With the victories, Santa Clara improved to 20-17 overall and 3-1 in the PCSC. Santa Clara continued its recent dominance of Sacramento State as the Broncos are now 12-3 against the Hornets since the 2002 season. Sacramento State, which has lost five of its last seven games, dropped to 18-16 and 1-3 in the conference.

In the opener, Sacramento State scored three runs in the bottom of the third to take an early 3-1 lead. All three runs were scored with two outs as Lesley Mayhorn’s RBI-single, Lindy Winkler’s RBI-double and Gloria Toledo’s RBI-fielders choice accounted for all three runs. However, Sacramento State pitchers Brianne Ferguson and Nikki Cinque could not preserve the lead as Santa Clara scored two runs in the fifth and one more in each of the sixth and seventh innings.

A two-run homer run by Santa Clara’s Shannon Linerud tied the game at 3-3 in the top of the fifth before Sacramento State retook the lead in the bottom of the inning on an RBI-fielders choice from Amy Hillel. The lead, however, was short-lived as a bases-loaded walk to Jenny Brown tied the game in the top of the sixth. That set up Courter’s RBI-single in the top of the seventh which proved to be the game-winning run.

Sacramento State, which left eight runners on base during the game, loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, but Courter got Toledo to foul out ending the game. Not only did Courter go 4-for-4 at the plate, but she also picked up the win, allowing four runs (three earned) and eight hits in seven innings.

Sacramento State, which was the designated home team for both games today per PCSC rules, got two hits each from Mayhorn and Winkler. Cinque picked up the loss in relief, allowing two runs and five hits in two innings. Ferguson went the first five innings, allowing three runs and eight hits in five innings.

In the second game, Castagno faced just five batters over the minimum as Mayhorn (1-for-3) and Hillel (2-for-3) were the only Hornets with hits in the game. Although the Hornets had just three hits, they still had plenty of opportunities to score. In fact, Sacramento State had a runner at third base in the second, third and fourth innings, but could not score. The Hornets batted .000 (0-9) with runners on base during the contest and had no extra base hits.

Santa Clara got all three of its runs off Cinque in the fifth inning on solo home runs from Daisy Mettlach and Brown, and an RBI-single from Linerud. Cinque, who had allowed just two hits through the first four innings of the game before the Broncos exploded for four in the fifth inning, took the loss. Cinque’s record dropped to 9-6 as the right-hander allowed three runs and six hits in five innings. Ferguson threw two innings of scoreless relief.

Castagno (6-5) allowed three hits while walking one and striking out two over seven innings.

Sacramento State third baseman Hillel hit safely in both games of today’s doubleheader to lift her season batting average to .303. The fourth-year veteran has now hit safely in 10 of her last 12 games, and is batting .375 (15-40) during that span.

The Hornets resume PCSC play next weekend as they welcome San Diego to Shea Stadium for a four-game series (April 9-10). The teams will play doubleheaders on Saturday and Sunday, with both sets of games beginning at noon.