The win capped a 4-0 record for Sacramento State at the three-day tournament as the Hornets won their third Capital Classic championship and the first since 1996. The Hornets also won the title in 1995, and the tournament is currently in its 14th year of existence.

A total of 16 teams from 12 different states appeared at the tournament, and five teams (Sacramento State, Cal, Wisconsin, Princeton and Colorado State) each finished with 4-0 records. The Hornets won the championship tiebreaker over the other four teams by virtue of a run differential tiebreaker that saw Sacramento State outscore its opponents by 30 runs over four games.

Sacramento State (15-10) continued a torrid pace that has seen the team win five in a row, and 11 of the last 12 games. This comes after the Hornets began the year by losing the first four, and nine of the first 13 games. In addition, Sacramento State has clubbed at least one home run in four-consecutive games and nine of the last 12 after beginning the year with just one home run during the first 13 games.

As a team during the tournament, the Hornets batted .321 with five home runs, a .523 slugging percentage and 26 RBIs. Twelve different players had at least one RBI in Saturday night’s 16-1 victory over Miami University. Sacramento State’s pitching staff also sparkled during the tournament, posting a 0.50 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 28.0 innings of work. The team was almost flawless defensively, committing just one error (.990 fielding percentage) over the four games.

Senior Nikki Cinque received all-tournament honors for Sacramento State after performing impressively on both the mound (2-0, 0.70 ERA) and at the plate (.500 batting average, two home runs, 10 RBIs, 1.167 slugging percentage) during the tournament.

Cervantes’ performance on Sunday against Utah State completed a magical week for the freshman as she went 3-0 with a 0.28 ERA while allowing just six hits with 51 strikeouts in 25.0 innings of work. Opponents hit just .078 against her during the week, and she set the Sacramento State program record for strikeouts (19 against Syracuse on March 18) and strikeouts in a seven-inning game (17 against Iowa on March 15).

Today’s no-hitter saw the Red Bluff, Calif., native strike out 15 batters while allowing just three walks. The first 11 outs of the game recorded by Cervantes (4-3) came via strikeout before a popped up bunt ended that streak in the fourth inning.

Senior Lindy Winkler got the Hornets on the board in the first inning as she led off with a solo home run, her second round tripper of the tournament. Sacramento State added another run later in the inning when Cinque doubled home freshman Jamie Schloredt.

The Hornets would add one more in the third (wild pitch scoring sophomore Amy Tompkins) and two in the fifth (two-run single from senior Gloria Toledo). That was more than enough run support for Cervantes as Utah State dropped to 4-17 with the loss. Heather Straight (4-3) picked up the loss for the Aggies, allowing five runs (four earned) and six hits in 4.1 innings of work.

Winkler and Tompkins both finished with a pair of hits for the Hornets. Winkler extended her career-high hitting streak to 16 games and the center fielder is batting .481 (26-54) during that stretch with six doubles, one triple and two home runs.

Sacramento State returns to action on Wednesday, March 22, as the team hosts Princeton for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. The Hornets are in the midst of a 16-day stretch that will see the team play 13 games in Sacramento.