Schloredt combined to go 6-for-7 with a walk, four runs scored and two RBIs during the doubleheader. Winkler and Cinque each hit their third home runs of the season and Caoagan connected for her first of the year. Through 31 games, Sacramento State already has 15 home runs, nine more than all of last season, and one shy of the Div. I (1990-pres.) school record of 16, set in 1998.

With the victories, the Hornets have now won 15 of their last 18 games while improving to 19-12 this season. UC Riverside had its three-game winning streak snapped while dropping to 19-9.

In the first game, Sacramento State pounded out a season-high 13 hits, scoring five times in the third inning and two more in the fourth. Schloredt went 4-for-4 with two runs scored and sophomore Amy Tompkins added three hits and an RBI.

In the third inning, Sacramento State sent 11 batters to the plate, tallying five runs and six hits. Caoagan and Winkler led off the inning with back-to-back home runs, and RBI-singles from Gloria Toledo and Tompkins, and a bases-loaded walk to Britany Crine accounted for the final runs in the inning.

The Hornets added two runs of insurance in the fourth when Cinque hit a two-run homer which cleared the 15-foot high center field wall.

Cinque, who finished the game 2-for-4 offensively, also picked up the win. The Sacramento native improved to 9-7 this year, allowing just one run and three hits over seven innings. In fact, after Cinque allowed her third hit of the game (a leadoff single in the second inning to Jessica Black), she proceeded to retire 17 of the final 18 batters she faced.

Stephanie Marshall (11-4) took the loss for UC Riverside, allowing five runs and eight hits in 2.1 innings of work. Christin Songer worked the final 3.2 innings, allowing two runs and five hits.

In the nightcap, Schloredt and Caoagan each had two hits and two RBIs to lead a Hornet offensive attack that accumulated six runs and nine hits. Sacramento State pitchers Cassie Cervantes and Jennifer Fryou combined to strike out 15 Highlanders while allowing just two hits.

After UC Riverside scored in the first inning on a wild pitch, the Hornets answered back in bottom half of the inning when Caogan’s two-out single scored Schloredt.

Sacramento State tacked on another in the third when Caoagan again came through with two outs to single home Schloredt. The Hornets added three more in a fourth inning that was highlighted by a two-run single from Schloredt. Sacramento State scored an insurance run in the fifth inning after a UCR fielding error allowed Whitney Loomis to score.

Cervantes (6-4) picked up her sixth win of the season. However, it was not easy for the freshman as she allowed nine walks and threw eight wild pitches in five innings, constantly working out of trouble. However, Cervantes’ blazing fast ball and rise ball produced 12 strikeouts as she allowed just one hit and three runs despite having trouble with her control.

Junior Jennifer Fryou pitched the final two innings (allowing just one hit with three strikeouts) to pick up her first career save. Fryou lowered her ERA to a team-best 0.46.

Winkler finished the doubleheader with a combined four hits and Tompkins, Caoagan and Cinque each combined for three hits.

Sacramento State returns to action next weekend (April 8-9) as the team opens up Pacific Coast Softball Conference play with a four-game series at Loyola Marymount. The Lions, who won last year’s PCSC championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA Regionals, will host the Hornets for a doubleheader on both Saturday and Sunday at noon. Sacramento State finished as the conference runner-ups last season.