Junior Nicole Deatherage threw her second career no-hitter

With the victories, the Hornets improved to 6-3 and have won six of their last seven games. The 6-3 start is also the best for the program since the 1997 squad began the year 6-2-1.

Deatherage threw her second career no-hitter as the Hornet offense induced the eight-run mercy rule in the sixth inning against New Mexico (1-4). The junior from Cameron Park, Calif., struck out a career-high eight batters and walked none as two Hornet errors wiped away what would have been a perfect game. Deatherage set down 11-straight Lobos from the second inning until the sixth inning as only three New Mexico players reached base safely.

Deatherage, who also threw a no-hitter last year against Providence, pitcher her first shutout of the season and improved to 2-2 this season. Sacramento State''s offense pounded out seven hits and eight runs against New Mexico as all but two Hornet starters reached base safely. Freshman Lindy Winkler again led the way as she finished with three hits, including a triple and a two-run double in the second inning.

Sacramento State scored four runs in the second, three in the fifth and one more in the sixth. Deatherage helped her own cause by going 1-for-2 with a two-run single in the fifth inning. Senior Jillian Bivert went 1-for-3 with an RBI, and, coupled with an RBI against Kansas, has now recorded at least one RBI in five of the last six games. Freshman Joanna O''Neill, who entered the game in the fifth inning at catcher for Erin Coyne, drew a bases-loaded walk in the sixth to end the contest.

Earlier in the evening against Kansas, Ferguson threw her first shutout of the season as she limited Kansas to one hit and allowed just four Jayhawk runners to reach base safely. The sophomore from Santa Maria, Calif., set down seven-consecutive batters on two occasions during the game and did not allow a runner past second base. Ferguson, who improved her record to 2-1, has now pitched 16.2-consecutive innings without allowing an earned run.

Kansas had entered the game with a 4-0 record and had outscored its opponents, 19-10, over that stretch.

Coyne provided most of the Hornet offense as the sophomore went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, including a two-run home run in the first inning. The home run by Coyne was the first of her career and the first round-tripper by a Hornet this season. Coyne, who is now second on the team with six RBIs this season, also had a run-scoring single in the fifth inning. Bivert went 2-for-3 with an RBI-double in the third inning while junior Amber Dragomir also had a multiple-hit game, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Winkler failed to get a hit against Kansas snapping a team-best seven-game hitting streak. However, she responded against New Mexico with three hits, and has now hit safely in eight of nine games this season, including a team-high six multiple-hit games.

Sacramento State plays its third game of the three-day, five-game tournament Saturday, Feb. 15, against UC Santa Barbara at 5:30 p.m. The Hornets defeated the Gauchos (3-1) last week at the Cal Poly Mustang Roundup. The Hornets wrap up Campbell/Cartier play Sunday, Feb. 16, against both Loyola Marymount (11:30 a.m.) and Cal State Northridge (2 p.m.).