Senior Jillian Bivert |
RENO, Nev. – Senior Jillian Bivert hit her first home run of the season and combined for three hits and three RBIs to lead the Sacramento State softball team to a doubleheader split with Nevada Sunday afternoon at Idlewild Park. The Hornets won the first game, 6-1, before Nevada was victorious in the second game, 3-0.With the split, the Hornets have now won three of their last four games while improving to 20-14 this season. Nevada is now 16-17. After hosting 12th-ranked Stanford on Wednesday, April 2, the Hornets will open up Pacific Coast Softball Conference play with a four-game series against Saint Mary''s on April 5-6.
In the first game, the Hornets took advantage of five Nevada errors as four of their six runs were unearned. Sophomore Brianne Ferguson (8-6) picked up the win for Sacramento State, throwing her team-high tying 10th complete game. The right-hander allowed just one run and six hits in seven innings.
The Hornets opened the scoring in the second with two runs, benefitting from three Wolf Pack errors in the inning. Sacramento State added one more in the third as Bivert singled home freshman Lindy Winkler. The Hornets put the game out of reach with three runs in the fifth, highlighted by Bivert''s two-run homer. An RBI-single by Amber Dragomir provided the team''s sixth and final run. Bivert''s home run was the seventh of her career and fifth by a Hornet this year.
Ferguson allowed her only run of the game in the seventh as the sophomore worked her way out of trouble in nearly every inning. Nevada left 10 runners on base, including the bases loaded in the first and seventh innings. Robyn Ford-Feitz (5-8) took the loss, allowing six runs (two earned) and 10 hits in seven innings.
In the nightcap, Nevada scored three unearned runs and Judith van Kampen limited the Hornets to just three hits over seven innings. Kampen (6-6) set down 10 Hornets in a row from the first inning through the fourth inning while facing just five batters over the minimum for the game.
The Wolf Pack took advantage of Sacramento State''s only error of the game in the second inning as Kristy Stevens'' three-run double proved to be the only runs of the contest. Hornet pitchers Gina Steenburgen (four innings) and Nicole Deatherage (two innings) combined to allow Nevada five hits, but Sacramento State could not get anything going offensively.
Steenburgen (3-1) lost for the first time this season as she went the first four innings, allowing four hits and three unearned runs. Deatherage, who has been battling an injury to her finger, allowed just one hit while striking out two in two innings of relief.
Sophomores Erin Coyne and Amy Hillel, and Bivert were the only Hornets to finish with a hit during the game.
Sacramento State opens up an eight-game homestand with next Wednesday''s doubleheader against Stanford. After the series with Saint Mary''s over the weekend, the Hornets host seventh-ranked Cal for a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 9.
