SUNNYVALE ?” Against a backdrop of snow on low hilltops in the distance and despite near-freezing temperatures the Sacramento State softball team came back from a two-week layoff to post a pair of wins at the National Invitational softball tournament.

The Hornets downed North Dakota State 4-1 in the nightcap after defeating Nevada 5-2 earlier in the evening on the strength of pitchers Nikki Cinque and Cassie Cervantes, who combined to allow just four hits.

“We were hungry to get out there,” Cinque said of the Hornets’ two-week long layoff. “We were sick of the rain.”

Sac State (8-9) got on the board in the bottom of the third inning as freshman catcher Jamie Schloredt walked with the bases loaded plating Ashley Dawson for the first run of the game. The Hornets got another run a batter later when senior second baseman Gloria Toledo grounded out which allowed Lindy Winkler ?” who had singled earlier in the inning and advanced on a Hilary Johnson but and Schloredt’s walk ?” to score from third base.

The Bison struck back in the top of the sixth when Jackie Currie scored on a double from Kelly Vivant.

Under a light rain that began to fall prior the inning Toledo tacked on an insurance run leading off the bottom of the sixth inning with a homerun to right field. Katie Rhoe ?” pinch running for Cinque also came around to score on an Ashley Dawson sacrifice fly.

“I couldn’t believe it went out,” said Toledo, who played high school ball at nearby Washington High in Fremont.

The Hornets-Bison game began at 7:30 p.m. and temperatures were in the mid-to-low 30s with a chilling breeze.

“You just have to bear with it,” Cinque said. “I just focused on Joanna (O’Neill)’s glove and told myself it was just a little bit of water.”

Friday’s schedule was completely rained out, pushing back pool play to Saturday and forcing the cancellation of bracket play. Now because of a blind draw each team will play twice Sunday and the team(s) with the best record will be crowned champion.

In their first game of the night the Hornets avenged an earlier season loss with a 5-2 win over Nevada.

Freshman pitcher Cassie Cervantes picked up the first win of her career with a one-hit complete game effort.

The only two Wolf Pack runs came on wild pitches from Cervantes in the bottom of the third and fourth innings. Sac State’s offense was more than up to the task against Nevada pitchers Candice Rainwater and Jordan McPherson however as the Hornets scored in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings highlighted by a Jamie Schloredt homer in the seventh.

Cervantes struck out 15 batters including the final one of the game, Brittany Puzey.

“It was nice to finally see things happen for Cassie,” Hornets coach Kathy Strahan said. “She’s been working really hard this season.”

The Hornets return to the Twin Creeks Global Sports Complex on Sunday to complete their play in the NIST with games against St. Francis College at 11 a.m. and Colorado State at 1 p.m.

Sac State then plays Iowa at 1 p.m. on Wednesday at Shea Stadium before hosting the 16-team Capital Classic next Friday through Sunday at the Sacramento Softball Complex.