Sacramento State played its last home game of the season against Pacific on Wednesday at Shea Stadium. They carried the heat from their previous series sweep with them, adding nine runs in the win.
The Hornets got started early with a quick 3-0 lead in the first. Junior catcher Katie Marsh opened up the scoring with a 2-run homer to right field.
The very next pitch, junior outfielder Andrea Lira matched her energy, launching a solo homer to left center.
The Tigers got on the board in the third for their only run of the game with an RBI single to make the game 3-1.
The Hornets responded with three more runs. A sacrifice fly, a run on a throwing error, and an RBI double that scored freshman first baseman Alexa Carino upped the score 6-1.
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The Hornets ended this game within the next two innings due to the mercy rule. In the fourth, Marsh blasted another 2-run homer to make it 8-1.
Marsh homers again! Her 2nd 2-run homer of the day! Hornets take an 8-1 lead over Pacific in the 4th! #StingersUp pic.twitter.com/u6mBdNuFEV
— Sacramento State Softball (@SacStSoftball) May 1, 2025
“This is our last home game, I was really, really happy to be able to come out and show out,” Marsh said.
In an almost poetic way to end the team’s last game at Shea Stadium this season, senior captain shortstop Gwen Ludwig hit a walk-off single up the middle to score junior outfielder Faith Epperson.
“It’s been a while since I’ve been out on the field because of my injury, ” Ludwig said. “It felt awesome to go out on defense and then come back in and then walk it off. Just felt really surreal and really emotional to do it one last time at home.”
Ludwig with the walkoff! The senior delivers the Hornets a 9-1 mercy rule victory over Pacific! #StingersUp pic.twitter.com/h4dprATDzT
— Sacramento State Softball (@SacStSoftball) May 1, 2025
The Hornets won the game 9-1 in five innings, scoring nine runs off 10 hits and no errors.
“We wanted to build on our success in Montana,” Sac State head coach Lori Perez said. “The girls were hungry for our last home series and we wanted to win it at home and set ourselves in a good situation moving forward towards the conference tournament.”
The Hornets enter the Big Sky Conference tournament as the second seed and will begin play with a bye. They’ve beaten most team in the conference at least once, excepting only top-seeded Idaho State who swept them.
The team is riding high with momentum, getting hot at the right time, winning five out of its last seven games. The Hornets’ opponent will be the winner of a Weber State versus Montana play-in game on May 6th. The matchup will take place later on the same day at 6:30 p.m. in Greeley, Colorado.
