Sacramento State continued Pacific Coast Softball Conference play with a weekend series against Portland State at Shea Stadium. The Hornets stung the Vikings in the four-game series, taking three out of the four games.

In the opening game, it took the Hornets up to their last at-bats to decide a winner. Senior Hilary Johnson hit a game-winning single in the bottom of the seventh to drive in Melissa Cross, giving Sac State a 4-3 win.

Neither team scored until the fourth inning when the Hornets scored three runs off Mandy Hill, starter for the Vikings. In the sixth inning, with Sac State still holding on to its lead, Brittani Clifford came on in relief of Kayla Meeks and gave up two runs, cutting the margin to a single run.

In the top of the seventh inning Portland State got a key run-scoring triple by Jamee Rauch, tying the game. But in the Hornet half of the inning Johnson would be the hero, singling off Hill and driving in the game-winning run.

Izmena Cabrera continued to have success at the plate for the Hornets, hitting her sixth home run this season. Senior shortstop Amy Tompkins also had a nice day at the dish, going 2-for-3 with two doubles.

The second game of the twin bill wasn’t as close as its counterpart. Portland State led the slug-fest by out-hitting the Hornets 14 to 11 on its way to the 11-4 win.

Hornet starting pitcher Megan Schaefer left the game in the fourth inning, having given up three runs to the Vikings, who cut the Hornet lead to 4-3. In came Brittani Clifford, who didn’t favor much better than her Sac State teammate, allowing eight runs on eight hits and earning her sixth loss of the season.

Junior catcher Jamie Schloredt put her name in the Hornet softball record books by hitting a two-run homer. With the blast Schloredt passed Jillian Bevert for first all-time in career runs batted in with 95.

Heading into the second day of the series the Hornets got their rest, evident by the lashing they handed to Portland State.

Combined in both games Sac State managed a whopping 25 runs on 37 hits, sweeping the Vikings in Sunday competition.

Jenice Bartee, who got the start in right field, hit her first home run of the season and drove in two runs for the Hornets. Teammates Cabrera and Scholredt were a combined 6-for-8 at the plate with eight RBIs.

Kayla Meeks went the distance for the Hornets, allowing seven runs, of which only three were earned. Meeks also struck out nine batters on her way to earning her 10th win of the season. The final score was 13-7.

The onslaught continued in the second game, as the Hornets pounded Viking pitching for 12 runs and 18 hits en route to a 12-3 win.

Portland State kept the game close up until the sixth inning, when Sac State erupted for six runs, stretching its advantage to 9-3. From that point on the rout continued as the Hornets would tally on three more runs in the final frame, playing as the away team.

The tandem of Schloredt and Cabrera struck again, each hitting a homer and each having multiple runs batted in. The two managed to out-hit and outscore the entire Portland State team.

Sac State continues its journey toward winning its first PCSC championship since 2003 on Saturday in Los Angeles. The Hornets will face defending champ Loyola Marymount University in a two-day doubleheader series.

Jose Martinez can be reached at [email protected]