SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Freshman Amy Hillel and senior Alison Norman each recorded three hits to lead the Sacramento State softball team to an 8-2 victory over IUPUI in the opening round of the Capital Classic Softball Tournament Thursday evening at the Sacramento Softball Complex.With the victory, the Hornets snapped a six-game losing streak while improving their record to 9-14. IUPUI dropped to 3-6 with the loss.
Sacramento State tied its season high for hits (12) as four starters recorded at least two hits, comprising of Hillel (3-for-4), Norman (3-for-4), freshman Erin Coyne (2-for-5) and senior Cathy Coupar (2-for-5). Junior Jillian Bivert improved her record to 4-8, allowing two runs and four hits in seven innings of work.
Sacramento State scored at least one run in every inning but the second and sixth innings. The Hornets opened the scoring in the first with three runs on RBI-singles by Coyne, Norman and Meghan Cunningham. Sacramento State posted one more run in each of the third and fourth innings on a sacrifice fly by Cunningham and an RBI-double by Coupar, respectively.
IUPUI scored its only runs in the sixth inning on a wild pitch and an RBI-double by Barbara Ware. The Jaguars’ Amy Odinsoff (0-2) got the loss, allowing seven runs (five earned) and 11 hits in six innings of work.
With three hits tonight, Norman is now hitting .700 (7-10) this season.
The Hornets return to action tomorrow for the second day of the Capital Classic as they play games against Middle Tennessee (9 a.m.), Virginia (1 p.m.) and UNLV (3 p.m.).
