SCHLOREDT POWERS SOFTBALL TO A PAIR OF VICTORIES OVER SAINT MARY’S
4/11/2009
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Jamie Schloredt hit three home runs, Megan Schaefer picked up both victories and Izmena Cabrera extended her hitting streak to 21 games as Sacramento State took two of three games from Saint Mary’s in a Pacific Coast Softball Conference tripleheader Saturday afternoon at Shea Stadium.
Sacramento State won the opener, 4-2, lost the second game, 6-4, and won the rubber game, 4-0.
The Hornets and Gaels (18-21, 2-5) were originally scheduled to play doubleheaders yesterday and today as part of the four-game series, but Friday’s doubleheader was rained out. So, the two teams played a rare tripleheader today, and will make up the fourth game at a date and time yet to be determined.
Schloredt hit a home run in each of the three games, increasing her season total to nine round trippers and her program record career mark to 34 home runs. She reached base safely in seven of her 10 plate appearances, finishing 4-for-7 with three runs, three walks, three home runs and four RBIs. Cabrera had a hit in each of the three games and is the new owner of the Sacramento State and conference record for longest hitting streak (21). She entered the day tied for both records with former Hornet Lindy Winkler, who had an 18-game streak in 2006.
Schaefer was dominant as she threw the first and third games of today’s tripleheader, combining to go 2-0 with a 0.50 ERA. She allowed just one earned run and 10 hits over 14.0 innings and Saint Mary’s batters hit just .200 during the games she pitched. The sophomore right-hander finished the day throwing 198 pitches, including 113 in the first game and just 85 more in the third game.
Sacramento State improved its record to 19-19 overall and 5-2 in the PCSC. The Hornets have now won nine of their last 11 games to get to the .500 mark for the first time since the opening week of the season. With 13 conference games remaining, the Hornets are third in the PCSC standings, 1.5 games behind first-place Loyola Marymount (7-1) and a half game back of second-place Portland State (6-2).
Sacramento State travels to Portland State next weekend for a four-game series, and hosts Loyola Marymount for four games on April 25-26. The winner of the conference’s regular season championship receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals, a place the Hornets went last season.
In the first game, Sacramento State never trailed, scoring single runs in the first and second innings, and two more in the fourth to complete a 4-2 victory. The Hornets received home runs from Schloredt and freshman Desiree Beltran. All but two Hornet starters had a hit as Sacramento State finished with seven hits off Saint Mary’s pitchers Britany Linton and Maryanne Cronin.
Beltran finished with three RBIs, including an RBI-grounder in the first inning, and a line drive two-run homer over the left field wall in the fourth inning. Schloredt hit a solo home run over the center field wall in the second for the team’s other run.
Schaefer went the distance in the win, allowing just two runs (one earned) and six hits while striking out eight over seven innings. The eight strikeouts were one shy of her career high. Linton (5-10) got the loss, allowing four runs and six hits over four innings.
In the second game, Saint Mary’s scored four times in the sixth inning to erase a 4-2 deficit and eventually pull out the 6-4 victory. During that sixth inning, the Gaels took advantage of three Hornet errors while adding three hits. In fact, three of the Hornets’ infielders made an error in the inning, practically gift wrapping the Saint Mary’s victory. Three of the four runs scored in the sixth were unearned.
Whitney Loomis finished the game 3-for-4 for the Hornets while Schloredt went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, including an RBI-single in the first inning and a solo homer in the fourth. Cabrera had an RBI-double in the first, and scored the team’s fourth run in the top of the sixth inning to give the Hornets a brief 4-2 lead.
Cronin (10-5) got the win, allowing seven hits and four runs (three earned) over seven innings. Sacramento State freshman Shelby Voelz (5-7) picked up the loss, allowing nine hits and six runs (three earned) over six innings.
In the third game, Saint Mary’s could not figure out Schaefer as she tossed a four-hit shutout while walking none and striking out five. In fact, Schaefer set down 12 straight Gaels spanning four innings, and retired 17 of the final 19 batters she faced. Each of Saint Mary’s four hits were singles.
Sacramento State scored single runs in the first (RBI-single from Beltran), second (RBI-triple from Loomis), third (Schloredt home run) and fourth innings (RBI-single from Rachel Miles). That was more than enough run support for Schaefer, who notched her fourth shutout of the season and improved her record to 10-4. She also lowered her ERA to a conference-best 2.13.
Each of the Hornets’ first five batters had at least one hit, including Miles, who finished 2-for-3 with two runs , a walk and an RBI. Kimberly Green (1-4) picked up the loss, allowing eight hits and four runs over 3.1 innings.
“Although I am happy we took two of three games today, we have to develop a killer instinct,” Sacramento State head coach Kathy Strahan said. “We need to be more consistent and take care of games when we’re ahead if we want to win this year’s conference championship.”
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- 
