Cassie Cervantes said she didn’t have her best “stuff” on Sunday against Utah State after pitching 11 innings against Syracuse the day before.

“I was really sore this morning,” said the freshman pitcher who has been on a rampage as of late. “But I really wanted this start.”

Opponents be warned as despite shoulder soreness Cervantes threw her first career no-hitter and helped clinch Sacramento State’s first Capital Classic Softball Tournament championship in the past 10 years with a 5-0 victory over the Aggies.

“I didn’t know at all that it was a no-hitter until after the game,” Cervantes said. “I was excited.”

Cervantes continued her recent strikeout barrage as well, fanning 15 Utah State hitters and has now struck out 15, 17, 19 and 15 hitters in her last four starts, respectively. She had to battle early, however, to get some of those strikeouts as she worked three-ball counts to all but one of the first 11 batters ?” all of whom were sent back to the dugout after being rung up by umpire Jim Cole.

Once again the Hornets’ (15-10) offense did its part as Lindy Winkler hit her second career homerun ?” after hitting her first on Friday night ?” to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Nikki Cinque recorded her 10th RBI of the three-day, four-game tournament driving in Jamie Schloredt with a double also in the first. Amy Tompkins scored on a wild pitch in the third inning and Gloria Toledo hit a two-run double in the fifth before being tagged out for being off the base.

The tournament victory marked the first time in a decade that Sac State won its home tournament. Not since the days of Susie Bugliarello, Jill Haas and Jenny Schultz did a Hornets squad dominate competition at the Sacramento Softball Complex like Cervantes, Cinque and Winkler in the past three days.

Cinque was named the team’s all-tournament selection and was thus the MVP after hitting the first two homeruns of her career, driving in 10 runs and posting two wins in the circle. Winkler hit .750 for the tournament, upped her team-high batting average to .403 while hitting the first two homers of her career.

“I’m just seeing the ball really well right now,” Winkler said.

Cervantes struck out 32 of the 54 batters she retired in two games and in a span of four days ?” from Wednesday to Saturday ?” broke records it took Bugliarello four years to establish for strikeouts in a seven-inning and extra innings game.

“Right now Cassie is better at this point of her career than Susie was,” Strahan said.

The Hornets return to campus to face Princeton at 1 p.m. on Wednesday for a doubleheader at Shea Stadium.