SOFTBALL SPLITS TWO GAMES IN FIRST DAY OF THE CAPITAL CLASSIC
3/19/2010
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sophomore Alyssa Nakken hit a three-run homer and sophomore Marissa Navarro added a two-run double to highlight Sacramento State’s 10-2 victory over Utah State in the first round of the Capital Classic Softball Tournament Friday afternoon at Shea Stadium. In the Hornets’ second game of the day, they dropped a 9-4 decision to Colorado State.
Today marked the first day of the 18th-annaul Capital Classic with games also being played tomorrow and Sunday.
With the split, Sacramento State is now 1-1 at the tournament and 7-18 overall this season. After one day of the Capital Classic, Nevada (11-11 overall) is 1-0, Iona (5-9) is 1-0, Colorado State (19-9) is 1-1 and Utah State (10-10) is 0-2. Four more games will take place tomorrow at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. For more information on the Capital Classic, click here.
In the opener, Sacramento State pounded out 10 runs and eight hits despite getting just four innings of at-bats. The Hornets scored four times in the second, twice in the third and four more in the fourth inning to induce the eight-run mercy rule after Utah State’s at-bat in the top of fifth inning.
Nakken’s two-out, three-run homer highlighted the four-run second inning, and the Hornets led by at least four runs the rest of the way. Navarro’s two-run double in the third inning and a two-run single from Emily McCormick helped the Hornets increase their lead.
Nakken (3), Navarro (3) and McCormick (2) accounted for eight of the team’s nine RBIs. McCormick finished the day 2-for-2 with three runs and two RBIs, Navarro was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Kelly Shepard went 2-for-3 with two runs scored to round out the three Hornets with multiple-hit games. The top five batters in Sacramento State’s lineup each scored at least one run.
Shelby Voelz (4-10) got the win for the Hornets, allowing three hits and two runs in five innings. She carried a no-hitter into the fifth before Megan McDonald opened the inning with a sharp single to center field. Utah State’s Mandy Harmon (4-4) took the loss, allowing eight hits and 10 runs (two earned) in four innings. Eight of Sacramento State’s 10 runs were unearned.
In the Hornets’ second game, Colorado State picked up its second win in as many days against Sacramento State as the Rams scored nine times via 12 hits. The Rams’ Nos. 1-5 hitters combined to go 10-for-20 with five runs scored and six RBIs. That included three hits from Rebecca Penland.
In the bottom of the first, Sacramento State opened the scoring after Jessica Abelia successfully laid down a suicide squeeze allowing Nakken to score from third.
However, it was all Colorado State the rest of the way, The Rams scored three times in the third, once in the fourth, four in the fifth and once more in the sixth.
The Hornets used another suicide squeeze in the fifth inning, this time laid down by Shepard to score Jenice Bartee. That was part of a two-run fifth inning that cut the deficit to 8-3. Nakken finished the game 2-for-4 with a run, and Bartee went 2-for-3 with two runs.
Kelsey Jo O’Brien (3-2) got the win, working six-plus innings while allowing six hits and four runs (two earned) with two strikeouts. Sacramento State junior Jacquelyn Serrano (0-3) went the distance in the loss. In the bottom of the seventh, the first three Hornets reached base safely in the inning, but Penland entered the game and quickly put out the fire, retiring all three batters she faced.
Although two days remain in the tournament, Sacramento State wraps up its play tomorrow with a pair of games against Iona (1 p.m.) and Utah State (3 p.m.). By the time tomorrow ends, Sacramento State will have played five home games in three days.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sophomore 
