A Brief Preview

The Sacramento State softball team enters the week with a

16-27 overall record and a 4-8 mark in the Big West Conference. The

Hornets opened last week by losing a non-conference doubleheader

against fourth-ranked Cal by the scores of 9-1 and 5-1. The team came

back to win its second Big West series of the season, taking two of

three from Utah State on Friday-Saturday in Logan, Utah. Friday''s 9-0

game one victory over the Aggies snapped Sacramento State''s five-game

losing streak as the team has now endured losing streaks of eight,

five and four games this season.

This week, the Hornets travel to Stockton, Calif., on

Saturday-Sunday, April 21-22, for a three-game conference series

against Pacific. In four conference series this year, the Hornets

have been swept in three games by both Cal State Fullerton and Cal

State Northridge, and have taken two of three from both UC Santa

Barbara and Utah State.

Pacific enters the week with a 38-9 overall record and a 9-3

mark in the Big West. The Tigers, who are tied for second in the

conference, are currently ranked 18th in the USA Today/NFCA softball

poll. Pacific took one of three games against first-place Cal State

Fullerton last week and has now won nine of its last 12 games. The

Tigers have taken two of three games from the Hornets each of the

last three years.

Meet the Coaches

Hornet head coach Kathy Strahan, who has spent time as head

coach with Cal State Dominguez Hills (1984-85), San Jose State

(1986-92) and Sacramento State (1993-pres.), has posted a 505-467-3

career record in 17 years. During her eight seasons with the Hornets,

Strahan has a 258-222-2 record while guiding Sacramento State to a

pair of NCAA Regional appearances in 1993 and 1995. The Michigan

State graduate has also been named Western Athletic Conference Coach

of the Year in 1993 and co-Big West Conference Coach of the Year

while at San Jose State in 1989.

Strahan''s 505 victories is good for 29th all-time on the NCAA

list among active head coaches with at least five years of Div. I

experience.

Pacific is guided by Brian Kolze who is 259-226-1 in nine

years with the Tigers.

A Look at the Hornets

Problems At Home

The Hornets are now just 2-12 at home this season after being

swept in a non-conference doubleheader by Cal last week. The team has

lost 12 of its last 13 games at Shea Stadium after winning its home

opener over Iowa, 6-5, on March 13.

Part of the reason for the lack of success is due in large

part to the strength of schedule this year. Of the Hornets'' 14 games

at home, 12 have come against ranked opponents (two games against

fourth-ranked Cal and 12th-ranked Iowa, three vs. 10th-ranked Cal

State Fullerton, two vs. 16th-ranked Oregon State and three vs.

25th-ranked Cal State Northridge).

In fact, the Hornets have scored more than two runs only

twice this year at home and have been outscored, 61-21 (an average of

2.9 runs per game).

The team has recorded just two losing records at home since

joining the Div. I ranks in 1990 (the 1994 squad finished 13-14-1 and

the 1990 team finished 12-13). Overall in the Div. I era, the Hornets

are 180-103-2 (.635) at home.

Rough Times

At 16-27 and 11 games under .500, the Hornets are trying to

avoid their worst season in Div. I history (1990-pres.). That

distinction currently goes to the 1991 (28-33), 1994 (25-30-1) and

2000 (25-30) squads, who each finished five games under .500.

Coincidentally, those teams are the only ones to finish below .500 in

the Div. I era. Overall, the Hornets are 353-310-2 since joining the

Div. I ranks.

Infield Juggling

With starting shortstop Andrea Becker sidelined with a

shoulder injury since April 7, head coach Kathy Strahan has juggled

her infield trying to find the perfect fit.

Against Cal last Wednesday, Strahan started Lori Meixner at

shortstop for just the fourth time this season and Alaina Lofthus at

second base for the sixth time.

Over the weekend, Roni Rodrigues started all three games at

shortstop against Utah State after not starting in 17-consecutive

games. Meghan Cunningham was asked to start two games at first base

and one at third. Meixner started twice at third base after playing

just one game there all year. Overall, Strahan used four different

infield looks in the five games.

Becker, who was injured after colliding with left fielder

Amber Dragomir while making a catch of a pop-up, is questionable for

this weekend.

Comebacks Have Been Scarce

Thus far, Sacramento State is 0-18 in games when it is

trailing after five innings. The sixth inning has been unkind to the

team as opponents have outscored the Hornets, 42-8. In the sixth and

seventh innings combined, Sacramento State has been outscored, 58-20.

Bivert In A Groove

After beginning the season as the Hornets'' No. 3 starter,

sophomore Jillian Bivert has emerged as the team''s most consistent

and reliable pitcher. The Woodland, Calif., native, who also leads

the team with a .304 batting average and 18 RBI, threw back-to-back

shutouts against Utah State last Friday and Saturday. The left-hander

threw a one-hit shutout on Friday and followed that up with a

six-hitter on Saturday.

She currently leads the pitching staff in ERA (1.65),

opponents'' batting average (.222), shutouts (five), walks per seven

innings (2.3) and extra base hits allowed (12). Bivert, who has not

allowed a run in 14.0-consecutive innings, has given up just 81 hits

and 23 earned runs in 97.1 innings.

Among Big West leaders, Bivert is tied for sixth in

opponents'' batting average and ninth in ERA. Her current record

stands at 6-9. That record could be better but the team has averaged

only 1.9 runs per contests in games she starts. Subtract last

Friday''s game in which the Hornets scored nine runs, she would be

receiving 1.4 runs per game.

Another Coupar Sighting

After enduring a 5-for-47 slump which spanned 15 games,

junior center fielder Cathy Coupar began to get her swing back last

week. The left-hander went 4-for-12 with three RBI in the final four

games of the week. Coupar, who is still hitting .298 despite the

slump, is one of three Hornets to start every game this year.

The Livermore, Calif., native was hitting .417 as late as

March 17 before her slide. Coupar remains second on the team in RBI

(16) and total bases (43) and tied for second in multiple-hit games

(11) and hits (39).

Coupar has continued to produce in the clutch all year long

as she is hitting .400 with the bases loaded, .390 with runners in

scoring position, .324 with two outs and .305 with runners on base.

Offense Struggles In the Clutch

Although Sacramento State''s offense has put up a respectable

amount of runs this season (118), the team could be scoring much more

if it could produce in the clutch. Overall, the Hornets are hitting

.195 with two outs, .226 with the bases loaded, .240 with runners in

scoring position and .240 with runners on base.

Hornet Notables

Junior Lori Meixner is third in the Big West with 10

sacrifices...freshman pitcher Nicole Deatherage has recorded two wins

since March 10, a span of 14 appearances...Amber Dragomir (eight

stolen bases) and Arlette Sunseri (seven stolen bases) rank sixth and

seventh, respectively in the Big West in that category...senior

catcher Patty Villa has already thrown out 14 runners trying to steal

(tops in the conference) despite missing eight starts due to

injury...sophomore Gina Steenburgen threw 2.1 innings on Friday after

missing the previous 10 games because of an injured groin.