With the split, Sacramento State improved to 30-20 overall and 8-2 in the PCSC. The Hornets are currently in first place in the conference standings as Portland State and the Hornets will play another doubleheader tomorrow (Sunday, April 18) at noon. The Vikings dropped to 14-23 and 6-4 in the PCSC.

Ferguson’s five-hitter in the second game gave her a career-high 15 wins as the Ceres, Calif., native is now a team-best 15-9 with a 1.16 ERA. In addition, Ferguson has now allowed just five earned runs in her last 84.1 innings (a 0.41 ERA over that span). After escaping a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the second inning, Ferguson allowed just one hit during the final five innings while setting down eight batters in a row at one point.

After Portland State starter Vanessa Holm was perfect through four innings, Sacramento State scored three runs in the fifth and two more in the sixth. Five-consecutive Hornets reached base in the fifth inning as an RBI-double from freshman Amy Jo McKenzie, and RBI-singles from sophomores Joanna O’Neill and Lindy Winkler accounted for the scoring. The Hornets added two more runs in the sixth on a two-run single from Rojo.

Holm (2-7) got the loss for Portland State, allowing five hits and three runs in 4.1 innings. Reliever Christy Hess was touched for three hits and two runs in 1.2 innings. Rojo and junior Lesley Mayhorn each had two hits in the game as six different Hornets had at least one hit.

In the opener, Kira Enlow’s two-out, RBI-single scoring Whitney Olsen in the top of the ninth inning proved to the game-winning run. Sacramento State had just five hits in the contest as Portland State’s Michelle Hext allowed just two runs (one earned) while walking none and striking out five over nine innings. Hext faced just six batters over the minimum and was victimized by a Hornet unearned run in the first inning and a solo home run from senior Amanda Moreland in the fourth.

The Vikings scored three runs off Hornet starter Nicole Deatherage as the senior allowed nine hits and three runs (two earned) over 8.2 innings. Ferguson recorded the final out of the ninth inning in relief of Deatherage.

Olsen, Maggie DeWall and Erin Stokey each had two hits for Portland State while Stokey had an RBI-double in the second inning. Deatherage was the only Hornet to have more than one hit as she went 2-for-3 with RBI-single in the first inning. Hext retired the Hornets in order during each of the final three innings of the contest.

Sacramento State and Portland State conclude the four-game series Sunday at noon as the Vikings will be the designated home team per conference rules.