Sacramento State softball hitting coach Danielle Kaminaka helped the Hornets hit their way into a Big Sky Conference race for first place, and a right to host the conference tournament.

In her first season, she has revolutionized the hitting to being a threat for every pitcher in conference.

Last season, offensively, the Hornets were no where on the same level as this season’s squad.

In 40 games this season, Sac State is hitting .289 with nine home runs, 55 doubles, 10 triples and 136 RBIs. Compared to last season in 45 games the team hit .269, with 14 home runs, 52 doubles, 10 triples and 131 RBIs.

The improved hitting has given the pitchers less of a load to carry every time they walk to the circle.

Junior pitcher Caitlin Brooks said it is nice to have the support of her offense behind her when she is out there.

“It definitely helps me relax when I can go out there to pitch and not be afraid of making mistakes with a pitch,” Brooks said.

Since being hired this past fall, Kaminaka said that it was a goal to have her hitters hit more for average than power.

In the fall, Kaminaka had Hornet batters hitting off a tee for the majority of the offseason workouts to see where the best contact zone was for each hitter.

Sophomore first baseman Sasha Margulies said the new approach is one of the best drills they have done all season.

“It is really beneficial for us,” Margulies said. “She puts everything in perspective in how we are to swing the bat to find the best contact and where the zone is.”

However, the season did not start with success in the hitting department. Sac State was hitting a mere .248 with 32 doubles, seven triples and two home runs. The Hornets were swinging at three times as many pitches back then that they probably would not swing at now.

In the first 25 games of the season, it was more of adjustment phase at the plate.

“It was a balancing act of focusing on the strengths and weaknesses and waiting for the perfect pitch, which is why as a team we were struggling with our hitting.” Kaminaka said.

Ever since the start of conference, the Hornets have been on a tear hitting .348 with seven home runs, 21 doubles, three triples and 69 RBIs. Margulies is second on the team in batting with a .428, four doubles and 11 RBIs.

Kaminaka said Margulies is ahead most of the team because of her mental approach to hitting.

“If she gets a piece of the ball the first time, you will see her get more of the ball the second time and so on until she makes full contact with the ball,” Kaminaka said. “Her ability to take her swing and tweak it more and more until she gets a hold of a pitch is really nice to see.”

Kaminaka said Margulies just shows what the hitters have been able to do in game situations.

It is not only the conventional hitters that are using what Kaminaka as brought to the team, but the slap hitters too.

Junior outfielder Nicole Clark has been a slap hitter all of her career, primarily left handed batters because it is easier to transfer momentum towards first base for speed, but this year she is focusing on being the more traditional hitter as well.

Since adding the conventional swing Clark has become a triple threat for her team.

“Nikki has worked hard really hard with her hitting the last few weeks, she has brought back the slap hit,” Kaminaka said. “Having both in her arsenal, she is really useful for us in the nine spot to help us get things going in an inning.”

With the help of Kaminaka, Sac State has its sights set on hosting its first Big Sky Conference tournament since joining the conference last season.