With the split, the Hornets moved to 17-13 and have won five of their last seven games. Nevada is now 11-17 overall this season. Sacramento State had its six-game winning streak (dating back to last season) against Nevada snapped with the first-game loss, but is still 11-3 all-time vs. the Wolf Pack.

In the second game, Sacramento State pounded out a season-high tying 13 hits as Lesley Mayhorn, Erin Coyne, Amy Hillel, Gloria Toledo, Nikki Cinque and Danielle Ackland each had two hits during the game. The Hornets got on the board in the first inning after Hillel’s two-out, two-run double scored both Mayhorn and Hilary Johnson.

Sacramento State scored another run in the fourth inning on an RBI-single from Ackland before Nevada closed the gap to 3-2 in the bottom of the inning on a Hornet error allowing Jiliane Hartfield to score.

The Hornets put the game away with three runs in the seventh inning on a two-run double from Toledo and an RBI-fielders choice off the bat of Cinque. Hillel and Toledo both finished the game with two RBIs while Cinque and Ackland each posted one RBI. Ackland, who was making just her second start of the season at first base, combined for three hits in the doubleheader with a run scored an RBI. Hillel, who also picked up a hit in the first game of the doubleheader, extended her hitting streak to five games while Coyne has now hit safely in six-consecutive games.

Cinque (8-4) picked up the win for the Hornets, allowing just two runs (one earned) and five hits over seven innings. The junior right-hander has now gone the distance in all but one of her starts this season while lowering her ERA to a team-best 0.97.

In the first game, Nevada touched up Sacramento State starter Brianne Ferguson for four runs and 11 hits as the Wolf Pack’s Nos. 3-8 batters combined to go 11-for-18 with two doubles, a home run, four runs scored and four RBIs. Both teams combined for 19 hits in the game as Sacramento State left eight runners on base while Nevada stranded seven runners.

Nevada scored two runs in the first (including a solo home run from Hartfield), one more in the third and one in the fifth. Lindsey Hall accounted for two of Nevada’s runs as the catcher finished 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Sacramento State, which stranded at least one runner on base in all but one inning, scored a run in the first inning on an RBI-single from Coyne, and two more in the fourth on an RBI-fielders choice off the bat of Britany Crine and an RBI-double from Ashley Dawson.

Trailing, 4-3, in the top of the seventh, Sacramento State loaded the bases with two outs before Nevada reliever Tiffany Hoeft got Hillel to ground out and secure the victory for the Wolf Pack. Hoeft (2-6) got the win, pitching the final 3.2 innings, allowing just two hits. Ferguson (9-6) picked up the loss, allowing four runs and 11 hits with four strikeouts over six innings.

Sacramento State returns to action this weekend as the Hornets open up Pacific Coast Softball Conference play with a four-game series at Santa Clara. The Hornets and Broncos play two games on Saturday (April 2) and two more on Sunday (April 3). Santa Clara won last year’s conference championship while the Hornets finished in a two-way tie for third place.