SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A five-run inning posted by both UC Davis and UNLV proved to be too much for Sacramento State as the Hornets lost both their games in the first day of the National Invitational Softball Tournament Friday afternoon at PAL Field. The Hornets fell to UC Davis, 5-0, before losing later in the day to UNLV by the score of 7-3.
With the losses, Sacramento State (7-14) had its three-game winning streak snapped and the team fell to 0-2 at the three-day, five-game tournament. The Hornets will play two more times on Saturday against both Colorado State (11:15 a.m.) and Long Beach State (3:15 p.m.), and once on Sunday against Vermont (9:15 a.m.).
With the victories, UC Davis improved to 12-11 and UNLV moved its record to 18-8. The game against UC Davis marked the third time in as many days the Hornets and Aggies have faced each other as Sacramento State swept a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon. The Hornets are now 57-27-1 all-time against their Causeway rivals.
In the opener, UC Davis scored five times in the first inning, and Aggie pitchers Jessica Hancock (5.0 innings) and Nicole Kociemba (2.0 innings) combined to toss a four-hit shutout. Two days after throwing a one-hit shutout against this same UC Davis team, Hornet right-hander Brittani Clifford was touched for five runs and seven hits over 6.0 innings. After UC Davis’ big first inning, Clifford settled down, allowing just four hits and no runs over the last five innings.
The Aggies’ first inning, which included an RBI-single from Sarah Axelson, was highlighted by a three-run homer off the bat of Rachel Miller giving UCD a 5-0 lead. Sacramento State had plenty of base runners as the team left eight runners on base during the game. That included at least one runner stranded in every inning but the third.
Hancock continued to baffle the Hornets as she finished the game allowing just three hits and no runs over 5.0 innings. Hancock, who pitched in both games of Wednesday’s doubleheader between the two schools, has now allowed just six hits and one run over 14.2 innings against the Hornets this season. She improved her record to 8-5 while Kociemba threw the final 2.0 innings to preserve the victory.
Axelson (2-for-2) and Hornet senior Rachel Miles (2-for-3) were the only players to finish with multiple-hit games.
In the Hornets’ second game of the day, UNLV scored five times in the fourth and single runs in the fifth and sixth to take a commanding 7-0 lead. Sacramento State did score three times in the bottom of the sixth, but it was not nearly enough in the 7-3 loss.
The game remained scoreless through three innings before the Rebels broke through against freshman right-hander Shelby Voelz in the fourth. In fact, UNLV sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning, accounting for five runs, seven hits while taking advantage of a Sacramento State error. At one point during the inning, the Rebels received singles from six consecutive batters and five of those players picked up RBIs.
All but two UNLV starters had at least one hit in the game, including multiple-hit contests from Marissa Nichols, Jaci Hull, Ashli Holland and Elena Fata. Sacramento State got its three runs in the sixth on an RBI-double from senior Izmena Cabrera and a two-run double from Miles. The Hornets also had a big opportunity to score in the fourth inning when they loaded the bases with one out, but UNLV starter Traci Odegard was able to work out of the jam unscathed.
Voelz (1-4) went the distance in the loss for Sacramento State, allowing 12 hits and seven runs (four earned) over 7.0 innings while striking out four. Odegard (7-4) got the win, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned) while walking none and striking out seven over 7.0 innings.
Senior Whitney Loomis (2-for-3) was the only Hornet to finish with a multiple-hit game.
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- A five-run inning posted by both UC Davis and UNLV proved to be too much for Sacramento State as the Hornets lost both their games in the first day of the National Invitational Softball Tournament Friday afternoon at PAL Field. The Hornets fell to UC Davis, 5-0, before losing later in the day to UNLV by the score of 7-3.
