SANTA CLARA–The Sacramento State softball team opened Pacific Coast Softball Conference play Saturday afternoon by splitting two games with host Santa Clara at Marsalli Park.

The Broncos took the first game 1-0 and dropped the nightcap 7-3.

Santa Clara claimed the only run of game one on shortstop Shannon Linerud’s walk-off triple, scoring left fielder Jessica Clee who had broken up Hornet pitcher Brianne Ferguson’s no-hitter with a single to start the seventh inning.

Sac State (18-14, 1-1 PCSC) and Santa Clara (18-17, 1-1) combined for just five hits in a game dominated by the pitchers. Liz Courter earned her ninth win of the season after getting out of a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the top of the seventh by striking out Hornet first baseman Danielle Ackland.

San Jose native Lesley Mayhorn was the catalyst for an explosive Sac State offense in game two; the senior left fielder was 3-for-3 with an RBI and the Hornets took advantage of three Bronco errors pushing seven runs across in a 7-3 rout. Only three of Sac State’s seven runs were earned.

The Hornets scored first in the second inning when pitcher Nikki Cinque helped her own cause by smacking a ball that Bronco second baseman Jenny Brown couldn’t corral which scored Amy Hillel and Gloria Toledo. Sac State got one more run when right fielder Hilary Johnson drove in Cinque.

Toledo, a transfer from nearby West Valley College in Saratoga and a native of Fremont, said that the familiar surroundings propelled her to a 2-for-6 performance over two games.

“Just being back in the area, there’s more motivation,” Toledo said.

A bases-loaded wild pitch in the sixth inning from Sara Overmier, appearing in relief of starter Jerrica Castagno, scored Katie Rhoe and advanced Kayla Williams and Ashley Dawson who were driven in on back-to-back singles from Mayhorn and Lindy Winkler.

The Hornets’ final run came on an Ackland sacrifice fly scoring Hillel in the seventh.

Cinque scattered six hits in game two and surrendered three runs in the final two innings en route to her ninth win of the year.

The Hornets and Broncos reconvene at Marsalli tomorrow at noon to conclude their four game series. As per PCSC rules, Sac State will be the designated home team in both contests.

NOTES: Mayhorn was 3-for-3 with an RBI in game two. … Hillel went 2-for-4 with two runs in game two. … Senior catcher Erin Coyne combined to go 2-for-6. … Ferguson, who threw her first career no-hitter against UC Davis in March, has had two broken up in the final inning in the past two weeks.