POCATELLO, Idaho — Idaho State combined for 12 runs and 16 hits over two games on the way to a sweep of Sacramento State in a Big Sky Conference softball doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Miller Ranch Stadium. The Bengals erased a four-run deficit to win the first game by a 7-4 score before winning the nightcap, 5-3.

The first game saw the Bengals erase a four-run deficit with two runs in the sixth inning and five more in the seventh. Maddy Hickman highlighted the seventh inning by connecting on a two-out, three-run walkoff home run. The Bengals scored seven runs off Sacramento State starter Celina Matthias, who had thrown shutouts in each of her last four starts. In fact, Matthias had thrown 34.0 consecutive scoreless innings after holding Idaho State scoreless the first five innings of the game. That streak was the second longest in Sacramento State's Div. I era (1990-pres.), trailing only three-time All-American Susie Bugliarello's 37-inning scoreless streak in 1995.

In addition, Matthias (16-10) had won eight straight starts until today's loss. It marked her first loss since March 30 at Cal.

Sacramento State (22-17, 11-3) had its seven-game winning streak snapped, and the Hornets are now just 2-5 all-time when playing the Bengals in Pocatello. The Hornets also had a four-game road winning streak snapped and a seven-game winning streak against Big Sky opposition halted.

Fortunately, the Hornets got a little help today from North Dakota, which split a doubleheader with Weber State. In what appears to be a three-team battle for the Big Sky's regular season title and the right to host the conference tournament May 12-14, Sacramento State (11-3) remains in first place, but Weber State (10-3) and Idaho State (8-4) are right behind. The Hornets have just seven games left on the regular season schedule, including the finale of the three-game series with Idaho State tomorrow at noon PDT.

The Bengals, who entered the game as the nation's 20th best hitting team with a .327 batting average, improved to 21-19 overall, 8-4 in the Big Sky and 6-2 at home. It was the Hornets that eliminated Idaho State from the Big Sky Tournament last season in Pocatello.

Sacramento State's pitching staff, which entered today's games with a 3.21 team ERA, was touched up for 16 hits, including three home runs, 10 RBIs, 28 total bases and a .560 slugging percentage. Hickman hit two of those home runs and finished with five RBIs. Five different ISU starters finished the day with two or more hits. Kacie Burnett went 5-for-7 with four runs and three stolen bases.

Offensively, the Hornets had seven runs and 17 hits, but finished with just five RBIs. Zamari Hinton went 4-for-7 while Kortney Solis and Jessica Ravetti each had three hits.

GAME 1

Sacramento State was cruising along with a 4-0 lead through five innings, and things looked good with Matthias in the circle. However, Idaho State began chipping away with two runs in the sixth before the big five-run seventh inning.

The Hornets scored twice in the first inning when an Idaho State error allowed Hinton to score from third base and Kailey Olcott later singled home Sasha Margulies from third. Sacramento State added runs in the fourth (RBI-single from Hinton) and fifth (RBI-double from Kayla Papez) to take a 4-0 lead.

Although the Hornets had four runs through five innings, the team had multiple opportunities to score more runs throughout the game. In fact, Sacramento State finished the game with 12 hits, stranded 11 runners on base and had hits in every inning of the contest. The Hornets stranded two runners aboard in the third, fourth, sixth and seventh innings.

Idaho State had just three hits through the first five innings against Matthias, but the Bengals were finally able to break through with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth. In the seventh inning, Dara Kolar walked and Sarah Hayes laid down a bunt single to open the inning. After Matthias retired Michaela Taylor for the first out, a ground ball from Katelyn Marquez got by third baseman Olcott for an error allowing pinch runner Kaitlyn Spohrer to score, and ISU had runners at second and third. A Burnett RBI-single scored Hayes and tied the game before Hickman followed by lining a 2-2 pitch over the right field wall for a three-run homer.

Matthias (16-10) got the loss, allowing eight hits and seven runs (five earned) over 6.1 innings. Bailey Foster (3-0), who held the Hornets scoreless over the final two innings, earned the victory in relief.

Hinton finished the game 3-for-4 with a run and an RBI while Ravetti (2-for-4 with a run), Solis (2-for-4) and Shelby Johnston (2-for-3 with a run) also had multiple-hit games for the Hornets.

GAME 2

All of the second game's scoring came during the first three innings as Sacramento State scored single runs in the first, second and third while Idaho State scored twice in the first and third, and once in the second.

The Bengals' Ashlyn Ames (9-10) limited the Hornets to no runs and three hits over the final four innings to pick up her ninth victory of the season. Sacramento State caught a break in the first inning when an illegal pitch allowed Margulies to score from third. Idaho State immediately responded with a two-run homer from Hickman in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead.

The Hornets tied things at 2-2 in the top of the second after Natalie Alas' RBI-single drove home Solis. After the Bengals took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second on an infield RBI-single by Hayes, the Hornets got a home run from Margulies to tie at 3-3 in the top of the third. The round tripper for Margulies was her team-high tying third of the season and was a shot to right center field.

Idaho State scored what proved to be the game-winning runs in the bottom of the third after a wild pitch allowed the first run to score followed by a solo home run from Ames.

Sacramento State's last threat came in the sixth inning when the Hornets had runners at first and second with one out, but Ames retired Papez and Johnston to escape the jam. In fact, Ames set down 12 of the final 15 batters she faced spanning the final four innings.

Hornet left-hander Kaitlyn Yerby (1-4) took the loss as she lasted just 2.2 innings. Reliever Savanna Corr was effective, allowing just two hits and no runs over the final 3.1 innings.

Sacramento State finished the game with five hits, tied for the team's lowest output in the last 14 games.

Solis hit safely in both games and extended her hitting streak to six games while Margulies (16) and Solis (15) extended their lengthy consecutive game streaks of reaching base safely via hit and/or walk.