The Hornets (8-3) have won three straight and six of their last seven games as the team’s record matches their best start to a season since 1995 (the 2003 team also began the year 8-3). UAB (Alabama-Birmingham) dropped to 8-8 with the loss.

The shutout for Cinque was the second in the last three days for the right-hander as she has now gone 28-consecutive innings (spanning five appearances) without allowing an earned run. Cinque, who is in her first year with the Hornets after transferring from Sacramento City College, improved her record to 4-1 while lowering her ERA to 1.17.

Senior Lesley Mayhorn led off the fourth inning with a single before moving to second base on Cinque’s sacrifice bunt. After UAB pitcher Brittany Hodge retired Erin Coyne for the second out of the inning, Caoagan came through with a two-out double to drive in Mayhorn.

Caoagan continued to thrive in pressure situations as the walk-on freshman is hitting a team-best .455 (5-11) with runners in scoring position and .400 (4-10) with two outs in an inning. The Salinas, Calif., native now leads the team with five RBIs this season.

Cinque allowed just three harmless singles as the Sacramento native faced just three batters over the minimum. She retired the first 12 UAB batters of the game in succession before allowing a walk to open the fifth inning. In fact, Cinque had a no-hitter through five innings before allowing a leadoff single to Leigh Walker in the sixth inning.

Mayhorn (2-for-3 with a double) was the only player with a multiple-hit game as the Hornets were limited to just four hits. Hodge (1-2) got the loss despite allowing one run and four hits in 5.1 innings.

Sacramento State returns to action later today in the second round of the three-day, five-game tournament as the team faces Auburn at 1 p.m.