SACRAMENTO -- Senior Keith Torres finished with a double and a pair of runs scored to help his team come back twice from one-run deficits, but one swing of the bat from Grand Canyon in the seventh broke a 2-2 tie and lifted the visiting 'Lopes to a 5-2 victory over Sacramento State in a Western Athletic Conference battle on Saturday afternoon at John Smith Field.

The loss moved the Hornets to 11-11 overall and 3-5 in conference play, while division-leading GCU moved to 15-9 overall and 7-1 in WAC games with the win. 

Juan Colato's solo home run in the first from the right side of the plate staked Grand Canyon to the early lead before Torres rallied Sacramento State in the third. The Waipahu, Hawai'i, native doubled to lead-off the inning and moved to third on a Gunner Gouldsmith ground ball to the right side. With Dylan McPhillips at the plate, 'Lopes starter Daniel Avitia was called for a balk, allowing Torres to come home from third to make it a 1-1 game.

A two-out single up the middle by Tyler Wilson scored Elijah Buries from second in the fourth inning to give GCU the lead back, but the Hornets were relentless, coming back to score the tying run again in the fifth with some help from the mound. Torres led-off the inning by being hit by a pitch and moved into scoring position when Gouldsmith draw a walk.

McPhillips then sacrificed both into scoring position to bring up Cesar Valero, who lifted a fly ball to deep right field, far enough to score Torres to make it a 2-2 game.

That deadlock lasted until the seventh when the 'Lopes went ahead for good against the Hornets' bullpen. A one-out walk and a single through the right side brought up Colato again, who slugged his second home run of the game — this one from the left side — over the wall in right centerfield for the final 5-2 score.

Sacramento State managed a pair of baserunners with two down in the eighth, but a strikeout ended the rally, and Vince Reilly, who suffered the loss in Friday night's opener, set the Hornets down in order on three ground balls in the ninth to secure his fifth save.

Avitia (3-2), the reigning WAC Pitcher of the Week, earned the win, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out five over seven innings, while Ryan Fleming (1-1) — the fourth pitcher of the day for Sacramento State— suffered the loss, charged with the go-ahead runs on two hits in only one-third of an inning.

First pitch for Sunday's rubber game is scheduled for Noon, with freshman right-hander Colin Hunter slated to take the mound for the Hornets against GCU left-hander Connor Markl.