Sophomore Erin Coyne

With the split, Sacramento State is now 29-23 overall and 8-6 in the PCSC. Santa Clara''s record moves to 25-22 and 7-3 in the conference. Santa Clara is now one win shy of its program record for wins (26), set during the 1986 season. The two teams complete the four-game series with a doubleheader tomorrow (Sunday, April 27) in Santa Clara at noon.

In the opener, both teams remained scoreless until the bottom of the 10th inning when Shannon Linerud’s one-out, RBI-single scored Jessica Clee with the game-winning run. Both teams combined for just six hits in the contest (Santa Clara had four while Sacramento State had two) as starters Forman-Lau and Hornet junior Nicole Deatherage were mired in a pitchers’ dual throughout the contest.

Forman-Lau''s attempt at a perfect game was broken in the sixth, when Hornet sophomore Amy Hillel singled down the left field line. She advanced to second base on a Bronco throwing error. Jenni Friedrichs sacrificed Hillel to third, but Forman-Lau struck out Stephanie Lockhart and Lindy Winkler to end the threat.

The game moved to international tiebreaker rule in the 10th inning, starting a runner on second. The Broncos survived the top half of the frame, and with Clee on base in the bottom half of the inning, she was sacrificed to third by Tracie Hall before scoring on Linerud’s single.

Forman-Lau (16-11) allowed two hits and struck out 10 to pick up the win for Santa Clara. Deatherage (13-10) got the loss despite allowing just four hits and one unearned run in 9.1 innings. In addition, Deatherage posted a career-high 11 strikeouts while facing just four batters over the minimum. Hillel and senior Jillian Bivert picked up the only hits for the Hornets.

Sacramento State took the early lead in the second game after Coyne recorded her third home run of the season to lead off the second inning. The Hornets added two runs in the third with the help of two Bronco errors. Moreland put the game out of reach with her first home run of the season, a two-run blast in the fifth. Sacramento State finished the contest with eight hits as Coyne (2-for-2 with two runs, a walk, a home run and an RBI) and junior Amber Dragomir (2-for-3 with a run) each finished with multiple-hit games. The game was stopped at the conclusion of the fifth inning due to the eight-run mercy rule.

Sophomore Brianne Ferguson (12-11) got the win for the Hornets, allowing just three hits in five innings of work. Liz Courter (9-8) picked up the loss, allowing three runs (one earned) and three hits in 2.1 innings.

After Sunday’s doubleheader, Sacramento State has just four games remaining on the schedule. All four will be played against San Diego next weekend as the Hornets host doubleheaders on Saturday, May 3, and Sunday, May 4.