Both teams will play another doubleheader tomorrow (Sunday, April 3) at Marsalli Park to conclude the four-game series. With the split, Sacramento State, which finished tied for third in the PCSC standings last season, moved to 18-14 overall and 1-1 in the conference. Santa Clara had its five-game winning streak snapped while moving to 18-17 and 1-1 in the PCSC.

Senior Lesley Mayhorn sparked the Hornets’ second-game victory as the left fielder went 3-for-3 with a walk, two stolen bases and an RBI. Mayhorn is now a perfect 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts this year and 18-for-20 over her four-year career with the Hornets. Sacramento State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning as two Santa Clara errors allowed three unearned runs to score.

The Hornets tacked on three more in the sixth and one in the seventh. Sacramento State pounded out nine hits as all but one Hornet starter reached base via hit or walk. Senior Amy Hillel’s bat continued to stay hot as the third baseman went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, and she is now hitting .293 this season.

Sacramento State got its sixth-inning runs on a wild pitch scoring pinch runner Katie Rhoe, an RBI-single from Mayhorn scoring pinch runner Kayla Williams, and an RBI-single from Lindy Winkler scoring Ashley Dawson. The Hornets tallied their seventh-inning run on a sacrifice fly from Danielle Ackland which scored Hillel.

Sacramento State starter Nikki Cinque limited Santa Clara to one hit over the first five innings before the Broncos were able to score two runs in the sixth and one more in the seventh. The Broncos tallied three-straight singles in the seventh, but Cinque struck out Maggie Godfrey to end the game.

Cinque improved to 9-4 this season as the junior allowed three runs and six hits over seven innings. In Cinque’s 13 starts this season, the Hornets have posted a 10-3 record. Santa Clara’s Jerrica Castagno (5-5) received the loss, allowing three unearned runs and four hits in four innings.

In the first game, Shannon Linerud’s one out, RBI-triple in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Jessica Clee with the game-winning run. Sacramento State starter Brianne Ferguson dominated throughout the contest, no-hitting Santa Clara until Clee led off the seventh with a single. In fact, Ferguson had not allowed a Bronco runner past second base until Clee came around to score.

Unfortunately for the Hornets, Santa Clara starter Liz Courter was just as effective as Ferguson, allowing the Hornets just three hits over seven innings. Sacramento State’s only offensive threat came in the seventh inning when the Hornets loaded the bases with two outs before Courter struck out Ackland to end the inning.

Ferguson (9-7) took the loss despite allowing just two hits and striking out seven. Courter improved to 9-8, allowing just three hits while walking three and striking out two over seven innings.

Sacramento State senior Erin Coyne had a hit in both games to extend her team-best hitting streak to eight games. Over that stretch, the four-year veteran, who was named PCSC Player of the Week two weeks ago, is batting .481 (13-for-27) with six RBIs.