Dark skies led to rain and sketchy pitching led to tough losses for the Hornets.

Sacramento State’s softball team ran into a wet and sloppy road block on Tuesday, dropping two games against the University of Nevada Wolf Pack.

In the first game of the twin bill, junior Kayla Meeks got her second start of the season, giving up 11 hits and seven runs, only one of which was earned. Meeks took the loss for the Hornets, 7-3.

Head coach Kathy Strahan knows in order to win, the teams pitching staff must keep opponents at bay.

“Our pitchers can’t give up six or seven runs and expect us to stay in ball games,” Strahan said.

Meeks would help herself out in the bottom of the second inning, scorching the ball between the third baseman’s legs for a single. Senior Sherry Clark hit a sharp single right after Meeks and the Hornets were in business.

First baseman Terri Ann Caoagan hit into a force out, but Meeks scored on the play when a poor throw was made. This gave the Hornets a 1-0 lead, but the Hornets never lead in the game again.

In the top of the third inning the Wolf Pack’s bats would come alive. Danielle Patrick, Tyler Schafer and Noelle Micka all got consecutive hits off Meeks, tying the game at 1-1.

Moments later, Britton Murdock reached on a Whitney Loomis error, loading the bases. Nevada’s Kelsey Starr would break the 1-1 tie with a two RBI single.

Heading into the top of the seventh inning the Hornets were still only down by two runs, but that’s when the Hornets let the game get out of hand. After Schafer was retired the ‘Pack got back to back hits by Brittany Puzey and Micka, advancing the Nevada lead to 4-1. Murdock would follow Puzey’s hit with a sacrifice fly, pushing the Wolf Pack’s advantage to four runs.

After three consecutive runners reached base for Nevada, Sarah Hunt would hit a two RBI single to put the score at 7-1. A total of nine batters would go to the plate in the inning.

Hoping to mount a comeback, the Hornets would get off to a rocky start in their half of the seventh inning. After recording two quick outs, Nevada’s pitching seemed as if it were ready to roll on into the second game. Loomis would got on base with two outs, bringing power hitter Jamie Schloredt to the plate. Schloredt would hit a deep RBI double, cutting into the Wolf Pack lead by a run. Newcomer Izmena Cabrera stepped to the plate hoping to keep the inning alive, and indeed she did, hitting an RBI single.

But Nevada’s starting pitcher Katie Holverson shut the door on the Hornet’s come from behind attempt, earning her fourth win of the season.

Strahan realizes the team’s capabilities and that it will show improvement.

“We will get better?after we get about 15 games into it will start hitting stride,” Strahan said.

Sophomore Brittani Clifford got her first start of the season in the second game against the Wolf Pack. But she wouldn’t make it passed the fifth inning allowing eight hits and five runs.

The Hornets would drop the second game by a final score of 7-5.

In the top of the first inning, Nevada would manage to steal four bases off the battery of Clifford and Scholredt. But Clifford maintained her composure, only allowing two of those base runners to cross home plate.

Strahan would turn to small ball in the bottom half of the first inning. Amy Tompkins led off for the Hornets by reaching on an error. After two successful sacrifices, Tompkins would cross the plate, giving the Hornets their first run. Cabrera would tie the game at two with a solo home run to the deep part of the park.

“This line-up is capable of really putting up the runs,” Strahan said.

Action would drop off in the middle innings, but the rain would pick up. In the fourth inning Sac State got its first lead of the game at 3-2 with a sacrifice RBI by Caoagan.

Clifford would only last a third of the fifth inning, as Nevada would come alive to take the lead 5-3. Michelle Beach would give the Wolf Pack the lead with a two-RBI double in the inning.

Nevada would also make a pitching change in the fifth, brining back first game starter Katie Halverson. Loomis would hit her second homerun of the season in the fifth inning, cutting the Hornet deficit to one run.

The Hornets would manage to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning, but were unable to push a run across, leaving the score at 5-4.

In the top half of the seventh, Nevada would hit back-to-back run scoring hits, adding two insurance runs to its already comfortable lead.

Miles would come to the plate in the bottom of the seventh representing the tying run for the Hornets. She gave the ball a ride to left but come up short of a game-tying homer.

“(The pitchers) got to learn how to shut the door and learn how to get the win,” Strahan said about the performance of her pitching staff.

The Hornets don’t return to Shea Stadium until March 19, when they play host to the Wisconsin Badgers.

Jose Martinez can be reached at [email protected]