SOFTBALL SPLITS TWO GAMES WITH UC DAVIS, MEN’S TENNIS CAN CLINCH CAUSEWAY CUP WITH VICTORY ON FRIDAY

4/10/2007

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Junior Hilary Johnson’s two-out, two-run single in the fifth inning proved to be the game-winning hit as Sacramento State defeated UC Davis, 5-4, in the second game of a non-conference softball doubleheader Tuesday afternoon at Shea Stadium. The Aggies won the first game, 2-0.

With the split, Sacramento State moved its record to 10-26 while UC Davis is now 24-14-1. More importantly, the Hornets remained in striking distance to win the Causeway Cup, the annual all-sports competition between Sacramento State and UC Davis.

The Aggies maintained their small lead in the Cup standings (50.34-47.66). However, with just three more competitions remaining between the two programs that feature the men’s tennis teams (April 13 in Davis) and baseball teams (May 8 and May 16 in Davis), the Cup will be decided this Friday when the two men’s tennis teams meet for a match worth five points in the standings. Regardless of what happens in the baseball games later this month (both games are worth just one point), the winner of the men’s tennis match will claim the third-annual Causeway Cup. For a look at the Causeway Cup standings, click here.

The two schools began competing for the Causeway Cup in 2004-05, with Sacramento State winning the Cup last year, and UC Davis taking home the prize two years ago.

In the second game of today’s doubleheader, the Hornets scored one run in the second, two in the third and two more in the fifth, and hung on through a tense seventh inning to defeat UC Davis. Johnson’s two-run single in the fifth gave Sacramento State a healthy 5-1 lead that the team would maintain into the seventh inning.

However, UC Davis led off the seventh with a solo home run from Ashley Johnson. After Erin Emde flew out for the first out of the inning, the next four batters reached base in succession on a single, back-to-back Hornet throwing errors and a double, respectively. The double came from Mandi Salcido and drove in two runs. With the Hornets’ lead already chopped to one run (5-4), the Aggies had runners at second and third with still just one out. However, Sacramento State starter Kayla Meeks struck out the Aggies No. 4 hitter (Deanna Menapace) and got Nikki Sheldon to ground out and end the game.

Junior Amy Tompkins led the Hornets with two hits, as her RBI-single in the second inning got Sacramento State on the board. The Hornets scored a pair of runs in the third inning on an RBI-ground ball from Rachel Miles and an RBI-single from Andrea Sherrill.

Meeks (6-10) got the win for the Hornets, allowing five hits and four runs (one earned) in seven innings of work. UC Davis starter Jessica Hancock (11-8) picked up the loss, allowing four runs (one earned) and six hits in four innings.

In the first game, Lindsey Tognetti threw a five-hit shutout while walking one and striking out 10. She faced five batters over the minimum and allowed just one extra base hit.

The Aggies scored the only two runs of the game on a two-out, two-run single from leadoff hitter Trish Paine. Sacramento State threatened in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings, but could not push home a run. In the seventh, after two outs had been recorded, a single from Miles and a walk to Sherrill put runners at first and second, but pinch hitter Melissa Cross struck out on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.

Sacramento State senior Jennifer Fryou (0-2) threw well, but picked up the loss despite allowing just five hits and two walks in seven innings. The Aggies took advantage of a hit and Fryou’s only two walks of the game in their two-run fifth inning. The Hornets’ Miles and the Aggies’ Paine were the only players with multiple-hit games.

Sacramento State returns to action this weekend when the team plays its first set of Pacific Coast Softball Conference home games. The Hornets will host a four-game series with Loyola Marymount, with doubleheaders scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday, April 14-15, at noon. Sacramento State is in the midst of a seven-game homestand that also includes a date with Cal next Wednesday, April 18, at 2 p.m.