SOFTBALL GAINS DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP WITH TWO SHUTOUTS OF SAINT MARY’S
4/6/2008
MORAGA, Calif. -- Sacramento State pitchers Kayla Meeks, Brittani Clifford and Megan Schaefer combined to allow Saint Mary’s no runs and eight hits over two games (14.0 innings) to lead the Hornets to a doubleheader sweep of the Gaels in a Pacific Coast Softball Conference matchup Sunday afternoon at Cottrell Field. The Hornets won the first game, 1-0, before taking the second game, 6-0.
With the sweep, Sacramento State (21-14, 3-1) won three of four games over Saint Mary’s (14-18, 1-3) in the season opening four-game conference series for both teams. The Hornets have now won 11 of their last 15 games with two of those losses over that span coming to ranked opposition (No. 11 Oklahoma and No. 7 Stanford).
Meeks tossed a five-hit shutout in the first game, and Schaefer (3.0 inning) and Clifford (4.0 innings) combined on a shutout in the second game. The story of the series for the Hornets was the team’s pitching staff. Over the four games, the trio of Meeks, Clifford and Schaefer combined to post a 0.49 ERA, while limiting the Gaels to a .186 batting average. In fact, Saint Mary’s had just four runs and 18 hits over 28.1 innings. Only two of the Gaels’ 18 hits went for extra bases.
Despite today’s games being played in Moraga, Sacramento State was the designated home team in both contests per conference rules. Saint Mary’s was the home team for both games in yesterday’s doubleheader.
In the first game, Meeks (9-6) was impressive, allowing just five hits while striking out five over seven innings. The shutout for Meeks was her second of the season, and fourth of her two-year Sacramento State career. The Hanford, Calif., native was able to work out of trouble often, stranding nine Gael runners on base, including two in the first and seventh innings, and stranding the bases loaded in the fourth inning.
Meeks also provided all the offense the Hornets would need with a two-out, RBI-single in the fourth inning which scored pinch runner Amanda Meyer from second base. Sacramento State had just five hits off Saint Mary’s starter Megan Galloway, including one each from Amy Tompkins, Whitney Loomis, Izmena Cabrera, Rachel Miles and Meeks. Both teams combined for 10 hits, and all 10 were singles.
Galloway (7-9) got the loss for Saint Mary’s despite allowing just five hits and one run over six innings.
In the nightcap, Schaefer and Clifford combined on the shutout, and senior Melissa Cross went 2-for-3 with a double and team-high three RBIs. After Saint Mary’s starter Molly Bergeson pitched three innings of no-hit ball, Sacramento State finally got some hits in the fourth, scoring four times after two outs had been recorded. Cross had the big blow as her two-run single scored Cabrera and Loomis to put the Hornets on top, 2-0. Jenice Bartee then followed with an RBI-single which scored two runs - one of which came with the help of a Saint Mary’s error on the play.
The Hornets added two runs of insurance in the fifth on an RBI-double from Cross and an RBI-single from Rachel Miles. Cross finished the four-game series batting .571 (4-for-7) with team highs in doubles (2), RBIs (4) and slugging percentage (.857).
Schaefer allowed two hits and three walks over three-plus innings, as the freshman was replaced by Clifford after walking the leadoff batter in the fourth. Clifford then proceeded to face the minimum number of batters (12) during her 4.0 innings of work. The sophomore right-hander allowed just a single in the sixth, but that runner was erased later in the inning on a double play. Clifford got the win, improving her record to 8-5. Schaefer did not go the necessary four innings for a starting pitcher to gain a victory. Molly Bergeson (3-4) took the loss for Saint Mary’s, allowing four runs and four hits over 4.0 innings.
Both Cross and Jamie Schloredt (2-for-2 with a walk) had multiple-hit games for the Hornets. Schloredt was walked six times during the four-game series and raised her team-high on-base percentage this season to .472.
Sacramento State returns to action next weekend (April 12-13) when the team hosts Portland State for a four-game conference series. The Hornets and Vikings play doubleheaders on both Saturday and Sunday at noon.
MORAGA, Calif. -- Sacramento State pitchers 
