SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sophomore right-hander Celina Matthias threw a pair of shutouts and allowed just seven hits over 14.0 innings to lead Sacramento State to a doubleheader sweep of Southern Utah. The Hornets won the first game, 3-0, before taking the nightcap by a 7-0 score.

Today's doubleheader opened a three-game Big Sky Conference softball series between the two teams as the Hornets improved to 21-15 overall and 10-1 in the Big Sky. Sacramento State remains in first place in the Big Sky standings, and improved their lead to 2.0 games over second-place Weber State, which lost to Idaho State today by a 4-2 score. The Wildcats (7-2) and Bengals (6-2) will play a doubleheader tomorrow.

In addition, the Hornets improved their winning streak to a season-high six straight games, and now sit a season-best six games above the .500 mark. Sacramento State continues to play well at home as the team has a 9-2 record at Shea Stadium, including 5-0 against Big Sky opposition.

The Hornets and Thunderbirds (7-34, 3-8) wrap up their three-game series tomorrow for a single game at noon.

In today's doubleheader sweep, Matthias was nearly untouchable as she tossed a three-hit shutout in the first game and followed that with a four-hit shutout in the nightcap. The sophomore threw just 158 pitches in notching her four and fifth shutouts of the season. Six of the seven Southern Utah hits were singles and the Thunderbirds did not advance a runner past second base the entire afternoon. Due in large part to Matthias' economical afternoon, both games were played in a combined three hours and seven minutes.

Matthias has been nearly unhittable in conference play as she is now 7-0 with three saves and a 2.12 ERA against Big Sky opposition. Overall, she is 15-9 with five saves and a 2.82 ERA. The 15 wins are a career high and tied for the 10th most in Sacramento State's Div. I (1990-pres.) single-season history.

The Hornet offense was also clicking today, as the team combined for 10 runs and 17 hits while hitting .327 against three Southern Utah pitchers. In fact, all nine Sacramento State starters had at least one hit in the nightcap. Kortney Solis and Kailey Olcott both finished the day with three hits apiece while Sasha Margulies, Jessica Ravetti, Zamari Hinton and Sydney Rasmussen all had a pair of hits. Olcott finished the day with four RBIs, and, despite playing just 17 games this season, already has 15 RBIs (third most on the team).

GAME 1

The Hornets took advantage of four Southern Utah errors to score three unearned runs, more than enough run support for the dominant right arm of Matthias.

Sacramento State scored two times in the first inning via two hits and two Southern Utah errors, as a Ravetti RBI-fielders choice scored Rasmussen, and Olcott later followed with an RBI-bunt single which plated Hinton. The Hornets tacked on their final run in the sixth when, after Olcott led off the inning with a double, she would later come around to score on an fielding error by Thunderbird first baseman Chelsea Martinez.

Matthias was cruising along all game, retiring 10 batters in a row from the first through the fourth innings, and later retiring seven in a row. She allowed just three singles while walking one and striking out two over seven innings. Matthias needed just 85 pitches to notch the complete game victory while not allowing a hit until the fourth inning.

Southern Utah's Jordan Theurer (1-11) threw well, but was the tough luck losing pitcher after allowing just five hits and three unearned runs.

Olcott (2-for-3 with a run and an RBI) and Solis (2-for-3) were the only players from either team to finish with multiple-hit games.

GAME 2

Sacramento State scored twice in the first inning, three times in the second, and two more in the fourth inning to cruise to a comfortable 7-0 victory. The Hornets finished the game with 12 hits as all nine starters cracked the hit column.

Matthias had a one-hit shutout working through six innings, but allowed three hits in the seventh. A 5-4-3 double play turned by Olcott, Hinton and Ravetti helped to preserve the shutout. This time, Matthias needed just 73 pitches to complete the victory while facing just four batters over the minimum.

A Margulies RBI-single and Solis sacrifice fly accounted for the Hornets' runs in the first inning, and Sacramento State tacked on three more in the second on an RBI-groundout by Hinton and a two-run single from Olcott. A Ravetti RBI-double and an Olcott sacrifice fly accounted for Sacramento State's runs in the fourth inning.

Kirsten Hostetler (3-7) did not make it out of the second inning while picking up the loss. She allowed seven hits and five runs (two earned) over 1.2 innings. Hanna Wynn worked the final 4.1 innings, giving up five hits and two runs (one earned).

Rasmussen (2-for-4 with a run), Hinton (2-for-3 with two runs) and Ravetti (2-for-3 with an RBI) had multiple-hit games while Margulies scored a pair of runs and Olcott finished with three RBIs.

Margulies (13) and Solis (12) improved their lengthy consecutive games streak of reaching base safely via hit and/or walk.