SOFTBALL OPENS HOME SCHEDULE TUESDAY VS. SAN JOSE STATE AND WEDNESDAY AGAINST UC DAVIS
2/27/2012
Second baseman Devin Caldwell is hitting a team-high .344, and has a .432 on-base percentage
Sacramento State (5-5) opens its home portion of the schedule this week when the team hosts San Jose State (7-8) on Tuesday at 2:30 p.m., and UC Davis (5-12) on Wednesday at 2 p.m. Both games will be played at Shea Stadium on campus. The week is one of the busiest of the season for the Hornets as the team will play seven times, including five games at the three-day Louisville Slugger Invitational in Stockton (March 2-4).
On Tuesday, the Hornets will be looking for their fifth home-opener win in the last six years.
Sacramento State began the season two weeks ago, winning the Fresno State Kickoff with a 4-1 record. However, the team went 1-4 last week, which included four one-run losses. In three of those losses, the Hornets had the tying runner at third base, and winning runner at second base when the final out was recorded.
MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS
Every home game this season will be broadcast live via audio stream at www.hornetsports.com by clicking here. Nate Goodyear and Kyle Madson, broadcasters from Sacramento State’s student-run radio station KSSU, will handle the announcing duties this season. In addition, live stats for all home games can be found by clicking here.
TUESDAY’S MATCHUP
Sacramento State vs. San Jose State
Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 2:30 p.m.
Shea Stadium - Sacramento, Calif.
Coverage: Live Audio, Live Stats
Series Record: Hornets Lead, 31-27
Last Meeting: L, 5-4, in San Jose (2/22/12)
WEDNESDAY’S MATCHUP
Sacramento State vs. UC Davis
Wednesday, Feb. 29, at 2 p.m.
Shea Stadium - Sacramento, Calif.
Coverage: Live Audio, Live Stats
Series Record: Hornets Lead, 57-33
Last Meeting: L, 4-2, at Davis (3/30/11)
LOUISVILLE SLUGGER INVITATIONAL SCHEDULE
Bill Simoni Field - Stockton, Calif. - March 2-4
Friday - vs. Washington, 11 a.m.
Friday - at Pacific, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday - vs. Delaware, 10 a.m.
Saturday - vs. TBA, 2:30 p.m. or 4:45 p.m.
Sunday - vs. TBA, 10 a.m. or 12:15 p.m.
Coverage: Live stats for all games can be found by clicking here.
HORNET BRIEFS
• Sacramento State is 5-5, but that record is a little misleading as the team could easily have a better record. Four of the team’s five losses have come by one run, and the other loss came in a 4-2 defeat against Long Beach State in the season opener. All four of the one-run losses came last week. The first three defeats of last week saw the Hornets make late comebacks before leaving the potential tying runner at third base and winning run at second base when the final out was recorded. In the team’s 3-2 loss to Portland State on Sunday, Sacramento State stranded 10 runners on base while the Vikings left one runner on base.
• The Hornets’ team ERA of 2.00 ranks as the best mark in the conference. The opposition is hitting just .220 off Sacramento State right-handers Taylor Stroud, Caitlin Brooks and Shelby Voelz, including a .179 average with two outs in an inning. In fact, the staff has allowed just 14 extra base hits (three home runs) in 70.0 innings. Stroud has assumed the role of the team’s ace as she leads the pitching staff in wins (4), ERA (0.95), appearances (7), innings (36.2), strikeouts (16) and opponents batting average (.198). She has gone the distance in all three of her starts, opponents are batting .198 when she is in the circle, and Stroud has allowed just six walks all year.
• Only five players have started all 10 games this season, comprised of second baseman Devin Caldwell, left fielder Shannon Kaufman, third baseman Emily McCormick, catcher Marissa Navarro and first baseman Alyssa Nakken. Fourteen different players have already started at least one game this season. The only two players to start at the same position in all 10 games have been Nakken and Caldwell.
• Sophomore second baseman Devin Caldwell has hit safely in all but two games this year, and leads Hornet regulars with a .344 batting average. Fifty-three games into her Sacramento State career, Caldwell sports a .331 career batting average and has struck out just 18 times in 160 at-bats.
• Amazingly, Sacramento State infielders have combined to commit just one error all season long. As a team, the Hornets have five errors, but only one has been committed by an infielder.
• Through 10 games, Sacramento State already has eight stolen bases, and the team has been caught stealing just three times. Though still very early in the season, the Hornets are on pace to steal 39 bags this year. Should that number hold up, it would mark the team’s most steals since the 2005 season. Shannon Kaufman is 4-for-4 in stolen base attempts and Devin Caldwell is 2-for-2. Emily McCormick and Kelly Shepard both have one stolen base.
• Fourth inning tells the tale - Sacramento State is 5-0 when leading after four innings, but 0-2 when tied after four, and 0-3 when trailing after four innings.
• Senior first baseman Alyssa Nakken has started an impressive 128 consecutive games dating back to her freshman season.
• Sacramento State has received big production from the No. 2 spot in the batting order this season. That spot in the lineup is hitting .400 (14-for-35) with a .447 on-base percentage. The combination of Alyssa Nakken (.455 average in three games in the No. 2 spot) and Shannon Kaufman (.375 average in seven games in the No. 2 slot) have been the contributors.
• As a team, the Hornets are batting .378 (14-for-37) in the seventh inning, and have outscored the opposition, 7-0, in that inning.
• Sacramento State is hitting just .200 (18-for-90) as a team with two outs in an inning.
