The Sacramento State softball team managed a split in the final day of the Pacific Mini Tournament on Sunday in Stockton.

The Hornets needed hits in key moments and beat UNLV 4-3, but fell 9-1 to Pacific in five innings at Bill Simoni Field.

Junior Amy Tompkins scored first for the Hornets (7-21) on a passed ball in the first and Sophomore Rachel Miles scored on a passed ball in the second as Sac State led the Rebels (24-16) 2-0.

Sac State easily got baserunners while pounding out 11 hits, but still weren’t able to manufacture key knocks.

“We got people on,” Sac State coach Kathy Strahan said. “If I could find the magic formula for key hits I’d give everyone a little sip.”

Sophomore Kayla Meeks could see her 2-0 lead slowly being snatched from her asshortstop Jaci Hull hit a solo home with two outs to put the Rebels on the board in the top of the fifth inning.

UNLV’s Brittany Bolinger scored on a single by Caitlyn Paus with two outs in the top of the sixth to tie the game.

Freshman Hull belted a solo homer to give UNLV a one run lead in the top of the seventh inning, but Meeks wasn’t about to let that get to her.

Meeks hit a lead-off solo shot over the fence to help her cause and get Sac State back in the game.

“It was nice to score, but it wasn’t that exciting – we weren’t winning yet,” she said.

The Hornets needed just one run to end the game or it would be heading into extra innings, where Sac State hasn’t faired well in the past.

The Hornets have lost four of five games that went into extra innings this season.

Sac State loaded the bases after senior Amy Jo McKenzie reached on a Rebels error and two singles by Andrea Sherrill and Melissa Cross with no outs. Junior Amanda Meyer was brought in to run for McKenzie.

The Hornets quickly had two outs after a fielder’s choice at home and a strikeout.

Sophomore Whitney Loomis knew she had to do something to bring a run in.

Loomis hit the ball up the middle and knew it was enough as her team came jumping out of the dugout to congratulate her.

“Whitney stepped up,” Meeks said.

Things didn’t fair so well in the second game.

The Tigers (21-11) quickly had a 7-0 lead by the second innings and pitcher Michele Bochenski (2-6) was replaced by senior Jennifer Fryou.

Tompkins scored the Hornets’ sole run in the top of the third, but it wasn’t enough and Sac State lost 9-1 after five innings.

Sac State has lost five games by the fifth inning and two by the sixth this season.

“I’ve been praying for support, but the Gods haven’t been listening to me,” Strahan said.

Strahan said she was thankful that Pacific was in the Big West Conference.

“UOP explode at the bat,” she said.

Loomis led the Hornets going 4-for-6 on the day. Tompkins was 3-for-7, Meeks was 2-for-4, Cross was 2-for-5, with a double in two games for Sac State.

Gina Carbonatto and Lizza Hagen both had two RBI for Pacific against Sac State.

Carbonatto finished the day going 3-for-6 with four RBI, a home run and a stolen base and Hagen finished going 3-for-5, with four RBI, a home run and a stolen base.

Pacific finished the tournament 4-0, while Sac State and UNLV both went 1-3.

Sac State heads to Nevada on Thursday for a doubleheader at noon and opens the conference schedule at 12:05 p.m. on April 6 with a doubleheader at Portland State