SANTA CLARA, Calif. - The Sacramento State softball team increased

its winning streak to a season-high four games with a doubleheader

sweep over Santa Clara Wednesday night at Marsalli Park. The Hornets

won game one, 2-0, before completing the sweep with a 6-2 victory in

game two.

Sacramento State, which has also won five of its last six games after

enduring a season-long eight-game losing streak, improved its record

to 14-21. Santa Clara has now lost seven in a row while dropping to

11-26 on the season.

Sophomore Jillian Bivert (4-7) threw a four-hit shutout while

striking out six in game one. The Hornets got their only runs of the

game on an Arlette Sunseri RBI-single in the second inning and a

Jennifer Jokinen sacrifice fly in the third. Sunseri, who entered the

game with a .125 batting average, finished with three hits.

Hornet center fielder Cathy Coupar helped preserve the shutout in the

fourth inning when she threw out pinch runner Lindsey Braff trying to

score from second base on a single. With the performance, Bivert has

now gone 21-straight innings without allowing an earned run.

In the second game, the Hornets scored three runs in the second

inning and single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to

cruise to the 6-2 victory. Freshman Nicole Deatherage (7-9) picked up

the win, allowing five hits and two runs (one earned) while striking

out five in seven innings.

Seven Hornets starters recorded at least one hit in the game led by

Amber Dragomir who finished 2-for-4 with a run scored, a stolen base

and an RBI. Sacramento State scored its three runs in the second

inning on a Patty Villa RBI-double, a Sunseri RBI-fielders choice and

an RBI-single by Dragomir.

After Santa Clara closed to within, 3-2, the Hornets tacked on a run

in the fourth after Meghan Cunningham's RBI-double scored Lori

Meixner. Sacramento State added to its lead in the fifth on a Jokinen

sacrifice fly and a Cathy Coupar RBI-single in the sixth.

Deatherage has now picked up wins in consecutive starts after losing

seven-straight decisions.

The Hornets' pitching staff had combined to go a season-high

44.0-consecutive innings without allowing an earned run until

Deatherage allowed an earned run in the third inning.

Sacramento State returns to action this weekend as it hosts Cal State

Northridge for a Big West Conference three-game series. The two teams

play a doubleheader on Saturday, April 7, at noon, and a single game

Sunday, April 8, at noon.