Sacramento State won the first game, 4-0, before coming back in the nightcap to win, 3-0. Portland State, which entered the game with five players batting better than .290, was limited to no runs and just three hits in two games.

With the victories, Sacramento State, which has won at least 30 games four-consecutive years, improved to 33-20 overall and 12-6 in the PCSC. The team’s 33 victories are the most since the 1995 squad won 40 games. That 1995 team was also the last Hornet softball squad to reach the NCAA Regionals.

More importantly, the Hornets, who have won each of their last seven conference games, moved to within a game and a half of Portland State’s lead atop the PCSC standings. The Vikings had their nine-game winning streak snapped and dropped to 34-16 overall and 12-3 in the conference. Both teams return to action tomorrow (Sunday, May 7) for another doubleheader at noon.

Tomorrow’s doubleheader will end Sacramento State’s regular season while the Vikings still have three makeup games to play next week at home against Loyola Marymount. Should the Hornets sweep the Vikings again tomorrow, Portland State would have to win all three of those makeup games to win the league title. If not, Sacramento State would win its first PCSC championship (tie-breaker scenarios are listed below the story). The winner of the PCSC regular-season championship earns an automatic berth into the NCAA Regionals, which begin May 19.

Cervantes was dominant in the opener, allowing no hits while striking out 15 batters and not allowing a ball out of the infield. The flame thrower struck out at least two batters in every inning, including the final five batters she faced in succession. Cervantes’ 15 strikeouts were four shy of her career high as she has now posted double-figure strikeouts in 12 games this season.

Cervantes, who is third in the nation with an average of 13.5 strikeouts per seven innings, now has no-hitters this season against Utah State, Saint Mary’s and Portland State. In addition, Cervantes improved her record to a team-best 13-4 and she has won each of her last eight decisions. Cervantes’ nine shutouts this year tie her for the sixth-best mark in Sacramento State Div. I history (1990-pres.).

The Hornets opened the game’s scoring in the first inning after freshman Jamie Schloredt and senior Gloria Toledo each had sacrifice flies. Sacramento State tacked on two more runs in the fifth inning when Cinque pounded her team-high seventh home run of the season, a two-run shot that cleared the left-center field wall by more than 20 feet.

Cinque is now just one home run shy of the Sacramento State Div. I season record of eight, set by Jill Haas in 1998. Cinque finished the game 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs. Portland State starter Mandy Hill (21-6) lost for just the sixth time all season, allowing eight hits and four runs (two earned) in six innings.

In the nightcap, Cinque was almost as dominant as Cervantes, allowing just three hits while striking out eight over seven innings. The right-hander never allowed a runner past second base, and won her fifth-straight decision. Cinque’s 14 victories ties her career high, set last season when she finished 14-9.

Portland State’s only hits in the game came in the second, fourth and seventh innings as Cinque tossed her fifth shutout of the season.

Sacramento State opened the scoring in the first inning after an error by PSU pitcher Michelle Hext allowed Schloredt to score. The Hornets tacked on two more in the fifth on an RBI-single from Schloredt scoring senior Lindy Winkler, and an infield single from senior Gloria Toledo which scored sophomore Hilary Johnson.

The Hornets finished the game with 10 hits, including multiple-hit games from Johnson (3-for-3 with a run), Winkler (2-for-4 with a run), Schloredt (2-for-3 with a run and an RBI) and sophomore Amy Tompkins (2-for-3).

Winker finished the doubleheader with a combined three hits, and is now batting .437 this season. Currently ranked 16th in the nation in batting average and assured of setting the Hornet Div. I record for single-season average, Winkler is just three points shy of the 40-year program record of .440, set by Thaila Long. Johnson is now batting .348 and is assured of hitting better than .300 for the second-consecutive season.

Prior to the first game of today''s doubleheader, members of the 1981 Sacramento State national championship softball team were honored. The team will be inducted into the Sacramento State Athletics Hall of Fame later this year.

SACRAMENTO STATE’S TIE-BREAKER SCENARIOS

• If Sacramento State loses two games to Portland State, the Hornets are eliminated from title contention.

• Can win title by going 3-1 against PSU, and having LMU lose twice to San Diego, and then having the Lions win 3 make-up games against PSU … Sacramento State and Portland State would both finish with 13-7 records, but Hornets would hold tiebreaker over Vikings due to series win ... Lions could finish no better than 12-8.

• Can win title by sweeping 4-game series from Vikings, and have LMU lose at least once to San Diego, and then have LMU beat Portland State at least once in 3 make-up games, May 12-13 in Portland … Both PSU and Sacramento State would then finish with no fewer than 6 PCSC losses and Hornets would hold tiebreaker over Vikings ... Lions could have no fewer than 7 losses.

• If LMU and Sacramento State both sweep this weekend’s series, and LMU then sweeps 3 make-up games from Vikings, the Lions and Hornets would finish tied for first with 14-6 records … However, Sacramento State would win the tiebreaker over LMU … The two teams split the season series 2-2, however, the tiebreaker would then be head-to-head against third place team, which would be Portland State, and the Hornets would be 4-0 against the Vikings, while the Lions 3-1.