Senior Alison Norman |
NORTHRIDGE, Calif. – Senior Alison Norman finished 3-for-3 with a home run and a career-high four RBIs and sophomore Amber Dragomir collected four hits as the Sacramento State softball team defeated Cal State Northridge, 7-4, in the second game of a Big West Conference doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Matador Diamond. The Matadors won the opener, 4-0, behind a two-hit shutout from Jenny Wheeler.With the split, Sacramento State is now 13-19 overall and 2-5 in the Big West. Cal State Northridge moved to 20-17 and 5-6 in the conference.
In the night cap, the Hornets pounded out seven runs and a season-high 14 hits as all but one starter recorded at least one hit. Norman, who notched a two-run double in the first inning and a two-run homer in the third, reached base safely in all four plate appearances including a fourth-inning walk. Dragomir''s four hits were a career high as the sophomore finished 4-for-5, including a double and an RBI-singe in the fifth inning. Cathy Coupar also finished with a multiple-hit game as the senior finished with two hits, including a double.
Sacramento State pounced on four different Matador pitchers as the team notched at least one hit in every inning but the second. The Hornets scored twice in the first on Norman''s two-run double, and added four in the third highlighted by Norman''s home run. Freshman Amy Hillel''s two-out, two-run single accounted for the other two runs in the inning.
Hornet starter Nicole Deatherage (6-3) went the distance for the win, allowing nine hits and four runs (two earned) over seven innings. Cal State Northridge scored all four of their runs in the seventh after two outs had been recorded in the inning. The Matadors'' Kia Fennell (5-8) got the loss, allowing six hits and five runs in 2.1 innings.
In the opener, Wheeler (9-2) allowed just two hits over seven innings while striking out four and walking one. After allowing a single in the first inning to Meghan Cunningham, Wheeler retired the next 12 Hornets in a row before hitting Yolanda Estrada with a pitch in the fifth inning. Sacramento State did not get a runner past second base the entire game.
Cal State Northridge took advantage of two Hornet errors in the first inning as the Matadors scored all four of their runs with two outs in the opening frame. Sondra Milchiker opened the inning with a single and advanced to third base on an error by Estrada. After a walk to Colleen Spencer, Sacramento State starter Jillian Bivert retired Christen Bedwell and Summer Richardson, setting up runners at second and third with two out.
Janine Grund, who finished the contest with a pair of hits, followed with a single to center field scoring both runs. Jade Abel followed with a ground ball to second which would have been the third out of the inning, but Lori Meixner committed an error allowing Abel to reach safely. Sara Summers then followed with a two-run double that plated both Grund and Abel to complete the scoring. Two of the four runs in the inning were unearned.
Bivert (5-10), who allowed just one hit after the first inning, picked up the loss allowing four runs (two earned) and four hits in six innings of work. Bivert also had her four-game hitting streak snapped as the junior finished 0-for-3 at the plate.
Sacramento State and Cal State Northridge wrap up the three-game series tomorrow (Sunday, April 7) as the teams play a single game at noon.
