Santa Clara finished the regular season with a 30-23 overall record and a 16-4 mark in the PCSC. Sacramento State, which had been in first place in the conference standings just two weeks ago, lost its final eight games of the season and wrapped up its year with a 32-28 overall record and a 10-10 mark in the conference. Depending on the outcome of today’s doubleheader between Loyola Marymount and Portland State, Sacramento State could finish either third or fourth in the conference standings.

The Hornets’ finish to the 2004 season closely resembles last year’s finish. Last season, Sacramento State finished the year 30-26 and 9-9 in the PCSC, but lost 11 of its final 16 games. This season, the Hornets were riding high with a 32-20 overall record and a 10-2 PCSC mark before losing their final eight games. Sacramento State was swept in a four-game series by Loyola Marymount last week as the Lions will finish second in the conference behind Santa Clara.

Including this weekend’s four-game sweep of the Hornets, Santa Clara won 14-consecutive conference games to end the season and claim the PCSC championship. In its second year of existence, the PCSC will have an automatic berth into the NCAA Regionals next season. Loyola Marymount won the conference title last year.

In the first game of today’s doubleheader, Forman-Lau and Sacramento State starter Nicole Deatherage combined to allow just one run and five hits during the entire contest. The Broncos won the game in the bottom of the seventh when Deatherage fielded a come-backer to the mound and threw wildly to first baseman Amanda Moreland. This allowed Rachel Sherman to score all the way from second base with the game-winning run.

Forman-Lau was dominant, allowing an infield single to Amber Dragomir in the second inning for the Hornets’ only hit of the contest. Forman-Lau faced just one batter over the minimum while striking out eight and retiring the final eight batters of the game in succession. With the loss, Deatherage finished the season with a 13-12 record and a 0.96 ERA. The senior right-hander becomes the first Sacramento State pitcher to have an ERA below 1.00 since Susie Bugliarello (0.93) accomplished the feat in 1997. Deatherage, who will play softball for the Sacramento Sunbirds this summer, ranks third in Sacramento State Div. I history (1990-pres.) in innings pitched, wins, starts, complete games, shutouts and strikeouts.

In the nightcap, Santa Clara exploded for seven runs and 11 hits off Hornet starter Jennifer Fryou. All but two Santa Clara starters had at least one hit, including two each from Jenny Brown, Vanessa Werner, Jessica Clee and Liz Courter. Clee recorded the big blow in the fifth inning with a two-run double as Santa Clara scored two runs in the first, fourth and fifth innings, and one in the third.

Sacramento State scored single runs in the fourth and sixth innings on an RBI-triple from Moreland and a throwing error allowing pinch runner Stepahanie Lockhart to score, respectively. The Hornets had just four hits in the game (including two from junior catcher Erin Coyne) as the team had trouble figuring out Forman-Lau.

Forman-Lau (25-16), who had three wins and a save during the four-game set, got the win in the second game, allowing two runs (one earned) and four hits in seven innings. In her first collegiate season, Fryou ends the year with a 3-5 record after allowing seven runs (five earned) and 11 hits in six innings.

Coyne finished the season with a .293 batting average while leading the team in RBIs (22), home runs (three), doubles (nine), slugging percentage (.402) and on-base percentage (.354). Sophomore Lindy Winkler (.295) finished with the team’s best batting average for the second year in a row. Junior right-hander Brianne Ferguson, who did not pitch this weekend because of injury, posted the most wins by a Sacramento State pitcher (16) since Kelly Lovato had 17 in 1999. Her nine shutouts were also the most by a Hornet since Lovato had 12 in 1999. The Hornets’ team ERA of 1.52 ranks as the fifth-best mark in the program’s Div. I history.

Today’s doubleheader marked the final games in a Sacramento State uniform for Hornet seniors Jenni Friedrichs, Amy Walter, Dragomir, Moreland, Lockhart and Deatherage.