Junior Jillian Bivert

With the split, the Hornets have now won three of their last four games while improving to 3-5. San Jose State has also won three of its last four and is now 3-6.

In the nightcap, the Hornets overcame a one-run, seventh inning deficit by scoring twice in the bottom half of the inning. Lori Meixner led off the inning with a single off SJSU starter Brianne Ferguson. Mary Villalpando followed with a single advancing pinch runner Michelle Bariao to second base.

After Bariao was forced out at third on a sacrifice attempt by Arlette Sunseri, senior Cathy Coupar singled down the right field line, scoring Villalpando from second with the first run. On the same play, the throw from right fielder Jana Arde was cut off by first baseman Dianna Lilly. The ball, however, deflected off Lilly''s glove towards the pitcher''s mound, allowing Sunseri to score all the way from first base on the error. Sunseri had stopped at third before the ball bounced away, allowing her to score with the game-winning run.

Both Coupar and Meghan Cunningham finished with two hits, and Sacramento State starter Nicole Deatherage improved to 2-0, allowing one unearned run and five hits in seven innings of work. San Jose State was led by Becca Baldridge''s two hits. Spartan starter Brianne Ferguson (1-4) got the loss, allowing two runs (one earned) and eight hits in 6.1 innings.

In the first game, San Jose State scored three runs in the top of the sixth and withstood a late Hornet rally for the win. Sacramento State opened the scoring in the third inning after Jillian Bivert''s two-out, RBI-triple scored Coupar. The Spartans answered back in the sixth on RBI-singles by Elisa Barrios and Karlie Reiss. The Spartans tacked on the last run of the inning after Lilly''s grounder to shortstop scored Reiss. The inning was set up on an error by Bivert which allowed the Spartans to load the bases with no outs.

The Hornets cut the lead to one in the bottom of the sixth (3-2) after an error by second baseman Tara Hall allowed Amy Hillel to score. Sacramento State threatened in the bottom of the seventh, getting Villalpando to third base with one out. San Jose State starter Carol Forbes, however, got Amber Dragomir to strike out and retired Coupar on a grounder to end the game. Forbes (2-2) picked up the win, allowing two runs (one earned) and seven hits in seven innings.

Bivert (1-3) got the loss despite allowing just four hits in seven innings. Dragomir and Bivert both had a pair of hits to lead Sacramento State.

The Hornets return to action this Friday-Sunday, Feb. 15-17, as they take part in the Campbell/Cartier Tournament in Poway, Calif. Sacramento State opens up play on Friday against Pittsburgh (10:30 a.m.) and New Mexico (3:30 p.m.).