GREELEY, Colo. - After being limited to no runs and three hits in Game 1, the Hornets pounded out 10 runs and 12 hits in the nightcap to split a Big Sky Conference doubleheader at Northern Colorado on Friday afternoon, The Hornets lost the first game, 3-0, before taking the nightcap by a 10-7 outcome.

The split moved Sacramento State's record to 21-18 overall and 5-3 in the Big Sky, while Northern Colorado is now 16-22 and 5-3 in league. The Bears were playing their first conference home games of the season.

One game after being shut out for just the third time all season, Sacramento State put up crooked numbers in four separate innings in Game 2 while seven Hornets had hits. That included three-hit games from true freshmen Nikki Barboza and Gwen Ludwig. For Barboza, she increased her hitting streak to a season-best six games, which includes four multiple-hit games over that span.

Barboza finished the day 4-for-6 with two runs, a stolen base and two RBIs. Ludwig finished the day 3-for-5 with two runs, a double and an RBI. Alondra Mejia, Carley Morfey and Samantha Parish each collected two hits. Barboza, Parish and Mejia were the only Hornets to hit safely in both games. Mejia had a double and a home run in the Game 2 victory.

Sacramento State used four of its five pitchers in today's doubleheader, including staff ace Marissa Bertuccio who was effective in the opener, but took the loss. Bertuccio (14-6) allowed seven hits and three runs (two earned) with a walk and five strikeouts over six innings. Northern Colorado's Meghan Golden, however, allowed just three hits with a walk and seven strikeouts over seven innings. She improved to 11-6 and faced just four batters over the minimum.

The Hornets never trailed in the nightcap, opening up a 6-0 lead after the top of the third inning. Sacramento State scored four times in the second inning, and two each in the third, fourth and fifth frames. Highlights included an RBI-double from Mejia and two-run single from Barboza in the first, a two-run homer from Mejia in the third, a two-run single from Morfey in the fourth, and RBI-double from Ludwig and RBI-triple from Milan Machado-Buckley in the fifth.

Sacramento State used four pitchers in the game, and Lexie Webb (5-8) got the win in relief. Bertuccio got the final out of the game to earn her second save of the season.

The Hornets and Bears will conclude their three-game series tomorrow at 11 a.m. PDT. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.