BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -  It wasn't the CSUB men's soccer team's finest hour, but the Roadrunners did enough to earn a 1–1 draw with Sacramento State Sunday afternoon on the Main Soccer Field.

The tie maintains CSUB's (8–3–2, 3–0–2 MPSF) five–point lead over the Hornets (6–3–4, 1–1–3) in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Pacific Division standings. San Jose State pulled into a second place tie with Sacramento thanks to its 1–0 win over Seattle Sunday in San Jose.

Things started in promising fashion for the Roadrunners, who jumped out to a 12th minute lead thanks to a pretty piece of soccer. Freshman forward Gyasi Zardes (Hawthorne/Leuzinger HS) moved the ball down the right wing and fed a short pass to Jesus Sanchez (Chula Vista/Castle Park HS). Sanchez made a fantastic run into the middle of the box before feeding Ernesto Hinojosa (Tustin HS) at the far post. Hinojosa's finish gave Sacramento goalkeeper Cesar Castillo no chance.

CSUB played the balance of the first half with a noticeable lack of crispness that hampered its offensive ambitions, though the defense remained for the most part unchallenged.

The Hornets, dangerous on set pieces throughout the match, nearly pulled the goal back in the second minute of the second half when Ernesto Carranza set a free kick from midfield through two dummies and onto the Roadrunner doorstep. CSUB keeper Eric Shannon (Valencia HS) gathered in the ball as Chris Bettencourt closed in to parry the threat.

Hinojosa and Sanchez reversed roles just moments later, as a great through ball by the former sent the latter in on a partial breakaway. Sanchez got good leather on the ball, but Castillo was equal to the task this time to keep it a one–goal game.

The Hornets capped a frenetic opening to the second half by equalizing in the 52nd minute. Carranza fed a short corner to Fernando Cabadas, whom the CSUB defense neglected to account for. Cabadas simply walked around one 'Runner defender and beat Shannon from well inside the penalty area.

Sacramento State created the better of the opportunities for the balance of regulation, despite going down a man when Diego Marroquin earned his second yellow card in the 72nd minute. Even with the advantage, the 'Runners struggled to connect with quality passes in the attacking third, providing the Hornets multiple chances to counter shorthanded.

CSUB did have the best chance to score late when the 'Runner midfield created a turnover and Robbie Gouk (Seattle/Hazen HS) got to the edge of the Hornet box in the 88th minute. Gouk hit a great, curling shot that was destined to dip below the crossbar until Castillo leaped back to tip it out of harm's way.

CSUB hits the road for its next two matches, making the grueling UNLV–New Mexico trip next week. The 'Runners visit Las Vegas Friday and Albuquerque Sunday before returning to Bakersfield to close the regular season with a three–game homestand.

 Goals by period       1  2 OT O2  Tot
 -------------------------------------
 Sacramento State....  0  1  0  0 -  1
 CSU Bakersfield.....  1  0  0  0 -  1

 SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.  12:00 CSUB Ernesto Hinojosa (2) (Jesus Sanchez) - Pass from middle, shot from left put in
                                                        lower right corner
  2.  51:17 SAC Fernando Cabadas (3) (Ernesto Carranza) - Short corner, put in lower middle

 Shots: Sacramento State 13, CSU Bakersfield 13
 Saves: Sacramento State 4 (Cesar Castillo 4), CSU Bakersfield 6 (Eric Shannon 6)