Despite holding the No. 22 ranked Cal Golden Bears to only two runs, the Sacramento State softball team only collected two hits in a 2-0 loss Wednesday at Shea Stadium.
The Hornets, who were no-hit for the first six innings, brought the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning, but freshman designated hitter Traci Shaw grounded into a double play to end the game.
“We need to make better adjustments at the plate” Sac State coach Lori Perez said. “Our hitters need to make adjustments based on the hitters before them and not wait until the third time through the lineup.”
Cal’s starting pitcher Zoe Conley picked up the win after going seven innings, while only allowing two hits, no runs and striking out four batters.
Sac State senior pitcher Taylor Tessier (4-11, 3.16 ERA) got into a bases-loaded situation in the top of the first inning, but was able to strand the runners.
“I have to be mentally tough,” Tessier said after pitching six innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs in the loss. “All the things I have learned (tell me) to trust my defense and more than likely I will get a groundout, strikeout or a flyout.”
Hornets’ junior second baseman Zamari Hinton hit a leadoff single to break up the no-hitter in the bottom of seventh inning. Freshman third baseman Mo Spieth followed with another single up the middle to give Sac State its first and only runner in scoring position all game.
Following Spieth, senior first baseman Jessica Ravetti popped out to second base and then Shaw grounded into a double play to end the game.
“(Waiting until the end of games to try and score is) an ongoing problem that we’ve had this season,” Tessier said. “It’s a process we have to work out inning by inning — hopefully we figure it out sooner rather than later.
Cal posted its first run on the scoreboard in the top of the third inning after second baseman Kylie Reed led off the inning with a triple and shortstop Lindsay Rood brought her home on a suicide bunt during the following at-bat.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Golden Bears added an insurance run after left fielder Khala Taylor singled in Rood from third.
“Cal is a good team and they pushed us to elevate our game,” Perez said. “Ideally we would like to use that elevation in our game and take it into the next opponent we see.”
Sac State will return to Big Sky Conference action this weekend as the Hornets travel to Cedar City, Utah to play a three-game series against Southern Utah. Game one of the series will be at 11 a.m.