FRESNO, Calif. — Sacramento State opened the Fresno State Softball Kick-Off with a pair of losses on Friday afternoon. The Hornets lost the first game of the day to UC Riverside, 8-0, before falling to 22nd-ranked Fresno State, 9-0. Both games were called after five innings because of the eight-run mercy rule.

In all, the Hornets were outscored, 17-0, over two games. Sacramento State's pitching staff, which had been extremely effective in last week's season-opening games, was hit hard today. In fact, Hornet pitchers allowed Riverside and Fresno State batters to hit a combined .511 with 24 hits over 8.1 innings. Sacramento State's offense, which accumulated six hits, was a combined 1-for-18 with runners on base and 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

In addition, the Hornet defense combined to commit five errors today after committing just two errors in 131 total chance last week.

Sacramento State (2-4) will play three more games over the next two days in Fresno, including tomorrow against Kanas at 11:30 a.m. and UC Riverside at 2 p.m.

The victory improved UC Riverside to 5-5 while Fresno State remains undefeated with a 7-0 record.

VS. UC RIVERSIDE

UC Riverside had eight runs and 14 hits through five innings against a pair of Sacramento State pitchers. The Highlanders scored in every inning but the third, including a four-run first inning. The Highlanders sent nine batters to the plate while scoring four times on six hits in the opening frame.

Sacramento State's lone hits came from Shelby Johnston and Nikki Gialketsis. The Hornets loaded the bases in the first inning but failed to score while leaving at least one runner stranded in each of the five innings.

The Hornets' Kaitlyn Yerby (0-2) failed to make it out of the first inning, allowing six hits and four runs while recording two outs. Celina Matthias pitched the final 3.2 innings of relief.

UC Riverside's Tayler Misfeldt (4-3) tossed a two-hit shutout, allowing two hits and no runs over five innings. Misfeldt hit three batters and allowed two walks, but still managed to get the shutout while throwing 87 pitches in the process.

All nine Highlanders in the lineup hit safely, including multiple-hit games from five different players.

VS. FRESNO STATE

Fresno State, which is ranked 22nd in the nation by the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll, scored six times in the second inning, twice more in the third and once in the fourth. The Bulldogs did not have to bat in the bottom of the fifth inning and finished the game with nine runs and 10 hits while also taking advantage of two Hornet errors.

Buildog pitchers Hannah Harris (1-0) and Kira McKenchnie combined for a four-hit shutout as Harris worked the first four innings before McKenchnie tossed a scoreless fifth inning in relief. Fresno State used 18 players in the game, and four of those players combined for nine of the team's 10 hits. That included a 3-for-3 performance from Dominque Jackson and 2-for-3 with three RBIs from Whitney Smith.

In that six-run second inning, the Bulldogs sent 10 batters to the plate while accumulating four hits and taking advantage of three walks and an error.

For the Hornets, first baseman Jessica Ravetti finished the game 2-for-2 while both Zamari Hinton and Gialketsis finished with hits. Gialketsis was the lone Hornet to hit safely in both games today and now has a four-game hitting streak. In addition, the junior catcher has hit safely in five of the team's six games this season.

Sacramento State stranded six runners through the first four innings of the game.

The Hornets used three pitchers in the contest, and Savanna Corr (1-1) got the loss, allowing five hits and five runs (four earned) in 1.1 innings. Matthias (1.2 ip) and Taylor Tessier (1.0 ip) worked in relief. Matthias has now pitched in all six games this season for the Hornets, entering the game in relief each time.