NORIEGA’S WALKOFF SINGLE AND SCHAEFER’S GEM LEAD SOFTBALL TO UPSET OF #12 CAL

3/24/2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Freshman Alicia Noriega had a walkoff RBI-single in the eighth inning and sophomore right-hander Megan Schaefer allowed just six hits and one run to lead Sacramento State to a 2-1 upset victory over 12th-ranked Cal on Tuesday afternoon at Shea Stadium.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Noriega drove a 2-1 pitch into left field off Cal starter Marissa Drewrey to score Jenice Bartee from second base. Bartee opened the inning with a single and was eventually sacrificed to second by Schaefer. The hit for Noriega was her second of the game, and six different Hornets recorded hits forcing Drewrey to throw 150 pitches.

Schaefer (5-3) was impressive all afternoon as she allowed the 12th ranked team in the nation just six hits and one run while walking two and striking out six over eight innings. The right-hander threw 114 pitches, stranded seven Cal runners on base, and her only blemish was a solo home run by Bernice Masaniai in the sixth inning.

With the victory, Sacramento State has now won eight of its last 13 games while improving to 12-17 overall this season. The team has recorded three straight victories via walkoff hits, including wins over Dartmouth (RBI-single from Izmena Cabrera) and Colorado State (RBI-single from Desiree Beltran).

In addition, the Hornets recorded a victory against their highest ranked opponent (#12) since defeating top-ranked UCLA in 2000. Cal, which is currently ranked 12th in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate top 25, dropped to 22-8 with the loss. This marks the second straight year the Hornets have defeated Cal as well.

“We worked hard to prepare for Cal, and it really paid off,” Sacramento State head coach Kathy Strahan said. “Our players worked the game plan to perfection and today shows what this team is capable of when we put it all together. This was a very exciting victory for the program.”

Hornet senior Rachel Miles opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when she clubbed her first homer of the season, a solo shot that cleared the right field wall. Drewrey and Schaefer were locked in a pitchers dual the majority of the game, as both pitchers bent a bit, but did not break. In fact, Sacramento State left at least one runner on base in every inning but the third, and finished the game stranding 11 runners on the base paths. Cal left seven runners aboard.

The Bears were able to tie the score at 1-1 in the top of the sixth on Masaniai’s home run, but Schaefer settled down to retire nine of the next 11 batters she faced spanning three innings. The Hornets had a big chance to win the game in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs for reigning conference player of the year Jamie Schloredt, but Drewrey induced Schloredt to foul out to left field.

Cal had two singles in the top of the eight, but could not score. That set the stage for Noriega’s clean single to left field in the bottom of the eighth. Drewrey (14-7) took the loss for the Bears, allowing eight hits and two runs over 7.2 innings.

Cabrera (12 games) and Schloredt (8 games) each had a single and extended their hitting streaks. In fact, Cabrera’s 12-game hitting streak is tied for the fourth longest by a Hornet since the program joined the Div. I ranks in 1990.

Sacramento State will take a week off before returning to host a doubleheader against Cal State Bakersfield on Wednesday, April 1, at noon. The Hornets are currently in the midst of a season-long 15-game homestand that will not see the team play on the road again until April 18.