From walk-off energy to back-and-forth battles, Sacramento State softball’s six-game stretch had a little bit of everything. The series featured clutch hits and shutout innings, carrying tension throughout the entire tourney. 

The Hornets opened up the week with a 5-3 win over the Pacific Tigers, followed by a 4-3 nail-biter against Santa Clara. After falling short 2-0 in favor of San Jose State, Sac State responded with a 6-1 victory to even it out. The momentum continued with a 3-2 win over Sacred Heart before closing the stretch in a 10-6 loss to Nevada, finishing 4-2 overall.

Feb. 25: Sac State 5, University of the Pacific 3

Freshman pitcher Ella Ferguson got the start for Sac State and faced early pressure after Pacific scored first in the top of the first inning. A line drive just out of reach of the right fielder allowed the Tigers to take an early 1-0 lead.

The Hornets responded immediately. Senior outfielder Lafulafu Malepeai battled through two strikes and launched a line-drive home run over the left-field fence, pulling the Hornets back even.

“I just knew I had to get on, and the fact that the ball went out was just a bonus,” Malepeai said.

Junior shortstop Madi Mendoza reached first on a disciplined walk. After advancing to second on a fielder’s choice, she put her heads-up instincts to work with a delayed steal to third, catching Pacific off guard. 

Senior catcher Katie Marsh drew a walk and attempted to steal second, prompting Pacific’s shortstop to cut off the throw and try to get Mendoza at home. Mendoza skillfully navigated the rundown, forcing a misplay by the catcher that allowed both Mendoza and Marsh to score, giving the Hornets a 3-1 lead.

Sac State added another run in the second inning after loading the bases and drawing multiple walks, extending the advantage to 4-1. Pacific scored two runs in the third inning with a two-out rally, narrowing the Hornets lead to 4-3.

In the sixth inning with two outs, Marsh delivered for the Hornets. After a relentless 12-pitch at bat, Marsh hit a high-fly ball, sending the left fielder straight to the fence. Marsh legged out the triple, scoring sophomore outfielder Saskia Raab. 

Senior pitcher Danyelle Leone entered in relief in the top of the fourth and held Pacific scoreless for the rest of the game. She recorded several key strikeouts, induced flyouts and groundouts to secure the Hornets a 5-3 victory over the Tigers. 

Feb. 27: Sac State 4, Santa Clara 3

The Broncos charged out of the gate against senior pitcher Kennedie Bacon, putting Sac State on their heels early. An unearned run in the second inning came after a fielder’s choice, and a throwing error allowed a run for the Broncos. 

Santa Clara wasn’t about to rein in their offense in the third inning. A sacrifice fly brought in a runner from third, and a second run was scored after a throwing error gave the runner a free base, giving them a 2-0 lead.

Everything changed in the bottom of the fourth for the Hornets. With two outs and the game tied at 2-2, Malepeai launched a moonshot over the center-field fence, driving in herself and sophomore outfielder Addy Buckley to give Sac State a 4-2 lead. Earlier in the inning, sophomore catcher Shannon Garcia and freshman utility Ava Medellin scored on aggressive base running, capitalizing on the Broncos’ defensive errors. The 4-run surge swung the game decisively in the Hornets’ favor. 

Santa Clara tried to mount a rally in the top of the seventh inning. Leone came in to shut down the Broncos offense in their final at-bats.

A pair of botched ground balls to the pitcher placed runners on second and first. 

With no outs for the Broncos and a runner in scoring position,the Hornets’ defense needed to figure a way out. A timeout was called to calm the nerves of Leone and the defense.

They’d respond, turning a double play led by Mendoza at shortstop but allowed a run to further cut into the 4-3 Hornet lead. Leone shut out the next batter with a foul flyout to the third baseman, preserving the Hornets’ lead at 4-3. 

Feb 27: San Jose State 2, Sac State 0

In a pitchers’ duel that stretched into extra innings, Sac State fell to San Jose State after eight tightly-contested frames.

Junior pitcher Alexa Ortiz stepped in the circle and did what she’s done all year. She pitched all eight innings, recording seven strikeouts and giving up two runs with five hits.

In the first inning, the Spartans came out with a checked swing hit that made its way to left field, leaving one runner on first, a runner who’d be left stranded. Sac State struggled to generate hits early, recording their first in the bottom of the third. Buckley tried to shift momentum with a slap hit in the 5-6 hole, but the momentum was cut short when Buckley was unsuccessful in an attempt to steal second base. 

The Hornets threatened to score in the fourth after Raab was hit by a pitch and sophomore third baseman Madison Evers-Lyles hit a hard ground ball to the third baseman, beating out the throw at first and pushing Raab over to second. The momentum was stopped by a high flyout to left field, closing off the inning for the Hornets.

Buckley was able to bring in another spark for the Hornets in the sixth, but the offense was not able to follow it up.

San Jose State mounted their biggest threat in the seventh inning, loading the bases with one out. After giving up a single and two walks to the Spartans, Ortiz was able to escape the jam getting the last batter out on a low-and-inside pitch. 

In the eight, a triple for the Spartans scored the first run of the game. SThis was followed up with a single, scoring in the previous runner from third.

The Hornets had one last opportunity in the bottom of the eighth after Evers-Lyles doubled down the left-field line, but three consecutive outs sealed the 2-0 loss for the Hornets. 

Feb 28: Sac State 6, San Jose State 1

In the first game of a doubleheader, the Hornets avenged their previous loss to the Spartans, jumping on them early with a big first inning. 

With two on base, Raab opened the scoring with an RBI single that brought home Buckley. Evers-Lyles kept the momentum rolling, driving in two more runs to make it 3-0 within the first five at-bats.

From there, it turned into a pitcher’s duel. Between the second and fourth innings, Leone allowed just two hits, but the Spartans managed to squeeze out a score via an error, making it 3-1 going into the fifth.

In the bottom of the fifth, Malepeai crushed her sixth home run of the year over the right-field fence. 

“It’s just a nice sigh of relief,” Malepeai said of hitting the home run. “It feels like there’s breathing room and gives you time to take a deep breath.”

The inning unraveled for Spartans freshman pitcher Norah Coulsell, who surrendered two more hits and a run, before Hornets sophomore catcher Hailee Bustos belted her first career home run to extend the lead, 6-1. Spartan freshman pitcher Delaney Faus finished off the inning after that. 

Leone didn’t allow another hit, and Hornets junior pitcher Keeli Smith closed the game with a hitless seventh inning in relief. 

Mar 1: Sac State 3, Sacred Heart 2

The second game of the doubleheader saw Ortiz give up the first two runs of the game off a single in the top of the second inning by the Pioneers’ freshman left fielder Kira Palmer. 

Sac State had her back, answering back in the bottom of the second. 

Bustos was able to work into a full count before smashing a single into right-center field that was followed up by a walk from Hornets sophomore first baseman Mariah Avalos. This brought runners to first and second for Medellin. 

Medellin proceeded to crank a double to center field that scored the lead runner and brought the tying run to third.

The Pioneers secured the second out of the inning before walking Mendoza to load the bases. 

The Hornets had the bases loaded with their premier slugger, Malepeai, up to bat. Malepeai dominated the at-bat with her eyes and not her bat. She secured a five-pitch walk to bring the runner home, tying the game at 2-2.

The inning ended on a fly ball, and the rest of the game was dominated by Ortiz.

“Obviously, in the second inning, we got in a little bit of trouble, but I have to rely on my team in those moments more than ever,” Ortiz said. “That trust is so important. When I know they have my back, I’m just able to go out there and have fun, and that’s when I thrive.”

Ortiz only gave up one more hit from then on, pitching all seven innings while striking out seven Pioneers. Her performances for the week earned her the title of Big Sky Conference Pitcher of the Week.

Sac State broke through in the bottom of the fifth inning, taking the lead off a Raab double to center field that was subsequently driven in by a Garcia single. 

The game ended on a groundout to first base with a runner on second base for the Pioneers.

Sac State battled back and outlasted Sacred Heart on home turf, 3-2.

March 1: Nevada 10, Sac State 6

Nevada started the game with a bang in the first inning, scoring four runs to quickly take control. 

After a pop up over the shortstop started the game, a groundout to the third baseman and a single down the right-field line put the leadoff runner in scoring position. 

The Wolf Pack was then able to load the bases with two outs by capitalizing on Sac State’s defensive errors. An RBI single brought in another run before a fielding error at third allowed two more to score, giving the Wolfpack an early 4-0 advantage.

Sac State responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Buckley led the inning with a line drive just over the pitcher, followed by a walk from Mendoza. Malepeai sparked the offense with a two-RBI triple to center field and Raab followed with a bunt-RBI single to cut Nevada’s lead to 4-3. 

The Hornets grabbed momentum in the third inning behind the power-hitting Malepeai, who tied the game with a solo homer to left field. Garcia followed her up by launching a 2-run homer to left center, giving Sac State a 6-4 lead.

Nevada answered late in the game. The Wolf Pack tied the score in the sixth inning by capitalizing on another error that allowed two runs across the plate.

The visitors sealed the win in the seventh inning with a strong offensive rally, with a 2-run triple sparking the 4-run frame before two RBI singles extended the lead.

Nevada’s defense held in the bottom of the seventh inning to close out a 10-6 victory over the Hornets.