Game 1

A little home cooking was what the Sac State Hornet Softball team needed as they defeated the UC Davis Aggies in the first game of a double-header with a thrilling walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning at Shea Field.

Catcher Jamie Schloredt provided the late inning heroics. With one out and a runner on third she lined a base-hit single between the third base and shortstop scoring the lone run of the game.

“I just went up there trying to pull something through the gap or to the outfield for a sacrifice-fly,” said Schloredt, who prior to the at bat was hitless in the game.

Starting pitcher Brittani Clifford pitched brilliant for the Hornets as she and her opposing counterpart matched each other inning for inning in a fast-paced pitching duel. “I felt really comfortable out there, kind of like my old self,” said Clifford who managed to befuddle many Aggie hitters with her knuckleball “that was really working well today.”

Clifford allowed only one hit the entire game finishing with four strikeouts and most importantly helped her team raise its record to 6-12 on the season.

“Consistency,” Coach Strahan said after the game. “This is the most consistent we have been all year. We came up with some clutch hitting and Brittani (Clifford) did a wonderful job on the mound for us,” said the 17-year-Hornet head coach.

Clifford was also helped by a stingy defense that played extremely well behind her including two spectacular diving catches by the center fielder Jenice Bartee and left fielder Izmena Cabrera. Cabrera also had a great game at the plate accounting for two of the three Hornet hits in the game.

Game 2

The Hornet softball team made it a clean sweep Wednesday defeating the U.C. Davis Aggies 5 to 4 in the second game of a double header at Shea Stadium. Senior Rachel Miles lead the Hornets in offense with 4 RBIs in the game including the go ahead two-out bases loaded triple in the bottom of the third inning to put the Hornets ahead for the eventual victory.

With a two-run lead and two runners on in the third the Aggies decided to intentionally walk Senior Jamie Schloredt to face the less prolific hitting Miles.

“Yeah I was a bit angry but I decided to use that frustration and focus it while at the plate,” said Miles. Miles did just that lining a “fat pitch” to deep right field. Three runners scored including senior Izmena Cabrera who made a habit of appearing on the base paths, going 2-3 in each game of the double header.

The Hornet pitching staff was knocked around early, however, freshman Shelby Volez pitched superbly in relief giving up only four hits in four innings of work for the win. The Hornets improved its record to 7-12 on the season and will head into the National Invitational Softball Tournament this weekend in San Jose with a much needed confidence boost.

“I was really impressed by how our team didn’t rely on the home run to win today,” said Schloredt who is the Hornet all-time leader in home runs. “We chipped away and nickel and dimed our way to some runs with some timely base-hits, bunts and sacrifices. As a team we played really well today.”

Victor Nieto can be reached at [email protected]