Per PCSC rules in a four-game series, Sacramento State was the designated home team and batted second in both games despite playing at Loyola Marymount’s home field. The Hornets hit three home runs in the nightcap, including back-to-back blasts from freshman Jamie Schloredt and Cinque in the third inning, and Cinque’s dramatic blast in the eighth.

For Cinque, it was the first multiple home run game of her career and she now has five homers this season. The home run was also her second walkoff shot of the year as she ended a game against Syracuse in the bottom of the 11th inning on March 18.

Schloredt has also tallied five round trippers this season. Both Cinque and Schloredt already sit tied for second in Sacramento State’s Div. I single-season record book (1990-pres.) in home runs despite the season being just two months old. The Div. I leader is Jill Haas, who hit eight in 1998. In addition, the Hornets have clubbed 19 home runs this year, which surpasses the previous Div. I single-season club record of 16, set during the 1998 season.

Sacramento State (21-14, 2-2) and Loyola Marymount (22-14, 2-2) split the four-game series this weekend as the two teams also split yesterday’s doubleheader. The series featured the top two teams from last year (Loyola Marymount won the league championship and the Hornets finished in second place). LMU was selected to finish first in this year’s preseason coaches poll and the Hornets were selected second.

The lead changed hands four times in the second game with LMU jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Sacramento State immediately responded with a four-run bottom half of the third which featured a three-run homer from Schloredt followed by a solo shot from Cinque.

The Lions then posted four runs in the top of the fourth off Hornet starter Cassie Cervatnes, highlighted by RBI-singles from Kirsten Slouber and MiaSarah Cesena.

The Hornets tied the game at 5-5 with a run in the fifth on an RBI-single from Schloredt. Cervantes held LMU scoreless during the final four innings of the game, setting up Cinque’s heroics as the Sacramento native led off the eighth inning with a home run over the left field wall.

Schloredt finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs, marking the second time this season the freshman catcher has finished with four RBIs in a game. She now has 29 RBIs this season, which easily leads the team and is just six RBIs shy of the Hornet Div. I single-season record of 35, set by Jillian Bivert in 2003.

Cinque finished 2-for 4 with two runs and two RBIs, and senior Lindy Winkler went 2-for-3 with a walk, stolen base and two runs scored. Coupled with a single in the first game, Winkler extended her hitting streak to seven games and she has now hit safely in 25 of her last 26 games. She raised her season batting average to .413.

Cervantes (8-4) picked up her second win in as many days, allowing five hits and five runs (three earned) while walking 11 and striking out 11 over eight innings. After allowing five runs through the first four innings, Cervantes retired 12 of the final 15 batters she faced.

In the first game, Pagano dominated the Hornets for the second day in a row. After tossing a one-hit shutout yesterday, Pagano dealt another shutout today, allowing just two singles while striking out nine.

After Pagano allowed a single to Teri Ann Caoagan which led off the second inning, the Hornets did not get another hit the rest of the way. In fact, Pagano (11-7) retired the final 17 batters in succession to close the game. Yesterday, Pagano allowed a Winkler single to begin the game, but held the Hornets hitless the rest of the way. In 14.0 innings against Sacramento State over the weekend, Pagano allowed no runs and three singles while striking out 21 batters.

LMU scored all four of its runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by a back-breaking three-run homer off the bat of Brittany Bassett. The Hornets only real threat to score in the game came in the first inning when the team placed runners at second and third with two outs, but Pagano was able to get out of the jam.

Cinque (9-9) picked up the loss, allowing six hits and four runs (three earned) over seven innings. The Hornets continued to struggle offensively when Cinque takes the mound as the team has been limited to two runs or less in eight of her nine losses.

Sacramento State returns to action on Wednesday, April 12, as the team travels to ninth-ranked Stanford for a single game at 6 p.m. The Hornets jump back into PCSC play next weekend (April 14-15) when the team hosts Santa Clara for a four-game series.