With the sweep, Loyola Marymount, which won the PCSC title last year, moved within one game of first-place Sacramento State in the conference standings. The Lions improved to 26-12 overall and 9-5 in the PCSC while the Hornets dropped to 32-22 and 10-4 in the conference. The losses marked the first time all season that Sacramento State had been swept in a conference doubleheader. The Hornets and Lions will play two more games tomorrow (Sunday, April 25) as the teams complete the four-game series.

In the first game, Lavino blanked Sacramento State while giving up just one walk and striking out five. Lavino allowed just one Hornet past second base during the entire game while escaping a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the third inning by retiring junior Erin Coyne.

The Lions, who entered the doubleheader with 45 home runs this season, scored both runs in the contest by virtue of the long ball. Solo home runs by Danielle Kaminaka and Lisa Abbott in the fourth and fifth innings, respectively, accounted for the game’s scoring. Sacramento State starter Nicole Deatherage (13-9) took the loss despite allowing just four hits while striking out seven over six innings. Deatherage had allowed just four home runs all season before giving up the pair to Kaminaka and Abbott.

Sacramento State threatened again in the sixth inning, putting runners at first and second base with one out before Lavino struck out Amanda Moreland and Jessica Rojo to end the inning. Lavino improved to 9-4 with the win. Abbott finished with two hits for Loyola Marymount, marking the only player in the contest to have more than one hit.

In the nightcap, Loyola Marymount jumped out to an early 4-0 lead on a two-out, three-run homer from Whitt in the second inning and an RBI-single from Trisha Gomes in the third. The Hornets tried to rally with one run in the fourth and two more in the sixth inning, but it was not enough as Lavino also picked up the win in game two.

Moreland had an RBI-single in the fourth and a solo home run in the fifth as she led Sacramento State with two hits and two RBIs. Coyne also had a solo home run in the sixth inning to account for the Hornets’ two runs in the inning.

Sacramento State put the tying runners on base in the seventh inning (Amy Walter at first and Lindy Winkler at third), but Lavino got Amber Dragomir on a pop-up to end the contest. Sacramento State junior pitcher Brianne Ferguson, who suffered a non-softball related injury to her pitching hand on Wednesday, lost for just the first time in conference play this season as she had been 7-0 with a 0.34 ERA. She lasted five innings, allowing five runs and seven hits. Freshman Jennifer Fryou pitched a scoreless sixth inning in relief.

Like the first game, Lavino went the distance in the second contest, allowing three runs and six hits in seven innings. Whitt finished the game 3-for-3 with a run and three RBIs.

The Hornets, who are now tied with Santa Clara for the conference lead at 10-4, have just six games remaining on their schedule. Sacramento State and Santa Clara will play a four-game series in Sacramento to end the season next weekend. Only one game separates the Hornets, Santa Clara and Loyola Marymount.