SACRAMENTO, Calif. --- Senior Nicole Deatherage and junior Brianne Ferguson each threw a complete game to help Sacramento State to a doubleheader sweep of Tennessee State, Tuesday afternoon at Shea Stadium. The Hornets won the first game, 4-1, before claiming a 1-0 win in the second contest.The only run scored against Deatherage in the first game was unearned due to an error as the Cameron Park, Calif., native improved to 8-6 on the season and lowered her team-leading ERA to 0.75. Deatherage also struck out a career-high 12 batters in seven innings of work.
Ferguson was also solid, scattering three hits in seven innings and not allowing a runner past second base. Both pitchers did not allow a runner on base until Hollie Sanders broke up both perfect game attempts with a double to right-center field in each game.
In the first game, Sacramento State broke a scoreless tie with a two-run single from Jess Rojo in the third. The Hornets began the rally with back-to-back bunt singles from Lindy Winkler and Amber Dragomir before Rojo sliced a ball into right field to score two. The team added to its lead in the fifth inning when Erin Coyne singled to center to score Winkler and Amy Walter.
Tennessee State rallied for one run in the sixth inning. With two outs, Caryn Barber doubled down the left field line and Cat Smith followed with a single to right. Barber was waved home on the play and Dragomir threw a perfect throw to the plate where catcher Joanna O’Neill dropped the ball allowing the run to score.
The second game was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning. After a groundout, Rojo walked and Erin Coyne followed with a double to score the runner. Coyne’s shot was a hard-hit ground ball that jumped over the left shoulder of Smith at shortstop and shot all the way to the wall in left-center field allowing Rojo to score from first.
In the top half of the sixth inning, TSU loaded the bases with two outs and Sanders hit a smash to third base which was gloved by a diving Amy Hillel who tossed to shortstop Amy Walter at third to end the inning and the scoring threat.
Dragomir, Rojo, Coyne and Winkler each recorded at least one hit in both games. Coyne and Winkler each combined for three hits over the two games. Amanda Moreland had a pair of hits in the first game.
The Hornets will return to Shea Stadium on Saturday, March 27, against Pacific. The doubleheader against the Tigers will start at noon.
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