SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Playing its final non-conference game of the season, Sacramento State posted nine runs and eight hits in a five-inning, mercy rule shortened 9-0 victory over Santa Clara on Tuesday afternoon at Shea Stadium.

The Hornets improved to a season-high four games above the .500 mark (19-15) while also improving to 7-2 at home. In addition, Sacramento State beat a Santa Clara team (7-31) that had just taken two of three games against Pacific over the weekend.

Hornet right-hander Celina Matthias was impressive again, tossing a four-hit shutout while issuing no walks and striking out eight batters. All four Santa Clara hits were singles, and she needed just 81 pitches while facing four batters over the minimum. She won her career-high 13th game while improving to 13-9 with a 3.11 ERA.

Eight of the Hornets' nine starters reached base via hit or walk, and six different players had hits. That included Sasha Margulies and Zamari Hinton, who both went 2-for-3. Hinton scored a pair of runs and had an RBI while Margulies had a run scored and an RBI.

All nine of Sacramento State's runs were scored after two outs had been recorded. That included an eight-run fourth inning when the Hornets sent 14 batters to the plate. In addition, all nine runs were unearned as Santa Clara made three crucial errors.

It that fourth inning, with a runner at third base and two outs, Santa Clara second baseman Geenamarie Bonilla booted a ball which would have been the third out and ended the inning with the Hornets leading, 1-0. However, Sacramento State took advantage, sending 10 consecutive batters to the plate before the last out was finally recorded.

Some of the scoring in the fourth included an RBI-double from Sydney Rasmussen, RBI-singles from Hinton, Margulies and Jessica Ravetti, a wild pitch allowing Margulies to score, a bases loaded walk issued to Kayla Papez, a Shelby Johnston RBI-single and finally an error allowing Kortney Solis to score.

The Hornets scored their first run on a Ravetti sacrifice fly in the first inning that was set up by another Santa Clara error.

Sacramento State's Nos. 1-6 hitters Rasmussen (1), Hinton (2), Margulies (1), Ravetti (1), Olcott (1) and Solis (2) all scored at least one run, and combined to score eight of the team's nine runs.

Santa Clara's McCall James (3-16) got the loss, allowing seven hits and seven unearned runs over 3.2 innings of work.

Margulies (11) and Solis (10) extended their lengthy streaks of consecutive games reaching base safely via hit and/or walk. In addition, Ravetti now has a five-game hitting streak while Olcott and Rasmussen extended their hitting streaks to four games.

The Hornets will now jump back into Big Sky Conference play for a three-game home series against Southern Utah later this week. The Hornets and Thunderbirds will play a doubleheader on Friday at noon, followed by a single game on Saturday at noon. Sacramento State, currently in first place in the Big Sky standings with an 8-1 league record, will play each of its final 12 regular season games against conference competition.

NOTES -- Prior to the game, Director of Facilities and Operations Steve Tebbs threw out the ceremonial first pitch in honor of his 17 years of dedication to Sacramento State Athletics.