Senior Meghan Cunningham |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Junior Jillian Bivert threw a five-hit shutout and senior Meghan Cunningham''s two-out, RBI-single in the sixth inning proved to be the game''s only run as the Hornets defeated 19th-ranked Pacific, 1-0, in the first game of a Big West Conference doubleheader Sunday afternoon at Shea Stadium.Cindy Ball''s RBI-double in the sixth inning gave Pacific a 2-1 victory in the second game of the double dip. With the split, the Hornets are now 12-18 overall and 1-4 in the Big West. The Tigers, who had their nine-game winning streak snapped, are now 21-10 and 4-1 in the conference.
Bivert''s shutout was her third of the season as the junior struck out five and allowed just one runner past second base while improving to 5-9. Cunningham''s RBI-double in the sixth was set up by Bivert who singled to right field and was sacrificed to second base by Erin Coyne.
Pacific threatened in the second inning as the Tigers loaded the bases with one out before Bivert induced Michelle Anunciation to ground into a 1-2-3 double play to end the inning. Ball (12-7) picked up the loss in game one despite allowing just four hits and one run in six innings. Bivert helped her own cause at the plate by finishing 2-for-3.
In the nightcap, Ball''s two-out, RBI-double off the left-field wall snapped a 1-1 tie in the sixth. Anunciation singled to open the inning and was sacrificed to second base by Brandy Thurman.
Yolanda Estrada led off the Hornets'' seventh inning with a single before Ball replaced Pacific starter Jennifer Dacre. Ball then retired three batters in succession to end the game and gain her second save of the season. Dacre (5-2) picked up the win, allowing one run and four hits in six innings.
Sacramento State opened the scoring in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Cunningham. Pacific answered in the third as Thurman singled home Aloha Yamaguchi to tie the score at 1-1. Nicole Deatherage (5-3) got the loss for the Hornets as the sophomore allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings.
Yolanda Estrada was the only Hornet with more than one hit as the senior finished the game 2-for-3.
Senior Cathy Coupar''s seven-game hitting streak came to a close as she combined to go 0-for-5 in the doubleheader.
The third and final game of this three-game series has yet to be scheduled as the Hornets and Tigers were supposed to play a doubleheader yesterday and a single game today. However, heavy rain forced the postponement of yesterday''s doubleheader as the two teams will have to play the final game of the series at a later date.
Sacramento State is not scheduled to play again until it travels south to face Cal State Northridge for a three-game series on April 6-7.
