With the split, the Hornets improved to 19-17 overall and 2-4 in the PCSC, while San Diego is now 15-13 and 5-1 in the conference. Both teams are back in action tomorrow (Sunday, April 10) for another doubleheader (noon at Shea Stadium) as they close out their four-game series.

In the second game, Sacramento State scored a run in the first inning, and two more in both third and fourth innings. Junior Gloria Toledo led all players with three RBIs to increase her team-high tying total to 14 this year. San Diego starter Christina Haake walked Toledo with the bases loaded in the first inning to give the Hornets their first run.

Sacramento State tacked on two more in the third after Toledo’s ground ball scored Lesley Mayhorn, and Cinque’s RBI-single scored Winkler. The Hornets tallied their final two runs in the fourth inning on an RBI-single from Winkler and a sacrifice fly from Toledo. Winkler finished the game 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Toledo’s three RBIs came despite her going hitless (0-for-1 with a walk). Mayhorn, Cinque, Joanna O’Neill and Hilary Johnson also had hits for Sacramento State.

Cinque improved her record to 10-6 as the right-hander allowed two runs and seven hits while striking out four in seven innings. Haake (5-7) got the loss for the Toreros, allowing three runs (all unearned) and two hits in three innings. Gina McFarland pitched the final three innings in relief for San Diego.

In the opener, starters Brianne Ferguson (Sacramento State) and Erin Harmonson (San Diego) were locked in a pitchers’ dual as both teams were scoreless through seven innings. San Diego broke the scoring drought in the top of the eighth inning as Kathleen Bonja and Kim Delpit both had RBI-singles.

The Hornets, who left eight runners on base during the game, threatened in the bottom of the eighth. After Harmonson got the first two outs of the inning, Winkler singled up the middle to keep the inning alive. Sacramento State cleanup hitter Erin Coyne then followed with a drive that narrowly missed clearing the fence for a home run as she had to settle for a long single while Winkler advanced to third base. Harmonson, however, induced Teri Ann Caoagan to fly out to the end the game, stranding the tying runners on base.

Harmonson improved to 6-4, allowing eight hits over eight innings. Ferguson (9-8) was the hard-luck loser, allowing two runs and seven hits over eight innings. The Hornets have had trouble scoring runs for Ferguson all season long as the right-hander’s record is just one game above .500 despite having just a 1.27 ERA and limiting opponents to a .212 batting average.

Winkler also finished 2-for-4 in the first game as the junior lifted her season batting average to a team-high .377. Mayhorn had a hit in both games to increase her hitting streak to five games.

Today’s doubleheader was the first two of a 12-game homestand that will see the Hornets play 12 games at Shea Stadium over a span of 12 days.