SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Hornet senior Kayla Papez connected on a three-run homer in the seventh inning, highlighting a 4-2 win in the nightcap of Sacramento State's doubleheader split with Nevada on Wednesday afternoon at Hixson Park. In the opener, the Wolf Pack got out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh inning to win, 4-3.

Including a doubleheader split at Shea Stadium two weeks ago, the Hornets and Wolf Pack split their four games this season against each other. Sacramento State moved its record to 9-12 while Nevada is now 15-4. Two of the Wolf Pack's four losses have come to the Hornets.

The home run for Papez came with no outs in the top of the seventh inning and the Hornets trailing, 1-0. The round tripper was also the first of her career and couldn't have come at a better time. It proved to be the game-winning hit, and also marked the Hornets' first home run of the season, snapping a streak 532 at-bats without a homer. Papez's home run came on the first pitch she saw off starter Brooke Bolinger, and was preceded by a Kailey Olcott leadoff single (her first hit as a Hornet) and a Nevada error allowing Shelby Johnston to reach base.

Offensively, second baseman Zamari Hinton (5-for-7, two runs and a double) and designated player Sasha Margulies (4-for-7 with a double and two RBIs) had multiple-hit games in both contests. The Nos. 2 and 3 hitters combined for nine of the Hornets' 13 hits during the doubleheader. In addition, Hinton improved her hitting streak to a career-high nine games, and is batting a robust .516 (16-for-31) over that span.

GAME 2

Trailing, 1-0, and heading into the top of the seventh inning with just four hits, Sacramento State finally broke through on Bolinger. After the Papez home run, the Hornets would tack on an insurance run when Hinton had a two-out, bunt single which was followed by an RBI-double from Margulies.

That additional run proved helpful as there were some tense moments in the bottom of the seventh. Aaliyah Gibson led off the inning for Nevada with a home run. Starting pitcher Taylor Tessier was then pulled in favor of Celina Matthias, who was making her 10th relief appearance of the season. Matthias hit a batter and allowed a single with two outs, but eventually got Melissa Arriaga to line out and end the game.

Tessier (1-0) picked up her first win in a Sacramento State uniform. The Cabrillo College transfer threw six-plus innings, allowing just five hits and two runs. The save for Matthias was her second of the season, and came after throwing a complete game in today's opener.

Leading off the top of the seventh with a single was midyear transfer Kailey Olcott, who made her Sacramento State debut today. Hinton finished the game 2-for-4 with a run while Margulies was 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI.

Bolinger (6-2), who earned the win in the doubleheader split in Sacramento a couple weeks back, allowed eight hits and four runs (two earned) while walking one and striking out six over seven innings.

GAME 1

After trailing early by a 2-0 score, the Hornets scored three unanswered runs to take a brief 3-2 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Nevada retook the lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth and held off a late Sacramento State rally that included the Hornets loading the bases with two outs in the seventh inning.

The Wolf Pack took the early lead with a two-run homer from Megan Sweet in the first inning against Matthias.

Sacramento State was able to tie the game in the third inning after scoring two runs with just one hit. Walks to Papez and Sydney Rasmussen followed by a Hinton single loaded the bases with one out. Margulies followed with a ground ball to first baseman Jennifer Purcell that she errantly threw home allowing Papez to score. Jessica Ravetti followed with a ground ball that allowed Rasmussen to score.

The Hornets took their first lead in the fifth inning after Margulies lined a two-out single to center field which allowed Hinton to score from second base.

Nevada, however, got three straight hits to open the bottom of the fifth, including consecutive RBI-doubles from Sweet and Jasmine Jenkins to take a 4-3 lead.

With two outs and a runner aboard in the seventh inning, Hinton and Margulies had consecutive singles to load the bases, but Nevada starter McKenna Isenberg got Ravetti to ground a 1-1 pitch to third base and end the game.

Hinton (3-for-3 with a run) and Margulies (2-for-4 with an RBI) combined for all five of Sacramento State's hits. Matthias (6-8) took the loss, allowing 10 hits and four runs with one walk and three strikeouts in six innings. After getting the loss to the Hornets earlier this year in which she did not get out of the fourth inning, Isenberg (6-2) picked up the win today, yielding five hits and three runs (one earned) in seven innings.

Sacramento State returns to action next week for four home games, beginning on Wednesday against Iona at noon, followed by the team's Big Sky Conference opener against North Dakota. The Hornets and Fighting Hawks will play a three-game series, beginning with a doubleheader on Friday at noon followed by a single game on Saturday at noon.