CABRERA’S WALKOFF SINGLE HIGHLIGHTS SOFTBALL’S WIN OVER DARTMOUTH
3/22/2009
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior Izmena Cabrera’s walkoff RBI-single scored pinch runner Jacquelyn Serrano with the winning run and delivered Sacramento State a 5-4 victory over Dartmouth in the fourth and final round of the Capital Classic softball tournament Sunday morning.
The hit for Cabrera capped a day in which the left fielder went 3-for-4 with a run, double and two RBIs. With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Cabrera drove the first pitch of the at-bat up the middle, ending a game that saw Dartmouth erase a 4-1 deficit by scoring three times in the top of the sixth.
Sacramento State concluded the tournament with a 2-2 record, and improved to 11-17 overall this season. The Hornets were hosting the Capital Classic for the 17th straight season, but first time at their home facility on campus (Shea Stadium). Sacramento State beat Colorado State, and fell to BYU and UNLV earlier in the tournament. Dartmouth dropped to 0-4 at the tourney and 5-8 this year.
Cal Poly won the Capital Classic championship by virtue of being the only team to finish the tournament with an undefeated record (3-0). The Mustangs, who had their game yesterday afternoon against UNLV cancelled because of darkness, defeated BYU, Colorado State and 10th-ranked Cal. BYU finished the tournament 3-1, followed by UNLV (2-1), Sacramento State (2-2), Colorado State (2-2), Cal (1-3) and Dartmouth (0-4).
Sacramento State finished today’s game with 10 hits, marking the fifth time in the last seven games the team has finished with double figures in hits. That included two hits each from seniors Rachel Miles (2-for-3 with two runs) and Jamie Schloredt (2-for-3 with two RBIs).
“I was happy our bats really came alive this weekend,” Sacramento State head coach Kathy Strahan said. “If we can get the pitching and defense going like I know we are capable, this could be a very good team.”
Sacramento State scored single runs in each of the first three innings, including an RBI-single from Cabrera to kick off the scoring in the first. An RBI-double from freshman Alicia Noriega in the second and an RBI-single from Schloredt in the third gave the Hornets a 3-0 lead.
After Dartmouth scored once in the top of the fifth to cut the Hornets’ lead to 3-1, Sacramento State tacked on one more in the bottom of the inning after Schloredt singled home Cabrera. However, the Big Green responded with three hits, and with the help of some shaky Sacramento State defense, tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the sixth.
That eventually set the stage for the bottom of the seventh inning. Freshman Desiree Beltran, after laying down a sacrifice bunt in each of her first three at-bats, doubled to left field with one out. One pitch later, Cabrera singled home pinch runner Serrano with the game-winning run.
Junior Brittani Clifford (3-6) picked up the win in relief for the Hornets, allowing three hits and two runs (one unearned) in 2.0 innings of work. Sophomore Megan Schaefer worked the first five-plus innings. Hillary Barker (2-4) took the loss for Dartmouth, allowing five runs and 10 hits over 6.1 innings.
Cabrera improved her career-high hitting streak to 11 games, and she is batting .556 (20-for-36) with eight doubles, a triple and 10 RBIs over that 11-game stretch. Schloredt has a seven-game hitting streak and is batting .591 (13-for-22) with a double, two home runs and 11 RBIs over that stretch.
Sacramento State returns to action on Tuesday, March 24, when the Hornets host 10th-ranked Cal for a single game at 2 p.m. The Hornets have played the first four games of a season-long 15-game homestand that will not see the team hit the road again until April 18.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior 
