On Saturday at Shea Stadium, the Utah State University Aggies were given a first hand orientation on what it feels like to receive the broom treatment, as they were swept by the Sacramento State Hornets in the first two games of their three game series.

Sophomore Nicole Deatherage pitched a total of 10 innings in both games, allowing just four hits, as the Hornets won the first game, 2-1, in 11 innings, and the second game 6-0.

On Sunday, the Aggies escaped Sacramento with their first Big Sky victory, a 3-1 victory, behind the bat of Kelly Leos.

Deatherage was in complete control of both games Saturday games, not allowing a single run in either contest. In the first game Deatherage entered the game as a relief pitcher and produced five scoreless innings.

In the second game Deatherage found herself as the starter, in which she equally flourished, allowing just three hits in five stoic innings of service.

The Hornets moved their overall record to 15-20 overall and 4-6 in the Big West Conference. Meanwhile, Utah State dropped to 4-37 and 0-11 in conference.

In Game 1, a two-base error allowed Cathy Coupar to reach second base at the beginning of the 11th inning, followed by a walk to Lori Meixner and then a single by Amy Hillel, which loaded the bases.

Meghan Cunningham then lined into a double play creating a scenario with runners on first and third base with two outs.

Amber Dragomir then hit a chopper to Utah State?s shortstop, Heather Curtis, who mishandled the ball allowing Coupar to score the game-winning run.

The Aggies started the scoring in the fourth inning with a sacrifice fly from Casey Smith, giving the Aggies a 1-0 lead. The Hornets would then retaliate in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Heather Curtis committed yet another error, allowing Amy Hillel to score.

The Aggies committed a total of five errors, including three by Curtis. Two of Curtis? errors led to the game tying and the game winning runs by Sac State.

Throughout the course of the game, the Hornets were able to put runners on base, but were unable to cash in, leaving 13 runners stranded.

“We were in a situation where we had the opportunity to score a lot more frequently than we did, but we just couldn?t produce any RBI?s,” Hornet coach Kathy Strahan said. “Luckily for us, they committed a couple of costly errors that allowed us to squeak by.”

However, in game 2, the Hornets seemingly found an antidote to the disease that allowed them to leave 13 base runners stranded in game one, as they exploded for six runs and eight hits during the first two innings.

The Hornets put the game away in the first inning, scoring five runs. The floodgates were opened on a three-run triple from Cathy Coupar and then blown completely off the hinges by an RBI-double from center fielder Erin Coyne.

Allison Norman then contributed with an RBI-single to cap the first inning scoring. Norman then put the finishing touches on the Aggies with yet another RBI-single, scoring Jillian Bivert to give the Hornets a 6-0 that they would not relinquish.

“It was like night and day,” coach Kathy Strahan said. ” The first game we just couldn?t manufacture runs, but in game 2 we couldn?t stop manufacturing runs.”

Deatherage allowed just three hits over five innings and was replaced by Kirsten Wise, who pitched the remaining two innings.

In her two innings of work, Wise allowed no runs and no hits, while striking out the side in the seventh inning to end the game.

Utah State pitcher Lindsay Janssen dropped to an abysmal 1-18 on the season, including two losses in one day. On Sunday, Leos went 4-for-4; including two doubles and a home run for the victorious Aggies.

Sophomore Nicole Deatherage, who hadn?t allowed a single run in 10 innings, gave up three runs and 11 hits over seven innings and appeared to be a little bit arm-weary.

The Hornets will be back in action on tomorrow at 3 p.m., in a make-up game that was rained out on March 23. The Hornets will then host Long Beach State for a three-game series on April 20-21.

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