SUNNYVALE, Calif. - The Sacramento State softball team split a pair of games in the first day of the National Invitational Softball Tournament Friday evening at the Twin Creeks Sports Complex. The Hornets opened the tournament with an 8-2 loss to Colorado State before coming back later in the evening to knock off Northern Iowa, 7-0.The Hornets, who improved to 12-9 overall this season with tonight’s split, advanced to the tournament championship bracket where the they will face second-ranked Cal tomorrow (Saturday, March 12) at noon. The winner of the game will face the Iowa/San Jose State victor at 4 p.m., while the losing team will play at 2 p.m.
In Sacramento State’s victory over Northern Iowa (4-5), junior Nikki Cinque threw her third shutout of the season, allowing the Panthers just six hits. Cinque walked none and struck out four while facing just five batters over the minimum. The Sacramento City Junior College transfer improved her record to 6-2 with a team-best 0.95 ERA.
The Hornets pounded out eight hits, including three from junior Lindy Winkler and two each from juniors Britany Crine and Gloria Toledo. Sacramento State posted three runs in the first inning on a two-run double from Crine and an RBI-single from Toledo.
Sacramento State tacked on four more runs in the fourth inning on an RBI from Cinque, an RBI-double from Toledo and a two-run single from senior Erin Coyne. The Hornets’ seven runs were a season high, as the team’s previous top mark was five runs against Cal Poly on Feb. 7.
Amanda Hess (2-1) got the loss for the Panthers, allowing seven runs (two earned) and eight hits in six innings.
In the Hornets’ tournament opener, Sacramento State starter Brianne Ferguson was roughed up for eight runs (five earned) and 11 hits in six innings. Ferguson, who entered the game with a 0.58 ERA, had her worst outing of the year as she had not allowed more than three runs in a game all season until giving up eight in tonight’s contest.
Colorado State received two hits from Stephanie Roberts, Jennifer Gardner, Jessica Strickland and Julia Kloppe. The Rams are now 2-0 against the Hornets this season, outscoring Sacramento State, 12-3, in those two contests.
Colorado State’s big blow came via a three-run home run from Kloppe in the third inning as the Rams posted single runs in the first and fourth innings, and three in each of the third and sixth innings.
The Hornets scored a run in the second inning on a Colorado State error and added one more in the third on an RBI-double from Winkler. Genevieve Kelly (6-2) got the win for the Rams, allowing two unearned runs and five hits in seven innings.
Winkler finished the doubleheader with a career-high tying three hits in both games as she raised her batting average to a team-leading .414.
