POCATELLO, Idaho — Eight different Hornets had hits, and sophomore right-hander Celina Matthias notched her 17th win, as Sacramento State defeated Idaho State, 10-1, in the final game of a three-game series at Idaho State on Saturday afternoon at Miller Ranch Stadium.

The two teams had to endure a one-hour lightening/rain delay before the start of their game, but the Hornets provided the majority of the thunder after that. Sacramento State pounded out 10 runs and 13 hits in a mercy-rule shortened game that ended after six innings. Five different Sacramento State players had multiple-hit games, including senior Sasha Margulies who went 2-for-4 and homered in her second consecutive game.

The Hornets put up crooked numbers in the first, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, capped off by a four-run sixth that gave the Hornets a 10-0 lead at the time. Meanwhile, Matthias, once again, was impressive in the circle. The sophomore right-hander allowed just one run and five hits over six innings, and improved her record to 17-10 with a 2.74 ERA. The 17 wins are the most by a Hornet hurler since Kelly Lovato had 17 victories during the 1999 season. In addition, Matthias' 17 wins are tied for sixth best single-season mark in Sacramento State Div. I era (1990-pres.).

Today's win also avenged a pair of losses the Hornets suffered at Idaho State (21-20, 8-5) yesterday to start the series.

Most important, the Hornets (23-17, 12-3) were able to remain in first place in the Big Sky Conference standings, a half game ahead of second-place Weber State (11-3). Sacramento State, which has just six games remaining in the regular season, will play a three-game series at Weber State next week. That series could go a long way to deciding who wins the Big Sky's regular season championship and hosts the Big Sky Tournament on May 12-14.

In today's victory, five different Hornets had multiple-hit games, including Margulies (2-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs), Zamari Hinton (2-for-4 with two doubles and a run), Kortney Solis (2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs), Shelby Johnston (2-for-3 with a run, stolen base, double and two RBIs) and Natalie Alas (2-for-3 with two runs, a triple and an RBI). Johnston is now 7-for-8 in stolen base attempts this year and 15-for-17 during her career.

The Hornets got on the board in the top of the first inning when, after Zamari Hinton doubled to left field, Margulies followed with a two-blast that gave Sacramento State a 2-0 advantage and proved to be the game-winning hit. The home run for Margulies was her team-high fourth of the season, and the third-year senior improved her batting average to a team-best .403.

Solis connected on her first home run of the season in the fourth inning, a two-run shot that scored Kailey Olcott and gave Sacramento State a 4-0 lead. The Hornets tacked on two more in the fifth on an RBI-triple from Alas scoring Johnston, and a Sydney Rasmussen ground ball which allowed Alas to score. The triple for Alas was her first of the season, and the team's seventh of the year.

Sacramento State poured it on in a sixth inning which saw the team score four times on six hits. In fact, the first six batters of the inning reached via double, single or hit-by-pitch, including an RBI-double from Kayla Papez and a two-run double from Johnston. The Hornets tacked on their final run on a Jessica Ravetti RBI-single that scored Alas.

That was more than enough run support for Matthias, who allowed just two hits through the first five innings. Idaho State did score a run on three hits in the sixth, but Matthias was able to improve her record to 17-10 with a 2.74 ERA. That includes a 9-1 record against Big Sky opposition and a 2.14 ERA.

Solis, who leads the team with a .444 batting average against Big Sky opposition, improved her hitting streak to seven games. In addition, Margulies (17) and Solis (16) both improved their lengthy streaks of reaching base safely via hit and/or walk.

Sacramento State and Weber State's three-game series next week in Ogden, Utah, includes a single game on Friday at 3 p.m. PDT, and a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 11 a.m. PDT.