Seniors Meghan Cunningham, Alison Norman, Mary Villalpando, Cathy Coupar, Lori Meixner, Yolanda Estrada, and Arlette Sunseri finished their Hornet careers with a bang Saturday, as pitcher Nicole Deatherage threw a one-hit shutout to defeat the University of California, Santa Barbara, 2-0.

Hornet coach Kathy Strahan switched her starting lineup to make sure all of her seven seniors would start the in the season finale.

“It felt so good just to take every moment in. You never think it is going to end, and when it does it’s a trip,” Villalpando said. “It won’t hit me until next season when the team starts conditioning in the fall and I won’t be there.”

Sacramento State won two-of-three games in the series with Santa Barbara, as the team also split a Friday doubleheader, taking the first game 3-1 and losing the second 1-0.

The Hornets ended their season with an 18-33 overall record, and a 7-17 Big West Conference record.

With Saturday’s win, Deatherage ended her season with a record of 10-9 and a 1.45 ERA.

“I just want to keep getting better,” the sophomore pitcher said. “Hopefully next year we will be able to do better.”

At the plate on Saturday, the Hornets struck first in the third inning when Coupar singled, allowing junior Jillian Bivert to score.

In the fifth inning Sac State added to their lead, when Bivert hit a shot down the first baseline that bounced off the glove of Gaucho first baseman Sarah Brown and rolled deep into foul territory, allowing Bivert to jet into third base with a leadoff triple.

Norman then doubled to left field, allowing Bivert to score from third.

Bivert ended the game going 1-for-3 at the plate, scoring two runs and ending her season with a .327 batting average.

In game No. 1 on Friday, Bivert impressed on the mound, pitching all seven innings in the Hornet’s 3-1 victory.

The Gauchos scored their first and only run of the game in the top of the first inning when shortstop Julia Tamia hit a fly ball that allowed Chantal Pershing to score.

Sac State countered in the bottom of the inning when Bivert scored on a sacrifice fly from Norman.

Bivert’s pitching held the Gaucho’s scoreless after the first inning, as she allowed only two hits and one run, while striking out four batters and improving her season record to 6-14.

In the second inning, Amy Hillel’s sacrifice fly scored Coupar from third base to give the Hornets their first lead of the game.

Sac State added insurance in the third inning when Norman got her second RBI of the game when she singled to centerfield allowing Amber Dragomir to score the game’s final run.

Defense and strong pitching again ruled the diamond in game No. 2 of Friday’s doubleheader.

After seven innings the game remained scoreless, and in extra innings the Gauchos were able to capitalize on Deatherage, who had allowed six hits up until the eighth inning.

With Gaucho Leslie Simien on second base with a double, Jamie Trinidad bunted, advancing Simien to third base.

However, Villalpando’s attempt to throw-out Trinidad at first base flew arrantly down the right field line, allowing Simien to score the only run of the game.

The Hornet offense fell short in the bottom of the inning as Hillel struck out with pinch runner Michelle Bariao on first base to end the game.

The Hornets finish their season in eighth-place in the Big West.

The future of Hornet softball is well taken care of with the return of Bivert, Deatherage and a talented class of freshmen.

“We’ve gone through a lot of adversities and a lot of ups and downs,” Meixner said. “Looking back though I am definitely happy. I have been able to make a lot of great friendships.”