SOFTBALL SPLITS A PAIR IN FIRST DAY OF THE SAN JOSE STATE ROUND ROBIN
2/28/2009
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Sophomore Megan Schaefer’s four-hit shutout of San Jose State highlighted the day for Sacramento State as the Hornets split a pair of games in the first round of the San Jose State Softball Round Robin Saturday at SJSU Field. The Hornets began the day by defeating San Jose State, 3-0, before losing to Boston in nine innings, 7-4.
With the split, the Hornets moved their record to 3-7 overall this season while San Jose State dropped to 4-9 and Boston improved to 3-1. Sacramento State will play twice more tomorrow as part of the two-day, four-game round robin tournament hosted by San Jose State. The Hornets will play back-to-back games against Boston, beginning at 10 a.m., although the threat of rain looms large in tomorrow’s forecast for the Bay Area.
In the Hornets’ game against San Jose State, Schaefer (2-2) was the story as the right-hander allowed just four hits while striking out four over seven innings. The shutout was her second of the season and third in her career. The Tigard, Ore., native allowed a runner past first base in just the fourth and seventh innings. The only real trouble Schaefer ran into came in the fourth when San Jose State loaded the bases with no outs. However, Schaefer was able to get a line out from Natasha Hawkins, a ground ball from Alissa Murphy which forced a runner at the plate, and a ground ball from Breanna Lopez which forced a runner at third base to end the inning.
Sacramento State began the scoring in the third when the Hornets plated two runs on an RBI-groundout from Desiree Beltran (scoring Jenice Bartee) and an RBI-double from Jamie Schloredt (scoring Alyssa Nakken). The Hornets tacked on one more run in the fifth when Nakken connected for her team-high tying third home run of the season, a solo shot that cleared the left-field wall.
Sacramento State finished the game with seven hits off San Jose State starter Amanda Pridmore as Nakken (2-for-3 with two runs, a walk and an RBI) and Whitney Loomis (2-for-3) each had multiple-hit games for the Hornets. Pridmore (3-3) went the distance for the Spartans, allowing seven hits, three runs, three walks and three strikeouts.
In the game against Boston, Sacramento State erased a pair of two-run deficits before eventually falling in extra innings. The Terriers struck for two runs in the first inning on a two-run single from Melissa Dubay. After being held scoreless the first three inning by Boston starter Megan Currier, the Hornets pushed across a run in the fourth (RBI-single from Rachel Miles) and one more in the fifth (RBI-triple from Loomis) to tie the score.
After both teams mounted big threats in the seventh inning, neither team scored and the game went into extras. Boston scored twice in the top of the eighth inning on an RBI-single from Christy Leath and a sacrifice fly from Caitlin Rentler. However, the Hornets bounced right back in the bottom of the eighth with two runs on an RBI-double from Miles and an RBI-groundout off the bat of Izmena Cabrera.
After Sacramento State reliever Shelby Voelz got the first out of the ninth, Boston received back-to-back bunt singles to put runners at first and second and one out. The Terriers would get two more hits and a total of three runs in the inning as the big blow was a two-run double from Dubay.
The Hornets were set down in order in the bottom of the ninth by Kelley Engman who picked up her first save of the season. Currier (2-0) got the win for Boston, lasting the first eight innings while allowing 10 hits and four runs (three earned). Voelz (0-1) picked up the loss for Sacramento State allowing five runs in 2.1 innings. Nakken went the first six innings, allowing two runs and seven hits.
For the Hornets, Beltran (2-for-4) and Miles (3-for-4 with two RBIs) each had multiple-hit games. Beltran now leads the team with five multiple-hit games and easily leads the club with a .444 batting average despite being a freshman. In fact, the Hornets’ two leading hitters are both freshmen as Nakken is hitting .310. Besides Beltran, Nakken and Miles (.308), no other Sacramento State player is hitting better than .226.
Since being drafted by the Chicago Bandits of the National Pro Fastpitch League on Feb. 17, the Hornets’ usually powerful combination of Schloredt and Cabrera are a combined 7-for-42 (.167) with just two RBIs over that eight-game span.
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Sophomore 
