Hornets drop doubleheader in Stockton

Connor Ashford

Sacramento State’s softball team suffered two losses on Saturday afternoon, falling to Oregon and Pacific at the Louisville Slugger Invitational in Stockton.

The Hornets fell in the first game by a score of 4-1 to No.7 ranked Oregon. Sophomore starting pitcher Celina Matthias kept the Hornets in the game, going the distance and limiting Oregon (19-4) to four runs over six innings.

The Ducks collected three hits and three runs in the second inning, with the biggest hit being a three-run home run to left field. Matthias settled in after that, giving up just two hits and one run the rest of the game.

The Hornet offense just wasn’t able to get it going in any way, though. Second baseman Zamari Hinton collected the only hit of the day for Sac State, an RBI single to bring in catcher Nikki Gialketsis from third base.

Sac State had four base runners on the day, including the Hinton single, off of two hit-by-pitches and an error, but could only manage the single run. The Hornets struck out nine times en route to one of their worst offensive performances of the year.

Sac State wouldn’t fare much better in the next game, either. Sac State lost the second game of the day to Pacific by a final score of 7-2, managing just five hits against Pacific pitcher Marissa Young and struggling on both sides of the ball.

The Hornets allowed Pacific (11-9) to score a run in each of the first three innings before allowing four runs in the fourth to put the Tigers ahead 7-1 at that point. Matthias, starting back-to-back, couldn’t get out of the third, with the righty giving up three runs in two innings against Pacific.

Three other pitchers came in to finish the game for Sac State. Junior pitcher Taylor Tessier was the only pitcher able to control the Tiger offense, finishing the game by pitching two scoreless innings and getting five of her six outs off of strikeouts.

The offense didn’t fare much better than the first game, either. The Hornets collected their first hit and first run of the day in the fourth. A single off the bat of Jessica Ravetti followed by a walk and an error brought in Ravetti to score, but with two runners on and two outs, the Hornets couldn’t score.

Sac State had the chance late in the game to come back. Center fielder Shelby Johnston lead off the sixth inning with a double, the only extra-base hit of the day for Sac State, before the Hornets loaded bases with no outs.

The Hornets couldn’t capitalize, however, and they could only manage to bring in one run, an RBI ground out from right fielder Kayla Papez. The Hornets would go quietly in the seventh to finish the game.

Overall, the Hornets managed just six hits and three runs while giving up 14 hits and 11 runs while also committing three errors.

Sac State fell to 8-11 on the season, but won’t have to wait long for a chance at payback. The Hornets finish up the Louisville Slugger Invitational tournament with rematches against both Oregon and Pacific on Sunday.