VOELZ’S ONE-HIT SHUTOUT LEADS SOFTBALL TO SPLIT IN THE FIRST DAY OF THE STANFORD INVITATIONAL

2/19/2010

STANFORD, Calif. - Sophomore right-hander Shelby Voelz threw 6.1 hitless innings before settling on a one-hit shutout to highlight Sacramento State’s 2-0 victory over UC Riverside in the second round of the Stanford Nike Invitational Friday afternoon at Smith Family Stadium. The Hornets fell to Illinois, 7-1, in the team’s first game of the day.

Voelz threw just 88 pitches while facing two batters over the minimum in arguably the best performance of her young career. She retired the first 15 batters in succession before issuing a walk on a 3-2 pitch to lead off the sixth. After getting out of that inning unscathed, Voelz retired the first batter of the seventh. However, UC Riverside’s Brittany Keeney followed with a clean double to right field to end the no-hit bid for Voelz. The Vancouver, Wash., native then retired the next two batters to record her second career shutout.

Of the 10 players that started the UC Riverside game for the Hornets (every positional starter and a designated player), nine were underclassmen, including five freshmen and four sophomores. Still, the rebuilding Hornets, in the midst of a major youth movement, are now 3-5 with three of those games coming against teams ranked in the top 25 or receiving votes.

Against UC Riverside (2-3), Sacramento State’s offense combined for two runs and nine hits. The top of Sacramento State’s batting order did the majority of the damage as the team’s Nos. 1-4 hitters combined to go 8-for-15 with two runs, a double and two RBIs. That included Alyssa Nakken (3-for-4 with one run and a double), Jessica Abelia (1-for-3 with a run), Erin Jones (2-for-4 with an RBI) and Desiree Beltran (2-for-4 with an RBI).

Sacramento State began the scoring in the fourth when Abelia, Jones and Beltran posted back-to-back-to-back singles, the third of which allowed Abelia to score from second base. The Hornets added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Jones’ two-out single scored Nakken from second base.

Voelz, who improved to 2-2 with the victory, allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out four in seven innings. Marissa Alvidrez (2-2) got the loss, allowing two runs and nine hits in seven innings.

Beltran, Abelia and Jones each had hits in both games, and Beltran has now hit safely in all six games she has appeared. Abelia, in her first season after transferring from Sonoma State, improved her hitting streak to five games. The tandem of Beltran (.471) and Abelia (.438) have combined to hit .455 this year.

In the first game of the day, Illinois’ potent offense did not disappoint, as the Illini pounded out seven runs and 14 hits off two Hornet pitchers. Illinois (6-0), which is receiving votes in the top 25 poll, entered the game with a .378 team batting average and had mercy ruled four of its first five opponents. Against the Hornets, Illinois scored in every inning but the second and fourth. Sacramento State junior Jacquelyn Serrano (2.0 ip, 3 h, 3 r, 4 bb, 1 k) started the game, and Nakken (5.00 ip, 11 h, 4 r, 2 bb, 3 k) finished in relief.

Illinois’ Hope Howell finished the game 4-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Meredith Hackett was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, and one of five Illinois players to finish with at least one RBI in the contest.

The Illini scored twice in the top of the first on RBI-singles from Audrey Gallien and Hackett. The Hornets answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning after Nicole Frayn’s RBI-single to left scored Nakken. However, that was as close as Sacramento State would get the rest of the way as Illinois scored five unanswered runs.

Illini starter Pepper Gay (2-0) got the win, allowing one run and five hits over 4.2 innings. Jackie Gay threw 2.1 innings of shutout relief, allowing just one hit while striking out two. Serrano (0-2) took the loss for the Hornets.

Sacramento State returns to action tomorrow for a brutal schedule that includes games against Nevada (9 a.m.) and tournament host Stanford (1:30 p.m.). Stanford is ranked 11th in the nation, and Nevada is currently receiving votes in the top 25. On Sunday, Sacramento State wraps up tournament play with a game against 17th-ranked Fresno State at 1:30 p.m. Sunday will mark the third time the Hornets will have played Fresno State this season.