SOFTBALL ERASES 4-1 DEFICIT WITH THREE HOME RUNS IN THE SEVENTH TO BEAT COLORADO STATE

3/15/2008

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Trailing, 4-1, in the top of the seventh inning, Sacramento State received home runs from Whitney Loomis, Izmena Cabrera and Teri Ann Caoagan to score six runs and defeat Colorado State, 7-4, in the fourth round of the Capital Classic Softball Tournament.

Leading off the seventh, the Hornets’ Hilary Johnson (single) and Amy Tompkins (reached via error) both reached base. Loomis then followed by hitting an 0-1 pitch over the left field wall to tie the score at 4-4. Later in the inning with one out, Cabrera hit a solo homer to give the Hornets a 5-4 lead and, with two outs, Caoagan added a two-run blast for insurance.

Sacramento State has now hits eight home runs in four Capital Classic games, including three homers from Loomis. In fact, Loomis is now batting .333 (5-for-16) in tournament play with three home runs, one walk, eight RBIs and a .933 slugging percentage. The Sacramento, Calif., native now has seven home runs overall this season, which is already just one homer shy of the school’s Div. I (1990-pres.) single-season record.

With the victory, Sacramento State (13-11) improved to 3-1 at the three-day tournament, comprised of victories over 19th-ranked Ohio State, Princeton and Colorado State. The Rams dropped to 14-6 overall and 1-3 at the tournament.

Colorado State broke open a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth with three runs, highlighted by a two-run single from Robyn Mask. Rams’ pitcher Kim Klabough was sailing along until the seventh inning when the Hornets erupted for six runs. Klabough (4-4) got just one out in the inning, and eventually took the loss, allowing five runs (four earned) and 10 hits in 6.1 innings.

Cabrera finished the game 4-for-4 with a double, home run, and what proved to be the game-winning hit. Rachel Miles also had a multiple-hit game, finishing 2-for-3. All but two Hornet starters had at least one hit, as Sacramento State finished with 11 hits. The team has now tallied double figures in hits three times in the last four games.

Hornet sophomore Brittani Clifford (4-4) got the win in relief, allowing no hits and no runs over the final two innings.

Sacramento State concludes tournament play tomorrow with a game against Northern Colorado at 9 a.m. Cal is currently the only remaining undefeated team in the tournament at 4-0. Should the Bears beat Nevada tomorrow at 11 a.m., they would win the Capital Classic championship.