SOFTBALL’S SEASON COMES TO AN END WITH LOSS TO SAN DIEGO STATE

5/17/2008

FRESNO, Calif. -- San Diego State’s Tonye McCorkle had two hits and three RBIs to lead the Aztecs to a 7-1 victory over Sacramento State in the second round of the NCAA Softball Regionals Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Diamond.

With the victory, Sacramento State’s season comes to a close as the team went 0-2 at the double-elimination tournament, including a loss to host Fresno State last night. San Diego State will take on Fresno State later today at 5 p.m. The winner of that game will face Cal tomorrow at 1 p.m. Cal is 2-0 at the Regional with victories over both San Diego State (4-1 last night) and Fresno State (3-0 earlier today).

Sacramento State concludes its season with a 32-21 overall record, including victories in eight of its final 10 games of the year. The Hornets were making their first NCAA Regional appearance in 13 years and their third (1993, 1995, 2008) since joining the Div. I ranks in 1990.

San Diego State opened the scoring in the second inning on a two-out, RBI-single from Christine Kulick which scored pinch runner Stefanie Quichocho-Rosario from second base. The Aztecs tacked on three more runs in the third inning off Hornet starter Megan Schaefer, which included an RBI-single from Erin Floros, and a two-run homer from Megan McDonald.

Sacramento State got one run back in the bottom of the third inning after Izmena Cabrera drove home Amy Tompkins on an RBI-groundout. The Hornets had the bases loaded with one out in the inning, but managed to score just the one run off San Diego State starter Christina Ross.

Sacramento State had opportunities to score more, but left runners on base in every inning but the second. In all, the Hornets left 10 runners on base for the game. San Diego State put the game away with two outs in the top of the sixth inning when McCorkle tripled home three runs off Hornet reliever Brittani Clifford.

Each of the Aztecs’ seven runs in the game came after two outs had been recorded. McCorkle, McDonald (2-for-4 with two RBIs), Floros (1-for-3 with an RBI) and Kulick (1-for-3 with an RBI) combined to drive in all seven of San Diego State’s runs.

Sacramento State finished the game with six hits, half of which came off the bat of senior Hilary Johnson, who finished the game 3-for-4 with three singles. Amy Tompkins, Izmena Cabrera and Jenice Bartee also had hits in the game. Bartee made two sparkling plays in the seventh inning, including a diving catch, and throwing out Jessica Camello at first base from right field on a ground ball through the hole.

Johnson was the lone Sacramento State representative on the All-Regional Team for her efforts.

San Diego State’s Samantha Beasley (8-2) picked up the victory in relief, allowing four hits and no runs over 4.0 innings. Starter Christina Ross went the first three innings, allowing two hits and one run.

Hornet freshman Megan Schaefer (5-5) picked up the loss as she lasted 2.2 innings. Brittani Clifford pitched the final 4.1 innings in relief.

Sacramento State wraps up a season in which the team finished with a 32-21 overall record, a 14-6 mark in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference, and the program’s first-ever PCSC championship. In addition, the Hornets’ 32 wins marked the fifth time in the last six years the team had won at least 30 games.

A total of seven Hornets were named all-conference, led by Jamie Schloredt, who was unanimously selected as the league’s player of the year. Joining Schloredt on the first team were outfielder Cabrera, shortstop Tompkins and pitcher Kayla Meeks. On the second team were Johnson, second baseman Whitney Loomis and pitcher Clifford. Meeks had the rare distinction of being named all-conference twice, including first team as designated player and second team as a pitcher.

Head coach Kathy Strahan, who completes her 16th season in the Green and Gold, was named the PCSC Coach of the Year, and notched her 700th career victory during the last weekend of the regular season. Strahan is now 456-416-2 in 16 years with the Hornets, and 703-661-3 in 25 years as an intercollegiate head coach.

Sacramento State will return 14 players from this year’s squad, including third baseman Sherry Clark, who redshirted the year after suffering a knee injury during the third week of the season. The Hornets will lose seniors Teri Ann Caoagan, Melissa Cross, Amanda Meyer, Johnson and Tompkins.