SCHAEFER AND VOELZ COMBINED NO-HITTER HIGHLIGHTS SOFTBALL’S SWEEP OVER SAINT MARY’S

4/16/2011

Megan Schaefer combined with Shelby Voelz to throw the 31st no-hitter in Sacramento State
Div. I history today against Saint Mary's

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Megan Schaefer and Shelby Voelz combined for the 31st no-hitter in Sacramento State’s Div. I history, and with a potent hitting attack, led Hornet softball to a Pacific Coast Softball Conference doubleheader sweep over Saint Mary’s Saturday afternoon at Shea Stadium. The Hornets took the opener 5-2, before earning an 8-0 victory in a mercy-ruled shortened five-inning nightcap.

The Hornets improve to 11-19 overall, while evening up their conference record at 3-3. The Gaels, who are the defending PCSC champions, fell to 5-19 overall and 1-5 in league play. Since joining the Div. I ranks in 1990, Sacramento State is 55-8 against Saint Mary’s. That includes a 29-3 record when playing at Shea Stadium. Since the two teams joined the PCSC in 2003, the Hornets are 27-7 in conference play against the Gaels, including a 16-2 mark in Sacramento.

In the nightcap, the dominating efforts of Schaefer and Voelz in the circle combined with clutch hits, and the Hornets ability to take advantage of three Saint Mary’s miscues led to a giant seven-run third inning for Sacramento State to enforce the eight-run mercy rule.

Marissa Navarro’s bat, which came alive after going 2-for-3 in the first game, went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and scored a run in the nightcap for Sacramento State. Navarro, who came into the day with a .182 average, eventually finished the day 4-for-5 and bumping her average to .233. Navarro doubled home Jessica Abelia to open the scoring in the second game for Sacramento State. All told, the Hornets finished the game with seven hits.

The Hornets put the game away in the third, scoring seven runs on four hits, including two Saint Mary’s errors, prolonging the inning to allow the Hornets all the runs they needed for the win. Schaefer (5-6) pitched four innings, giving up no hits while walking only one and striking out one. Voelz came on in the fifth and allowed one walk, but was able to preserve the no-hitter by getting Tiffany Gonzales and Whitney Heuser to hit into successive ground outs to finish the game. Audrianna Solari took the loss for Saint Mary’s, falling to 0-3 on the year.

It was the first combined no-hitter in Sacramento State’s Div. I history and comes one week after freshman Taylor Stroud no-hit San Diego. It also marked the first time the Hornets have had multiple no-hitters in a season since the 2006 campaign. The last time Sacramento State completed a mercy-rule shortened no-hit game was when Cassie Cervantes threw one at Saint Mary’s on April 29, 2006, a 15-0 win in five innings.

In the opener, Sacramento State scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back. Alyssa Nakken's bases-loaded single scored Abelia and Emily McCormick to give the Hornets an early 2-0 lead. Devin Caldwell then finished the scoring with an RBI single off the glove of Gael pitcher Brittany Linton which scored Paige Martin and gave Sacramento State a 3-0 lead.

From there, the Hornets tacked on a run in each of the fourth and sixth innings after the Gaels were able to put up a run each in the third and sixth. From there, Stroud was able to corral Saint Mary’s the rest of the way. Stroud picked up the win, improving to 6-8 on the campaign after allowing two runs and 11 hits while striking out two and walking none. Linton was tagged with the loss (5-6) after giving up five runs on 10 hits and two walks, with only one strikeout.

Caldwell had an impressive game at the bat, going 3-for-3 with a double and scoring a run. Shannon Kaufman went 2-for-4 hitting in the leadoff position for the first time all season. Nakken, who had been the leadoff hitter in all 28 contests prior to today, went 2-for-3 with two RBIs batting in the sixth spot.

The Hornets and Gaels return to action tomorrow afternoon at Shea Stadium for another doubleheader beginning at noon.