Sophomore Nicole Deatherage |
GOLETA, Calif. -- Sophomore Nicole Deatherage threw her first career no-hitter as the Sacramento State softball swept both of its games in the first round of the UC Santa Barbara Invitational Friday afternoon at Elings Field. The Hornets opened the day by defeating BYU, 4-2, before Deatherage’s heroics helped knock off Providence in eight innings, 1-0.With the two victories, Sacramento State snapped a three-game losing streak while improving to 6-8.
Deatherage becomes the first Sacramento State pitcher to throw a no-hitter since Amy Barker accomplished the feat against Santa Clara on April 29, 2000. Deatherage allowed Providence (0-1) no hits through eight innings as Jillian Bivert squeezed home pinch runner Michelle Bariao with the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth. Deatherage improved to 3-0 with the victory and lowered her ERA to a team-leading 1.21.
Deatherage would have recorded a perfect game but a Hornet error in the fifth inning snuffed that bid. Sarah Morin, who reached base on the error, was the only Friar to reach base all game. Deatherage, who struck out three, set down the side in order in every inning but the fifth.
Both teams went scoreless through the first seven innings of the contest before the international tie-breaker rule was instituted for the eighth inning. Bariao was placed on second to start the inning before Cathy Coupar sacrificed Bariao to third base. Coupar reached on an error on the same play, setting up runners at the corners with no outs. After Amber Dragomir struck out, Coupar stole second, putting runners at second and third with one out. Bivert followed with a sacrifice squeeze that plated Bariao with the game winner. Nicole Bartholomew (0-1) got the loss for Providence, allowing just two hits in 7.1 innings.
Dragomir and Meixner were the only Hornets with a hit in the contest. Erin Coyne had her six-game hitting streak snapped as the freshman went 0-for-3.
Against BYU, Mary Villalpando went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI to lead the Hornets to the 4-2 victory. The Hornets, who pounded out eight hits in the game, scored single runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings and never trailed in the contest.
Bivert, who has now hit safely in five of her last six games, finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. The junior also picked up the win, allowing two runs and five hits in seven innings while improving to 2-5 on the season. The Cougars’ Niki Anderson (0-3) got the loss, allowing six hits and three runs in 3.1 innings of work. BYU dropped to 4-5 with the loss.
The Hornets return to action tomorrow for the second day of the tournament as the team plays Illinois (9 a.m.) and Iowa State (11:30 a.m.). Sacramento State plays its final game of the three-day tournament Sunday against Cal Poly at 11:30 a.m.
