A close game saw the Sacramento State softball team come up short in extras to Weber State, losing by a final of 4-3 in 14 innings.

After going down in order in the top half of the inning, Hornet pitcher Savanna Corr got the ball to start the game on defense. After allowing a leadoff walk and single, she was able to get two outs before getting tagged for a three-run home run to give the Wildcats the early lead. She finished the frame, but that would be it for her for the afternoon.

For a big game like this, though, the Hornets came ready to play. Sac State answered their opponent’s outburst with two runs of their own in the top of the second. First baseman Jessica Ravetti led off the inning with a single followed by a one-out single by shortstop Sydney Rasmussen. A huge RBI double by left fielder Sydnee Strong got the Hornets on the board, and center fielder Shelby Johnston brought in another with an RBI groundout, cutting the score to 3-2.

Pitcher Celina Matthias came on in the next half of the frame. She fired off over 12 innings the rest of the way, dancing in and out of trouble throughout. After walking the leadoff batter in the fourth followed by a couple of strikeouts, a single to center field and shoddy defense by the Hornets tempted the Weber State runner to try and score, but the Hornets got the out on a play at home, preserving the 3-2 deficit for their hitters.

The Hornet offense threatened in the fourth by getting the first two batters on base but couldn’t cash in a run. Designated player Sasha Margulies smacked a leadoff single in the fifth and moved all the way to third but again couldn’t make it home to knot the score. Overall, the Hornets left 10 runners on base.

The Hornets broke through and tied the game in the sixth, though. A leadoff single by third baseman Kailey Olcott followed by a sacrifice bunt put the tying run in scoring position, and Johnston came up again and got a huge hit to drive in the run and tie the game late. Neither team scored in the seventh inning, forcing the game into extras.

Sac State had opportunities in extras to score, getting runners in scoring position in the ninth, 12th, and 13th innings, but the Hornets were unable to bring in the go-ahead run in any of those chances. Weber State would also threaten several times, with no bigger moment than Matthias getting out of a huge one-out with runners at second and third jam in the eleventh.

Weber State collected back-to-back singles in the 14th to put the winning run in scoring position again. Matthias did a good job getting the first two outs but got stung on a 2-2 single to right field that gave the Wildcats the win and some distance in the standings.

This loss stings for the Hornets more than most. Even though Sac State (23-20) entered the weekend in first place, they fall behind Weber State (33-15) by 2.5 games in the Big Sky Conference after getting swept over the weekend. The Hornets come home for their final series of the regular season to face Portland State, with the first game of a doubleheader starting at noon on Friday. They’ll need some help and a sweep to have a chance at the Big Sky regular season title.