SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Santa Clara erased deficits in games one and two on the way to a doubleheader sweep over Sacramento State in a non-conference softball doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Shea Stadium. Santa Clara defeated the Hornets, 4-1, in the first game before taking the nightcap, 5-2.The Broncos erased a 1-0, sixth-inning deficit in the opener before overcoming a two-run deficit in the second game. With the victories, Santa Clara improved to 2-2. Sacramento State ,which committed a combined six errors leading to three unearned runs in both games, dropped to 0-4. The Hornets' current record ties a program-worst mark as the 1998 squad also began the season 0-4.
In game one, Sacramento State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning as a Lori Meixner RBI-single scored Cathy Coupar. Sacramento State starter Jillian Bivert held Santa Clara scoreless through the first five innings before Santa Clara, aided by two Hornet errors, struck for three runs in the top of the sixth. Lacey Smale kicked off the scoring with an RBI-triple. During that same inning, back-to-back errors led to two more Santa Clara runs.
The Broncos added an insurance run in the seventh after Tracie Hall's RBI-double scored Coresta Salas. Jennifer Ponzo (1-1) picked up the win for Santa Clara, allowing one run (zero earned) and eight hits in seven innings. Bivert (0-2) got the loss, allowing four runs (one earned) and eight hits in 6.1 innings. Seven Hornets picked up at least one hit in the game, led by freshman Erin Coyne's 2-for-3 performance.
In the nightcap, Sacramento State jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning after Bivert laid down a successful sacrifice squeeze to score Amber Dragomir. The Hornets added another run on an RBI-grounder by Coyne scoring Amy Hillel.
Santa Clara tied the game in the third inning on an RBI-single by Smale and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Hall. The Broncos took the lead for good with three runs off Hornet reliever Kirsten Wise in the seventh inning. A Smale two-run double and a solo homer from Hall capped the scoring. The Hornets loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh before Deanna Rodriguez got Coyne to line out for the final out of the contest.
Rodriguez (1-1) picked up the complete-game victory, allowing two runs and three hits in seven innings. Wise got the loss for the Hornets, allowing three runs and three hits in 1.2 innings of relief. Sacramento State starter Nicole Deatherage went the first 5.1 innings, allowing two runs and seven hits. Smale and Hall combined to go 5-for-7 with two doubles, a home run and five RBIs in the second game.
The Hornets return to action next week as they host Saint Mary's for a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 9, at noon.
