EUGENE, Ore. -- Sacramento State held an early 6-2 lead, but 18th-ranked Oregon scored five unanswered runs, including three in the sixth inning, to defeat the Hornets, 7-6, on Friday evening.

The Hornets, who defeated Nevada earlier this afternoon, are now 1-1 at the three-day Jane Sanders Classic hosted by Oregon. Sacramento State has three more games to play at the three-day event, and nearly pulled off its first win over a ranked opponent since 2024.

Sacramento State is now 17-5, while Oregon won its ninth straight game and improved to 16-6. 

After Oregon scored a pair of runs in the first inning, Sacramento State immediately countered with a three-run homer from Malissa George to take a 3-2 lead in the top of the second. The Hornets would score three more times in the third via Madison Evers-Lyles ground ball scoring Lafulafu Malepeai and back-to-back two-out, RBI-doubles from Shannon Garcia and Karissa Avila.

However, those were the last runs the Hornets would score the rest of the way. Oregon scored once in the fifth and three times in the sixth to pull out the victory.

Kennedie Bacon (5-2) tossed a complete game, while five Hornets had hits. That included Garcia who was 2-for-3 with two runs, a double and an RBI. Avila was 2-for-3 with a run, double and an RBI. The other hits came from Malepeai, Raab and George. Raab has reached base safely in all 22 games.

Sacramento State is back tomorrow for the second day of the tournament, playing Oregon State at 12:30 p.m., and another matchup with Oregon at 6 p.m.