Sacramento State has spent the entire season either tied or alone in first place in the PCSC standings. The Hornets opened the conference schedule by sweeping four games from Saint Mary’s. A total of 12 games remain on the schedule as the Hornets play four games at Santa Clara (April 26-27) and four games vs. San Diego (May 3-4) after this week’s series.

This year’s Hornet squad is attempting to become the first to win a conference championship since the program joined the Div. I ranks in 1990. The 1993 squad was the closest to a first-place finish as the team was the Western Athletic Conference runner-ups. The Hornets were independent status from 1990-92, before joining the WAC (1993-96) and eventually the Big West Conference (1997-02). Since the PCSC is in its first year of existence, the conference won’t be eligible to apply for the automatic bid (given to the first-place team) into the NCAA Tournament until the 2005 season.

This year, Sacramento State has made a habit of defeating the teams it should beat and losing to the tougher competition. Of the Hornets’ 19 losses, 12 have come to teams that were either ranked in the top 25 or were receiving votes. Sacramento State is 2-12 in those games and 25-7 against all other competition. The Hornets’ two victories against top 25-caliber competition were against Kansas (receiving votes for the top 25) and Stanford (ranked 13th).

As stated in conference rules, the Hornets will serve as the home team on Friday against Loyola Marymount while the Lions will be the home team and bat second on Saturday.

At 27-19, Sacramento State has posted its best record at this point in the season since 1996. The 1996 squad was also 27-19 and eventually finished the year with a 32-26 overall record. The Hornets have also posted winning streaks of five and 10 games this season, with the latter being a program record.

Head Coach Kathy Strahan

Sacramento State 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 551-529-3 career record in 19-plus years. Currently in her 11th season with the Hornets, Strahan has a 304-284-2 record while guiding Sacramento State to a pair of NCAA Regional appearances (1993, 1995). The NCAA Regional appearance in 1993 marked the first postseason bid for any program in Sacramento State Div. I history to an NCAA Championship event. 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 551 victories are good for 29th all-time on the NCAA list among active head coaches with at least five years of Div. I experience. In addition, 13 members of the 2003 Hornet squad have 3.0 grade point averages or better.

Deatherage In The Record Books

Junior Nicole Deatherage posted her 13th victory of the season this past Sunday at Portland State. The 13 wins are the 10th-best single-season total in Sacramento State Div. I history. Deatherage (13-7, 2.37 ERA) is one win shy of eighth place (two-way tie), and five wins shy of fifth place. The school record is 24 wins, set in 1993 by All-American Tami Blunt.

Deatherage has won five of her past six decisions and has a 1.79 ERA over that span. Throw out her win against Stanford where she allowed five runs in seven innings, and Deatherage has a 1.16 ERA over her last five appearances. The right-hander has a streak of 10-consecutive starts where she has gone the distance, and has 16 complete games in 21 starts overall this year.

In addition, Deatherage, who combined to go 17-25 during her first two years with the program, has a career-high 116 strikeouts in 144.2 innings this year. She has struck out at least two batters in every appearance and is averaging 5.9 strikeouts per game over her last nine starts. She was just named PCSC Pitcher of the Week for second time this year after going 2-1 with a 1.46 ERA last week.

Coyne Sets RBI Record

With her RBI-single on Sunday against Portland State, sophomore Erin Coyne became the new Sacramento State single-season record holder in RBIs. She now has a team and conference-best 30 RBIs, surpassing the previous school record of 29, set by All-American Terrie Cissna during the 1992 season.

Coyne has hit safely in 28 games this year and is tied for the team lead in multiple-RBI games (seven). The San Diego native, who has hit in the No. 4 spot of the lineup every game this year, leads the team with 14 two-out RBIs and has posted a .339 batting average with runners in scoring position and .330 with runners on base.

Hot on Coyne’s tail for the RBI lead is senior Jillian Bivert, who has 28. Bivert, who also has seven multiple-RBI games, became the Sacramento State Div. I career RBI leader earlier this season and currently has 86.

Winkler Continues To Rake

Freshman Lindy Winkler continues to be the most consistent Hornet this year with the bat. The San Andreas, Calif., native currently has a five-game hitting streak and has hit safely in a team-best 32 games this year. Winkler leads the Hornets in numerous offensive categories including batting average (.339), hits (56), stolen bases (seven), slugging percentage (.442), at-bats (165), triples (seven), total bases (73), runs (33), multiple-hit games (19), average with runners on base (.371) and average with runners in scoring position (.370).

She is approaching numerous Sacramento State Div. I single-season marks including runs (35 by Angela Jeter in 1992), stolen bases (11 by three players), hits (68 by Terrie Cissna in 1992) and at-bats (191 by Kelly Wilkins in 1992). She has already set the single-season program record for triples, and is one triple shy of the career record (8 by Kelly Wilkins).

Team/Player Notables

Junior Amy Walter, who has already shattered the program record for sacrifices with 27, is averaging one sacrifice per game over her last eight contests...sophomore right-hander Brianne Ferguson was 10-0 against teams not ranked in the top 25 or receiving votes until losing twice to Portland State last week...the Hornet offense has scored one run in five of the last six games...junior Amanda Moreland has hit safely in eight of her last nine games, and is batting .393 (11-28) over that span.