SOFTBALL BEATS NORTH DAKOTA STATE, IMPROVES TO 3-0 AT TOURNAMENT

3/1/2008

HAYWARD, Calif. -- Sacramento State junior Kayla Meeks had a two-run single and allowed just one run and six hits over seven innings to lead the Hornets to a 5-1 victory over North Dakota State in the third round of the Bronco Softball Stampede Saturday morning at the Oliver Sports Complex.

With the victory, the Hornets improved to 3-0 at the three-day, five-game tournament, and 8-5 overall this season. The Hornets have won four straight and seven of their last nine games. The team returns later today to face Providence at 2 p.m., and concludes the tournament Sunday morning against Boston College at 10 a.m. Sacramento State knocked off both Youngstown State and Boston College to open the tourney yesterday.

With the loss, North Dakota State, which had won four of its last five prior to today, dropped to 12-4 this season and 2-1 at the tournament.

Sacramento State scored all five of its runs in the first inning as the team sent nine batters to the plate and pounded out six hits. Whitney Loomis started the scoring by doubling home Amy Tompkins, who led off the inning with a single. After Jamie Schloredt was retired, Izmena Cabrera followed with an RBI-single scoring Loomis. After a walk to Rachel Miles and infield single by Sherry Clark loaded the bases, Meeks came through with a two-run single scoring both Miles and Cabrera. Clark’s infield single was hit so sharply, it broke North Dakota State third baseman’s Jackie Currie’s hand.

Teri Ann Caoagan rounded out the scoring by singling home Meeks later in the inning for the team’s fifth run. Sacramento State continues to impress in the opening stages of games this year, as the team has now outscored its opposition, 29-8, during the first two innings.

Meeks (4-3) picked up her second straight victory, allowing just six hits and striking out four while tossing her sixth complete game of the season. She allowed just one extra-base hit during the entire contest, and over her last two starts, has allowed just eight hits and one run over 12.0 innings.

Allison Bakke (9-4) got the loss for North Dakota State, allowing five runs and six hits before being pulled after two innings. The Bison got their only run of the game in the sixth inning when Melissa Chmielewski singled home Nicole Rivera.

Tompkins, Loomis, Cabrera, Clark, Meeks and Caoagan all had hits for the Hornets, while Clark finished 2-for-3.