Sacramento State finished 3-3 at the Capital Classic Softball tournament held over the weekend at the Sacramento Softball Complex.

The Hornets were eliminated from the tournament on Saturday afternoon when they lost in the quarterfinals to No. 7 ranked University of California, Berkely 6-2.

“You hope for an upset, but (the Bears) are ranked for a reason,” Coach Kathy Strahan said.

Ahead 2-0 entering the fifth inning Cal was able to score four more runs, amassing a 6-0 lead to put the game away.

Cal’s fifth inning rally started when Veronica Nelson singled to left field allowing teammates Kristen Morley and Kaleo Eldredge to score.

The Bears tacked on two more runs before sophomore pitcher Nicole Deatherage got the Hornets out of the inning.

In the bottom of the seventh and final inning down by six runs, the Hornet offense put together an attack to put a dent in Cal’s six-run advantage.

The bases were loaded by means of one walk, one error, and one hit when centerfielder Cathy Coupar approached the plate.

Coupar launched the ball into right-center field allowing teammates Amber Dragomir and Alison Norman to score, bringing the Hornets within four runs.

Sac State’s luck ran out as shortstop Amy Hillel and freshman Lesley Mayhorn both struck out to end the game, eliminating the Hornets from any further advancement in the tournament.

The hornets advanced to the quarter final game by defeating Utah State University 4-1.

Sophomore pitcher Nicole Deatherage pitched seven innings giving up only five hits and one run while striking out five batters.

“Nicole is our tournament MVP,” Strahan said. “She has put up some great performances. She is starting to settle down as we add to her responsibilities. She is adapting really well.”

Deatherage improved her record to 5-2 and has an ERA below 2.0.

With the game tied at one apiece in the third inning, senior Yolanda Estrada hit her first home run of the year off Aggie pitcher Lindsay Jansen, knocking the ball over the right field fence.

Estrada’s homer seemed to rattle Jansen, and with the bases loaded, Jansen struck Deatherage with a pitch, bringing in the Hornets third run.

The Hornets 3-1 lead was improved upon in the fourth inning when senior Jillian Bivert singled to center field on one of her three hits of the game, to bring in Estrada, giving the Hornets a three run advantage.

“Jillian is our number three batter and she has just been really reliable for us in our wins out here,” coach Strahan said.

With a solid defense behind her, Deatherage was able to get her fifth win of the season while leading her team to a 4-1 victory.

“(The tournament) really tests you. You find out what you really can do,” Strahan said. “If you succeed you raise the bar. Tournaments say a lot about how your team stacks up.”

Sac State started the tournament on Thursday night with an 8-2 win over Indiana University- Purdue University Indianapolis.

The Hornets decimated pitcher Amy Odinsoff who gave up 11 hits and seven runs in six innings of work for the Jaguars.

Bivert worked the Jaguars batting lineup allowing only four hits and two runs in seven innings of work, earning Bivert her fourth win of the season.

In their first game Friday morning, Sac State was able to edge by Middle Tennessee State University, 4-3. Deatherage was the starting pitcher for the Hornets, giving up 10 hits and three runs but also was able to take advantage at the plate as well as on the mound.

Deatherage led the team with two RBI and was able to win the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when she singled to right field, bringing in Bivert.

Sac State suffered later on in the afternoon with consecutive losses to Virginia and UNLV in pool play.

Sac State fell 4-2 to Virginia, as the Cavaliers capitalized on five walks given by the Hornet pitching staff, who only gave up four hits.

UNLV handed the Hornets their second loss of the tournament as Sac State was shutout 3-0. Senior Cathy Coupar was the only Hornet to record a hit in the game as Rebel pitcher Jackie Kerrigan shutout the rest of the lineup.

The Hornets improved their overall record to 11-17 and now look forward to continuing to improve their fundamentals.

Over the past three-weeks the team batting average has risen 50 points.

“We’ve played a little up and down and given games away,” Strahan said. “But we’ve settled down and played really well.”

The Hornets will next play a double header at home against the University of the Pacific on Saturday.