MORAGA, Calif. -- Freshman Shelby Johnston combined for four hits, including a double and homer, and junior Caitlin Books pitched a gem against Boise State as Sacramento State split its first two games of the Gael Softball Classic Saturday afternoon at Cottrell Field.
The Hornets opened the day by losing to Saint Mary's, 4-2, before coming back a couple hours later to defeat Boise State by a 3-1 score. Sacramento State concludes the two-day tournament tomorrow against these same two teams, taking on Boise State at 10 a.m. and Saint Mary's at 2 p.m.
With the split, Sacramento State has won six of its last nine games while improving to 6-6 overall. Boise State dropped to 7-10, and Saint Mary's improved to 6-11.
vs. BOISE STATE
Johnston's two-run single in the fifth inning broke a 1-1 tie and proved to be the game-winning hit in the Hornets' 3-1 victory. The inning began with back-to-back singles by Paige Castro and Alexa Chattleton, and both runners later advanced to second and third on a wild pitch before Johnston's single to right field drove home both runs.
Johnston also had a hand in the Hornets' first run in the fourth as she began the inning with a double before Kortney Solis followed with an RBI-double to tie the score at 1-1. Both teams combined for just 11 hits, but Boise State stranded eight runners on base. Five of those runners were left on base during the final two innings, including a stressful seventh in which Brooks got No. 3 hitter MacKenzie Whyte to pop out with the bases loaded to end the game. Brooks also got out of a second and third situation with one out in the sixth.
Five different Hornets collected hits in the game, including Johnston who finished 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs. Chattleton and Castro both had one hit and one run.
Brooks (3-3) won her third straight start, allowing just five hits and one run with five strikeouts over seven innings. Boise State's Rebecca Patton took the loss, allowing three runs and six hits over five innings.
vs. SAINT MARY'S
Saint Mary's Christine Torrise had a two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning that snapped a 2-2 tie and gave the Gaels a 4-2 lead they would not relinquish. The inning started innocently as the first two Gael batters were retired by Hornet starter Taylor Stroud. However, back-to-back singles by Sarah Lira and Andrea Hazel and a wild pitch set up Torrise's at-bat.
One inning earlier, Sacramento State erased a 2-0 deficit on a solo homer from Johnston and an RBI-double from Paige Martin. The home run for Johnston was the first of her collegiate career, and the first round tripper by a Hornet this season. The Hornets had runners at second and third with one out later in the inning, but could not score.
Sacramento State left 10 runners on base, including stranding multiple runners in the first, third, fifth and seventh innings. The Hornets had the potential tying runners aboard in the seventh inning, but Saint Mary's reliever Sarah Lira retired Martin and Paris Prado to end the game.
Lujane Mussadi (2-6) got the win for the Gaels, scattering nine hits while allowing just the two runs over six innings. Lira picked up her first save of the season after pitching a scoreless seventh inning. Stroud got the loss for the Hornets, allowing six hits and four runs over six innings.
Johnston (2-for-4 with a run and an RBI), Solis (2-for-4) and Alexis Martinez (3-for-4) each had multiple-hit games for Sacramento State.
NOTES -- Johnston finished the day 4-for-7 with two runs, a double, home run and three RBIs…the Hornets have not committed an error in four straight games…Martin had her six-game hitting streak snapped after going 0-for-2 with a walk against Boise State…Johnston has hit safely in four straight games…Chattleton and Solis have reached base safely in all 12 games this year.

April 25, 2014
SOFTBALL SWEEPS WEBER STATE, NOW 12-4 IN CONFERENCE PLAY

April 24, 2014
SOFTBALL TO PLAY HUGE THREE-GAME SERIES AT WEBER STATE

April 23, 2014
SOFTBALL FALLS TO CAL IN FINAL NON-CONFERENCE GAME

April 17, 2014
SOFTBALL PLAYS ITS FINAL REGULAR SEASON HOME GAMES THIS WEEK

April 11, 2014
SOFTBALL SPLITS A DOUBLEHEADER AT IDAHO STATE

April 8, 2014
MARGULIES LEADS SOFTBALL TO 9-5 VICTORY AT PACIFIC

March 29, 2014
RAIN CANCELS TODAY'S SOFTBALL GAME VS. SOUTHERN UTAH

March 29, 2014
RAIN CANCELS TODAY'S SOFTBALL GAME VS. SOUTHERN UTAH

March 28, 2014
SOFTBALL SPLITS HOME DOUBLEHEADER WITH SOUTHERN UTAH

March 26, 2014
SOFTBALL’S GAME TODAY AT CAL POSTPONED BECAUSE OF RAIN

March 24, 2014
YERBY RECIPIENT OF BIG SKY PITCHER OF THE WEEK HONORS

March 22, 2014
SOFTBALL COMPLETES 3-GAME SWEEP OF NORTH DAKOTA WITH 9-0 WIN

March 12, 2014
SOFTBALL DROPS A PAIR OF GAMES AT NEVADA

March 11, 2014
LINDY WINKLER’S #3 TO BE RETIRED BY SOFTBALL ON SATURDAY

March 9, 2014
SOFTBALL CONCLUDES TOURNAMENT WITH 6-2 LOSS TO CAL POLY

March 4, 2014
SOFTBALL WINS ITS HOME OPENER OVER UC DAVIS, 5-0

March 3, 2014
SOFTBALL TO PLAY HOME OPENER TUESDAY VS. UC DAVIS

February 27, 2014
WINNERS OF FIVE OF THE LAST SEVEN, SOFTBALL TRAVELS TO MORAGA THIS WEEK

February 25, 2014
BROOKS EARNS BIG SKY SOFTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS

February 23, 2014
BROOKS’ SHUTOUT AND 7-RUN INNING LEAD SOFTBALL TO 7-0 WIN VS. SAN DIEGO

February 22, 2014
STROUD’S GEM LEADS SOFTBALL TO SPLIT IN SECOND DAY OF BRONCO CLASSIC

February 21, 2014
BROOKS’ 10 STRIKEOUTS LEADS SOFTBALL TO 3-1 WIN OVER SANTA CLARA

February 20, 2014
SOFTBALL PLAYS FOUR GAMES OVER THREE DAYS IN SANTA CLARA

February 16, 2014
SOFTBALL STRANDS 10 RUNNERS IN 1-0 LOSS TO UC RIVERSIDE

February 15, 2014
SOFTBALL POUNDS OUT 11 RUNS AND 15 HITS IN VICTORY OVER CSU BAKERSFIELD

February 15, 2014
SOFTBALL MERCY RULES UC RIVERSIDE, 9-1

February 14, 2014
DEFENSE HURTS SOFTBALL IN 3-2 EXTRA INNING LOSS TO UC SANTA BARBARA

February 14, 2014
SOFTBALL FALLS AT FRESNO STATE, 5-1

February 12, 2014
SOFTBALL DROPS SEASON OPENER AT UC DAVIS, 1-0

February 11, 2014
SOFTBALL OPENS SEASON WEDNESDAY AT UC DAVIS

February 5, 2014
2014 SOFTBALL SEASON OUTLOOK

January 23, 2014
SOFTBALL TO GET A FRESH LOOK IN 2014

January 22, 2014
SOFTBALL AND SOCCER RECEIVE NEW SCOREBOARDS

January 15, 2014
SOFTBALL SELECTED SECOND IN THE BIG SKY PRESEASON COACHES POLL


November 15, 2013
SOFTBALL SIGNS LOCAL PRODUCTS HINTON, MALIGAD AND MARTIN

November 5, 2013
2014 SOFTBALL SCHEDULE RELEASED

October 18, 2013
BLAIR AND HARTMAN BOTH RECIPIENTS OF NFCA SCHOLAR-ATHLETE ACCOLADES

August 28, 2013
WILLIS AND KAMINAKA HIRED AS SOFTBALL ASSISTANT COACHES

August 14, 2013
LORI PEREZ NAMED INTERIM HEAD SOFTBALL COACH