Softball continues hot conference start

Matt Harrington

The Sacramento State women’s softball team won their third game in two days, defeating Pacific Coast Softball Conference visitor Santa Clara University 17-0 in five innings at Shea Stadium on Sunday.

Sunday’s action was originally scheduled for two games; however, due to poor weather conditions, the second game was canceled and will be rescheduled at a later date. Sac State improves to 13-24 with the win and boasts a perfect 3-0 record in conference play.

Hornet starter Megan Schaefer won her second game in a row. She threw a complete game one hitter, allowing two walks and striking out six. The win puts her at 5-3 for the season.

Sac State amassed sixteen in the game with each Hornet batter recording at least one hit. Second baseman Lauren Blair broke out of a recent slump at the plate lately going 2-3, scoring two runs and one RBI, bringing her batting average up to .120 for the season.

Blair said she just needed to put the spotlight back on swinging the bat properly.

“I felt really good at the plate. I had to refocus about how I did yesterday,” Blair said.

In Saturday’s action, Blair went a combined 0-6 in the two games played. However, on Sunday she said that she concentrated on her technique at the plate and that helped her hitting.

“I was really upper-cutting at the ball and today I focused on going straight through the ball,” Blair said.

Catcher Marissa Navarro hit her first home run of the season in third inning, scoring herself and teammate Jillian Canete. Navarro has also been struggling and brought her average up to .207

Navarro said she was at ease coming to the plate.

“I just saw the ball come down the middle,” Navarro said. “I was really comfortable at bat and felt comfortable with what I did.”

Head coach Cathy Strahan was pleased with the team’s run production, saying that it is hard to take energy from the previous day’s games and bring it into the next day.

“We always talk about day two in conference,” Strahan said. “Everybody is fatigued, it’s easy to get all the energy up in day one, but to come back with the same energy in day two is what we challenged the team with and I was really pleased how they stepped up to the plate and delivered.”

Sac State will now head on the road to San Diego to take on the University of San Diego in a four game set beginning Saturday at noon.

Matt Harrington can be reached at [email protected]