After splitting its double-header on Saturday the Sacramento State softball team hosted the University of San Diego Toreros again on Sunday.

Although they were at home Sac State was the designated road team on Sunday. The Hornets’ bats were smoking as they swept the double-header. Sacramento State won the first game 11-0 in five innings.

The game was a pitcher’s duel until the fifth inning when Sac State knocked in eight runs to close the game for good.

Shortstop Desiree Beltran got Sac State rolling early in the top of the first inning. On a three-two pitch Beltran roped one into right-center field for a double. Third baseman Rachel Miles was able to score from first base on the play.

Pitcher Megan Schaefer gave up two singles early in the first inning. Schaefer’s infield bailed her out with a couple of routine outs.

After a single down the right field line past the diving third baseman by catcher Jamie Schloredt, the Hornets hit a dry-spell offensively.

Torero pitcher Jennifer Ellenbeck got out seven straight Sacramento State batters, four of which were strikeouts.

In the top of the fourth inning Sac State still held a 1-0 lead when Schloredt came to the plate. With one out and a runner on first Ellenbeck threw the one-one pitch.

Schloredt got around on it and the ball went over the left field wall for the two-run home run.

“I saw the same pitcher yesterday and she wasn’t going to change over night so I adjusted to her,” Schloredt said.

Schaefer had a one-two-three inning in the bottom of the fourth to put the game back in the hands of the Hornets’ offense.

They did not disappoint. Sacramento State batted through the line up in the fifth inning and had seven hits.

The inning was highlighted by a leadoff home run by Miles. “I was just trying to hit the ball,” Miles said.

In the bottom of the fifth inning San Diego tried to rally with three singles but a shortstop to first baseman out ended the inning and the game since Sac State had a lead of eight runs or more.

Schaefer’s strong outing gave her the win. Schaefer pitched a complete game, gave up four hits, had one strikeout and one walk.

“I felt good coming out from yesterday. I felt like I had the team behind me and I felt strong,” Schaefer said.

Among the many great performances Beltran went two for three, with one run and a run batted in.

The Toreros kept the second game a little closer but the Hornets came up with the 13-6 victory.

It looked like the two squads had traded jerseys during the 20-minute intermission as San Diego scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Sacramento State countered with five runs of its own in the second inning. The biggest runs came from Miles.

Miles hit a three-run home run for her second home run of the game. “I was just trying to get the ball through the infield,” Miles said.

Instead she gave her team the lead. Left fielder Izmena Cabrera added to the team’s lead with a home run in the third inning to make the score 6-4.

San Diego tied the game in the fourth inning with a home run by shortstop Cathy Wineinger and an RBI-single from designated player Megan Walsh.

“When we get into conference play every ballgame is going to be a dogfight,” Head Coach Cathy Strahan said, “you can never put enough runs on the scoreboard.”

The fifth inning was good to Sac State as they batted through the line-up again. The Hornets scored six runs in the inning including an RBI-single by Schloredt.

The Toreros tried to make one final comeback but Schaefer, who came out of the bullpen in the second inning for Brittani Clifford, quickly shutdown any comeback. Schaefer had a three-up-three-down seventh inning to end the game.

Schaefer pitched six innings, gave up six runs and had five strikeouts for the win and went 2-0 on the day.

Schloredt had a great day. She went five for five, scored four runs and had three runs batted in.

“I tried to shake off (the first game from yesterday), I just really focused on seeing the ball and hitting it,” Schloredt said.

Miles looked great at the plate also. On the day she went four of seven, tied a career-high nine runs batted in and scored four runs.

“I just felt like I was seeing the ball really well today. I just went up there and felt really comfortable,” Miles said.

The Hornets are of to a good start in conference play. “Before we started today I asked the upper-classmen to step up and lead the way and they did,” Strahan said.

Sacramento State (3-1, 17-18) hosts the St. Mary’s Gaels (2-3, 13-17) Friday at 12:00 p.m. in another double-header.

Andrew Hazard can be reached at [email protected]