Junior Jillian Bivert |
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Senior Alison Norman finished with three hits and junior Jillian Bivert allowed just two hits over seven innings as the Sacramento State softball team defeated UC Santa Barbara, 3-1, in the first game of a Big West Conference doubleheader Friday afternoon at Shea Stadium.The Gauchos'' Loren Thornburg threw a two-hit shutout to lead UC Santa Barbara to an eight-inning, 1-0 victory in the second game. With the split, Sacramento State is now 17-33 overall and 6-17 in the Big West. The Gauchos moved to 27-35 and 12-11 in the conference. The Hornets'' 27-consecutive scoreless inning streak came to a close as the team scored a run in the first inning of the opener.
In game one, Bivert (6-14) allowed just two hits and one run while striking out four on the way to her 14th complete game of the season. After allowing a hit in each of the first and second innings, Bivert retired 16 of the final 17 batters she faced while setting down eight in a row at one point.
Norman went 3-for-3 with two RBIs, while Bivert (2-for-3, walk, run) and sophomore Amber Dragomir (2-for-3, walk, run) also had multiple-hit games for the Hornets. UC Santa Barbara opened the scoring in the first inning as Chantal Pershing scored on Julia Tamai''s fly ball. The play resulted in a double play as Leslie Simien was doubled up at second base, but umpires ruled that Pershing had crossed the plate before Simien was called out.
Sacramento State scored single runs in the first, second and third innings on a Norman sacrifice fly, an Amy Hillel sacrifice fly and an RBI-single from Norman, respectively. That was more than enough runs for Bivert as she faced just three batters over the minimum.
In the second game, Thornburg (13-18) allowed just two hits over eight innings while walking two and striking out five. After a second-inning double off the top of the left field wall by Lori Meixner, Thornburg didn''t allow another hit until an eighth-inning single from Mary Villalpando.
The Hornets had their best opportunity to score in the second inning, but Cathy Coupar was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first base on Meixner''s double.
Simien led off the UC Santa Barbara eighth-inning with a double that was aided by a bad hop in the outfield. Jamie Trinidad followed with a sacrifice bunt that was thrown away by Hornet third baseman Villalpando, allowing Simien to score all the way from second base.
Sacramento State starter Nicole Deatherage (9-9) went the distance in the loss, allowing the one unearned run and seven hits. The Villalpando error was the first miscue in the last four games for the Hornets.
Sacramento State closes out the 2002 season tomorrow as it faces UC Santa Barbara in the rubber game of the three-game series at noon. Hornet seniors Villalpando, Norman, Meixner, Coupar, Arlette Sunseri, Meghan Cunningham and Yolanda Estrada will be honored prior to the game.
