SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Cal State Northridge scored two runs in the eighth innings of both games on its way to a doubleheader sweep of the Sacramento State softball team in a Big West Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Shea Stadium.
The Matadors won game one, 3-1, and followed that up with a 2-0 victory in the second game. With the wins, Cal State Northridge improved its record to 21-19 overall and 5-3 in the Big West. Sacramento State, which had its season-best four-game winning streak snapped, dropped to 14-23 and 2-6 in the conference.
Cal State Northridge's Sarah Farnworth (15-11) picked up victories in both games, combining to allow the Hornets just one run (which was unearned) and eight hits in 16.0 innings of work.
In game one, Summer Richardson's two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth off Hornet starter Jillian Bivert provided the Matadors with the victory. Farnworth allowed six hits and one run in eight innings while Bivert (4-8) picked up the loss, allowing three runs, eight walks and five hits in eight innings.
Cal State Northridge got on the board in the top of the first after Richardson's bases-loaded ground ball was misplayed by Hornet third baseman Mary Villalpando, allowing Veronica Lopez to score. The Hornets tied the game in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-single by Andrea Becker.
The Hornets stranded eight runners on base during the game which included leaving the bases loaded in the second inning and runners at second and third in the fourth.
In the nightcap, Colleen Spencer's two-out RBI-triple followed by an RBI-single by Christen Bedwell in the eighth inning gave the Matadors the sweep. Farnworth bettered her first game performance by throwing a two-hit shutout.
Sacramento State starter Nicole Deatherage (7-10) picked up the loss despite allowing just five hits and two runs in eight innings. At one point during the game, Deatherage went six-straight innings (from the second until the eighth) without allowing a hit.
The Hornets only two hits of the game came on singles by Jennifer Jokinen and Ali Norman. Becker, who was playing shortstop, had to leave the game in the eighth inning with an injured shoulder after making a catch while colliding with left fielder Amber Dragomir.
Both teams play the final game of the three-game series tomorrow at noon.
