Dixie State came up short in the middle two games of its four-game WAC series at Sacramento State, 9-4 and 10-5, on Saturday afternoon at John Smith Field.

After giving up a Hornet run in the home first in game one, the Trailblazers answered with two runs of their own in the second and another in the third to race to a 3-1 lead. Jake Engel and Lane Pritchard both reached via the walk to lead off the frame, then with two outs, both base runners were chased home thanks to a Hank Dodson single to left center.

DSU picked up another two-out run an inning later when Kaden Hollow drilled his team-leading fourth home run of the season over the right field wall.

Unfortunately the Blazer lead would be short-lived as Sacramento State answered with three runs in the home third and four more in the fourth to reclaim the lead at 8-3. Hornet reliever Brady Rodriguez (W, 4-0) would retire nine of the final 11 Dixie State players he faced to close out the game.

DSU finished with six hits in game one, two of which left the yard as Shane Taylor connected for his first collegiate home run with two outs in the seventh. Dodson led the way with two safeties to go with his two RBI.

The two teams battled back and forth in a see-saw affair in the opening few innings of the nightcap. After spotting the Hornets a 2-0 first inning lead, Dixie State tied things in the second thanks to a two-run Chase Rodriguez home run. Pritchard singled to lead off the frame and the freshman drove him in with his first collegiate long ball that sailed over the right field wall.

Sacramento State answered with a run in home second, but DSU countered with another two-run blast, which was delivered by Drake Benner in the fourth that put the Blazers up 4-3.

However that lead would not last as the Hornets scored seven times over their next four offensive frames, while four Sac State pitchers combined to limit DSU to just one run and five total hits from the fifth inning on as the Hornets swept the day and clinched the overall series win.

Dixie State did pound out 14 hits in the nightcap, with nine of those coming in the early frames. Pritchard and Taylor each finished with three hits in game two, while Rodriguez and Engel tallied two hits apiece.

The two teams will wrap up their four-game weekend series on Sunday with a single game beginning at 1 p.m. (PT).