LONG BEACH, Calif. - The 2001 season came to a close for the
Sacramento State softball team Sunday afternoon as it dropped a 4-2
decision to Long Beach State at the 49er Softball Complex.
With the win, Long Beach State, victorious in both games of a
doubleheader over the Hornets yesterday, swept the three-game Big
West Conference series. The 49ers finish the season with a 24-29
overall record and a 12-9 mark in the Big West.
Sacramento State, which lost its final six games of the season, end
the year with a 17-37 overall mark and a 5-16 record in the Big West.
Both the overall and the league records were program lows for the
Hornets in the Div. I era (1990-pres.). The Hornets finished the year
3-16 at home, 9-9 on the road and 5-12 in neutral site games.
Long Beach State scored four times in the bottom of the sixth inning,
erasing a 2-0 Sacramento State lead. The 49ers received RBI-singles
from Jamie Farnworth and Jennifer Spigner for their first two runs of
the inning before Cassie Preece's two-out, two-run single off Hornet
reliever Gina Steenburgen proved to be the game-winning hit.
Sacramento State scored one run in the third inning on Jillian
Bivert's RBI-double and tacked on another in the top of the sixth on
a successful squeeze bunt by Meghan Cunningham which scored pinch
runner Roni Rodrigues. The Hornets threatened in the top of the
seventh, getting the tying runners on base before Long Beach State
reliever Lindsey Knoff got Arlette Sunseri to ground out to end the
game.
Knoff (11-14) got the win in relief, allowing one hit in 1.2 innings.
Bivert (6-14) picked up the loss, allowing four runs and eight hits
in 5.1 innings of work. Offensively, Bivert reached base safely all
four of her plate appearances as she went 1-for-1 with a double and
three walks.
In Saturday's doubleheader, Long Beach State won both games by the
scores of 4-1 and 9-1. In the opener, the 49ers scored three runs in
the first inning and never looked back as pitcher Kelly Nasrawi and
Knoff combined to hold the Hornets to one run and seven hits. Nasrawi
(13-10) allowed one unearned run and seven hits in six innings before
Knoff entered the game in the seventh and struck out the side to pick
up her third save of the year.
With the bases loaded for Long Beach State in the first inning,
Hornet shortstop Andrea Becker fielded a grounder and threw home
wildly, allowing Christina Zepeda and Jaclyn Fredrickson to score.
Farnworth then followed with an RBI-single to give the 49ers a 3-0
lead. The Hornets scored their only run of the game in the top of the
fifth inning after a pick off throw was misplayed by third baseman
Preece, allowing Yolanda Estrada to score.
Long Beach State added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth,
taking advantage of another Hornet error. Bivert (6-13) picked up the
loss, allowing three runs (one earned), one hit and three walks in
one inning of work. Steenburgen threw the final five innings,
allowing one run and five hits while tying her career high with six
strikeouts. Junior Lori Meixner led the Hornets offensively,
finishing 3-for-3 with a double while Bivert finished with a pair of
hits.
In Saturday's nightcap, Long Beach State pounded out nine runs and
nine hits while posting two runs in the first and seven runs in the
second inning. The 49ers took advantage three Hornet errors in the
first two innings as six of their nine runs were unearned. Darcey
Brown connected on two-run doubles in each of the first and second
innings and Kristina McCarty added a three-run double in the second.
The game was stopped after five innings because Long Beach State had
enforced the eight-run rule. Knoff (10-14) picked up the win,
allowing one unearned run and five hits in five innings. Brown
finished the day 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and four RBI while
McCarty went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI to lead the 49ers.
Sacramento State scored its only run in the top of the second on an
RBI-single by Amber Dragomir scoring pitcher Nicole Deatherage.
Deatherage (7-16) got the loss in the game, allowing eight runs
(three earned) and six hits in 1.1 innings. Steenburgen pitched the
final 2.2 innings, allowing one unearned run and three hits. Bivert
again picked up a pair of hits as she finished the three-game series
a combined 5-for-7 with two doubles, three walks and an RBI.
