SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Senior Amanda Moreland, junior Amy Hillel and sophomore Lindy Winkler each had two hits to lead the Sacramento State softball team to an 8-0 victory over San Diego in the second day of the Mustang Roundup Saturday afternoon at Bob Janssen Field. The Hornets lost earlier in the day to Nevada, 3-2.With today’s split, Sacramento State is now 1-3 at three-day, five-game tournament and 1-5 overall this season. The Hornets conclude the tournament tomorrow (Sunday, Feb. 8) against host Cal Poly at 2 p.m. With the one-run loss to Nevada, four of Sacramento State’s five losses this season have been by two runs or less.
Against San Diego, the Hornets scored two runs in the third inning and six more in the fifth to force the eight-run mercy rule. Freshman Jennifer Fryou (1-0) picked up her first career win and shutout, allowing just three hits in five innings of work. Fryou worked out of trouble in the first after allowing a triple to start the inning.
Moreland’s two-run triple gave the Hornets both their runs in the third inning. Sacramento State then scored six times in the fifth, highlighted by a three-run triple from Hillel. RBI-singles from Lesley Mayhorn and Jessica Rojo, and an error allowing Winkler to score accounted for the team’s other three runs in the inning.
San Diego’s Erin Harmonson (0-1) got the loss, allowing four runs and seven hits in 4.1 innings. Anna Russell allowed four more runs in relief.
In the Hornets’ early game, Nevada’s Stacy Mueller hit a two-out, three-run double in the fifth inning to give the Wolf Pack a 3-2 lead. Nevada would hang on for the win behind starter Tiffany Hoeft (1-1), who retired the final seven batters of the game in succession. Hoeft went the distance, allowing two runs and five hits while striking out six.
Sacramento State posted single runs in the second and third innings behind the bat of junior Erin Coyne. The catcher hit her first home run of the season in the second and followed that with a two-out, RBI-double in the third inning. Coyne, who was intentionally walked in the fifth inning, finished the game 2-for-2 with a run and two RBIs.
The Hornets threatened to score more runs in both the third and fifth innings, but Hoeft retired senior Amy Walter with runners at second and third, and two outs on both occasions. Junior Brianne Ferguson (0-4) remained winless on the season for the Hornets, allowing three runs and four hits in six innings. Besides the fifth inning, Ferguson did not allow a Wolf Pack runner past second base.
Coyne’s home run against Nevada was the first by a Hornet this season. Sacramento State’s eight runs and 11 hits were both team season highs.
After Sunday’s game against Cal Poly, the Hornets do not play again until their home opener against UC Davis on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 1 p.m.
