TUESDAY’S SOFTBALL DOUBLEHEADER WITH UC DAVIS TO HAVE BIG IMPLICATIONS ON THE CAUSEWAY CUP

4/9/2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento State and UC Davis will square off for the softball version of the Causeway Classic when the two teams meet tomorrow (Tuesday, April 10) for a doubleheader at 1 p.m. at Shea Stadium.

Much is at stake in this year’s matchup as Tuesday’s doubleheader will have large implications on the Causeway Cup, the annual all-sports competition between Sacramento State and UC Davis. With Saturday’s victory in rowing, UC Davis took a narrow 48.67-46.00 lead over Sacramento State in the Cup standings.  

In the closest battle since the two schools began competing for the Causeway Cup in 2004-05, only six competitions (with just 8.66 points available) remain between the two schools. The first two of those remaining competitions will take place on Tuesday with each game of the doubleheader being worth 1.67 points.

Other games between the two schools will take place on April 13 (men’s tennis match in Sacramento), May 8 (baseball game in Davis) and May 16 (baseball game in Davis). For complete Causeway Cup standings, click here. Sacramento State won the last year’s Causeway Cup and UC Davis won two years ago.

Sacramento State had defeated UC Davis in softball on 11 consecutive occasions (dating back to 2004) prior to losing to the Aggies earlier this season at the Aggie Softball Invitational. UC Davis won, 7-5, in a game that was stopped after six innings because of darkness.

Even with the loss earlier this season, Sacramento State still owns a 13-5-1 record against UC Davis since the Hornets moved to the Div. I ranks in 1990.

After a run of four consecutive seasons with at least 30 victories, Sacramento State has struggled this year as the team’s 9-25 record is its worst after 24 games since joining the Div. I ranks. The Hornets have lost five of their last six games while going 1-2 in their first Pacific Coast Softball Conference series of the season last weekend at Portland State. However, Sacramento State has played just three games at its home facility this year, posting a 2-1 record, including a victory on March 20 over Kansas. The Hornets are 7-24 away from home and haven’t played at Shea Stadium since the victory over Kansas three weeks ago.

UC Davis has won three in a row and seven of its last 10 heading into Tuesday’s doubleheader. The Aggies pitching staff, which has compiled a 2.63 ERA thus far, has held opponents scoreless over each of the last 19 innings. UC Davis is currently 23-13-1 overall, including a 5-3 mark on the road. The Aggies swept a three-game series at UC Riverside last weekend.