starter did not walk a single batter. Adams surrendered two runs on just three hits while striking out four over five innings of work.

The sophomore threw 68 pitches in the outing, including 47 for strikes (69%). Adams made nine starts a season ago as a freshman and led the Hornets with just 1.31 walks allowed per nine. 

For the weekend, Sacramento State's starters did not walk a batter in 16.2 innings. Parker Brahms, Scott Randall, and Travis Adams combined to allow just three runs on 10 hits while striking out 16.

Despite another strong pitching performance by the Hornets, UC Santa Barbara managed to scratch across two runs in the third inning on back-to-back two-out hits. The Gauchos added another two in the sixth against freshman Eli Saul, taking advantage of a walk and two hit batters.

Sacramento State got on the scoreboard in the home half of the seventh, scoring twice on a Chris Gonzalez RBI-single and Ryan Walstad's bases-loaded walk. Unfortunately, that was all the Hornets would get, leaving the bases loaded.

Hitting in the two-hole for the third straight game, Gonzalez finished 2-for-5 with and RBI on Sunday. Ahead of him, Keith Torres finished 2-for-5 with a run while raising his early-season batting average to .364.

Sacramento State closed out its opening weekend with a 1-2 overall record, but held the Gauchos – a team that won 45 games a season ago - to just six total runs in three games.

This weekend's series also saw some of John Smith Field's largest crowds with over 700 people in attendance for all three games. Those numbers do not include the many fans who supported the Hornets this weekend from the Hornet Baseball Parking Structure behind left field.

The home action continues for Sacramento State with another nine straight games at John Smith Field. Up first is a four-game set with the visiting Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers. The series begins Thursday night with a 5pm first pitch.  

More details on tomorrow's game – and all upcoming Hornets baseball games – can be found online at HornetSports.com. Fans can also keep up with the Hornets on the Hornet Sports Experience app.