SOFTBALL OPENS TOURNAMENT BY MERCY RULING BOTH BOSTON COLLEGE AND YOUNGSTOWN STATE

2/29/2008

HAYWARD, Calif. -- Sacramento State combined for 22 runs and 22 hits over two games as the Hornets throttled both Youngstown State and Boston College in the first day of the Bronco Softball Stampede Friday afternoon at the Oliver Sports Complex. The Hornets enforced the eight-run mercy rule in the fifth inning of both games, defeating Youngstown State, 8-0, before returning to defeat Boston College, 14-3.

With the victories, Sacramento State begins the three-day, five-game tournament with a 2-0 record as the team returns to action tomorrow for two more games against North  Dakota State (10 a.m.) and Providence (2 p.m.). Overall, the Hornets (7-5) have won three in a row and six of their last eight games after beginning the season with a 1-3 record.

With the losses, Youngstown State dropped to 0-3 and Boston College fell to 5-7.

Ten different Sacramento State players had at least one RBI in today’s games, including Sherry Clark (4), Jamie Schloredt (3), Whitney Loomis (3), Amanda Meyer (2) and Courtney Wilcox (2). Clark hit her first home run of the season in the Boston College game, and Wilcox smacked a two-run single in her first at-bat of the year.

In the Boston College game, Sacramento State scored six runs and batted around in both the third and fourth innings. The Hornets had 14 runs and 17 hits off three Boston College pitchers, as all three gave up at least four runs.

The Hornets struck for six runs and eight hits in the third inning as the team sent 11 batters to the plate. Johnson had two singles in the inning, and seven different Hornets had hits. Sacramento State scored its runs on a Schloredt RBI-single, an Izmena Cabrera RBI-single, a three-run homer from Clark and an RBI-double from Teri Ann Caoagan.

In the fourth inning, Sacramento State had six runs and five hits, highlighted by RBI-singles from Rachel Miles, Clark and Meyer, and a two-run single from Wilcox. The Hornets tacked on two more runs in the fifth on an RBI-double from Meyer and an RBI-single from Jenice Bartee. Both Wilcox and Bartee did their damage as pinch hitters.

Hornet right-hander Brittani Clifford picked up the win and improved to 3-1, allowing three runs (two earned) and three hits in 5.0 innings. Allison Gage (2-4) got the loss for B.C., allowing six runs and nine hits in 2.2 innings.

In the Hornets’ first game of the day, Sacramento State took advantage of five Youngstown State errors, scoring eight runs (seven of which were unearned). Hornet starting pitcher Kayla Meeks (3-3) was impressive, allowing just two hits while striking out five over 5.0 innings. The right-hander faced just four batters over the minimum, and allowed just one hit over her final four innings of work.

Sacramento State struck for one run in the first, four more in the second and three in the fifth to enforce the eight-run mercy rule. The big blow in the game came in the second inning when Loomis’ three-run double scored Amy Tompkins, Johnson and Meeks. Schloredt then followed with an RBI-double scoring Loomis.

Tompkins’ sacrifice fly in the fifth inning finally ended things in a game while lasted just 90 minutes. Sacramento State only needed five hits in the game, led by Schloredt, who went 2-for-2 with a walk, two doubles and two RBIs.

Erin Schindler (0-2) got the loss for the Penguins, allowing five hits and eight runs (just one earned) over 4.2 innings.

After Saturday’s games, Sacramento State wraps up the tournament on Sunday, March 2, with a game against Boston College at 10 a.m.