Big Sky Conference standings

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento State's offense combined for 18 runs and 18 hits, and right-hander Celina Matthias had a win and a save as the Hornets swept Portland State in a Big Sky Conference doubleheader on Friday afternoon at Shea Stadium. The Hornets won the opener, 10-2, in six innings, followed by an 8-5 victory in the nightcap.

Sacramento State improved to 25-20 overall, 14-6 in the Big Sky and 12-2 at home. That includes an 8-0 record at Shea Stadium against Big Sky opposition. These same two teams will meet in the finale of their three-game series tomorrow at noon. The game will mark the final regular season contest for both teams.

The Hornets also got help today from Montana, which swept Weber State in a doubleheader. That included the Grizzlies erasing a 4-2 deficit with three seventh-inning runs to win the nightcap, 5-4. Should Sacramento State beat Portland State tomorrow and see Weber State (14-5 in league) lose again to Montana, the Hornets would win the Big Sky's regular season title and host the six-team, double-elimination Big Sky Tournament on May 12-14.

With the losses, Portland State dropped to 14-32 overall and 7-13 in the Big Sky. Sacramento State is now 45-20 all-time against Portland State, and has won eight straight games against the Vikings. That eight-game winning streak is the longest against Portland State since the two teams began playing each other in 1979.

The Hornets' offense combined to hit .340 with 18 runs, 18 hits, 15 RBIs and a .444 on-base percentage. Sacramento State scored at least one run in eight different innings during the doubleheader, and nine different Hornets scored at least one run.

Matthias was her usual self, factoring large into both wins. The sophomore went 1-0 with a save an a 0.00 ERA, limiting Portland State to just seven hits and two unearned runs with seven strikeouts in 9.0 innings. She picked up the complete game win in the opener and pitched three shutout innings in the nightcap to notch her sixth save of the season. In addition, Matthias improved her record to 18-12 this season, and the 18 victories are the most by a Hornet pitcher since three-time All-American Susie Bugliarello had 21 victories in 1997.

Senior Sasha Margulies had hits in four consecutive at-bats today, and lifted her season batting average to .403. In addition, junior Kailey Olcott finished with three hits, four runs scored, a home run and three RBIs. Zamari Hinton had three hits and three runs scored, and both Shelby Johnston and Kortney Solis had a pair of hits. Solis went 0-for-4 in the first game, which ended her career-high 10-game hitting streak.

GAME 1

The Hornets scored in every inning but the first, posting single runs in the second, third, fifth and sixth, and scoring six times in the fourth. In that fourth inning, which extended the Hornets' lead to 8-0, Sacramento State sent 10 batters to the plate while posting five hits.

The Hornets opened the scoring in the second inning after Kayla Papez laced a two-out, RBI-double to left field which allowed Olcott to score all the way from first base. Sacramento State received another two-out RBI in the third when Margulies singled home Natalie Alas from third base.

In the fourth inning, the Hornets scored six times on five hits, highlighted by an RBI-single from Olcott, a two-run single from Sydney Rasmussen, and back-to-back RBI-singles from Hinton and Margulies. Sacramento State also had the help of two Portland State errors in the inning.

After the Vikings scored twice in the top of the fifth to cut their deficit to 8-2, Sacramento State scored once in the bottom of the fifth after Alas scored on a wild pitch. The Hornets then scored a run in the sixth inning to invoke the eight-run mercy rule after a bases loaded ground ball from Olcott allowed Hinton to score the winning run from third base.

Matthias got the win, allowing five hits and two unearned runs while walking two and striking out five over six innings. Portland State's Meagan Hendrix (4-11) took the loss, allowing four hits and three runs before being replaced after giving up a leadoff double to Ravetti in the fourth inning. The Hornets also had their way against Portland State reliever Kristen Crawford, who allowed six hits and seven runs (six earned) in 2.2 innings.

Margulies finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBIs while Olcott went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBIs. Both Hinton and Alas scored twice. Seven of Sacramento State's nine starters had hits.

GAME 2

Sacramento State pounced on Portland State starter Karyn Wright for seven runs during the first two innings to take a commanding 7-1 lead. After the Vikings cut the deficit to 8-5 with three runs in the fourth inning, Matthias closed the deal by pitching three shutout innings to pick up her sixth save of the season. The six saves are tied for the most by a Sacramento State pitcher during the Div. I era (1990-pres.) as Matthias joins Brittani Clifford who had six saves during the 2008 season.

Both teams had a pair of errors, and there was a combined eight unearned runs in the game as four of the five runs against Sacramento State starter Savanna Corr were unearned.

After Portland State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, Sacramento State tied the score at 1-1 with a two-out, RBI-double from Solis which scored Margulies. Sacramento State then sent 12 batters to the plate while scoring six times in the second inning. The big blows in the frame were a leadoff home run by Olcott (her team-high tying fourth of the season), a two-run single from Hinton, a two-run double by Solis and a bases-loaded walk to Papez.

The Hornets took an 8-2 lead in the third inning after a throwing error allowed Rasmussen to score all the way from first base on an infield single by Hinton. The Vikings got a two-out, three-run double from Ashley Smith in the fourth inning to score three unearned runs, but the Vikings would get no closer than within 8-5 of the Hornet lead the rest of the way.

Matthias set down the side in order in the fifth and sixth innings, and, after the Vikings put runners at first and second with one out in the seventh, Hornet catcher Nikki Gialketsis made a huge play, throwing out Smith who was trying to steal third base. Matthias then struck out Brianna Celaya to end the game. Gialketsis had just entered the contest in the seventh inning as a defensive replacement at catcher.

The Hornets got a scare when shortstop Rasmussen and second baseman Hinton collided while both diving for a Smith single up the middle in the seventh inning. Rasmussen remained in the game while Hinton had to leave because of injury.

Corr (4-3) picked up the win for the Hornets, allowing five runs (only one earned) and seven hits through four innings. Wright (5-9) got the loss for Portland State.

Hinton (2-for-4 with two RBIs), Solis (2-for-3 with three RBIs) and Johnston (2-for-3 with a run scored) all had multiple-hit games for the Hornets. Seven different Sacramento State players scored at least one run in the contest.