Box Score OGDEN, Utah -- Sacramento State scored 10 times, including four in the seventh inning, but fell just short in a 12-10 loss to Northern Colorado in the second round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament at Wildcat Field.
The four-day, double-elimination tournament began yesterday, and the Hornets-Bears were the fourth game of the day. However, the game was halted entering the sixth inning because of darkness and was resumed this morning.
The two teams combined for 22 runs and 28 hits, as Sacramento State lost for the first time this season when scoring at least six runs (had been 14-0). In addition, this marked the first time in the program's Div. I era (1990-pres.) the Hornets lost a game when scoring double digits in runs.
Sacramento State (27-19) will play later today at 1:30 p.m. PT in an elimination game vs. tournament host Weber State. The winning team will play tomorrow at noon PT, and the losing team will be eliminated.
Today's game featured four lead changes, and Sacramento State entered the seventh inning trailing, 12-6. The Hornets mounted a furious comeback with four runs and four hits in the inning, including a two-run single from
Katie Marsh which inched the Hornets to within, 12-10. That brought the tying run to the plate, but Northern Colorado pitcher Isabelle DiNapoli tallied a strikeout to end the game.
All but one Sacramento State starter had at least one hit, including multiple-hit games from Marsh (3),
Jada Walker (2),
Gwen Ludwig (2),
Caroline Evans (2) and
Lewa Day (2). Evans finished 2-for-4 with a run, homer and three RBIs. Marsh had a pair of RBIs, and Walker, Ludwig, Day and
Samantha Parish finished with an RBI.
The Hornets used three pitchers in the game -
Marissa Bertuccio (4.0 IP), Evans (1.2 IP) and
Savannah Wahl (1.1 IP). Sacramento State scored runs in every inning, but the fifth and the sixth.
The Bears (23-20) put up crooked numbers in the second (3), third (2), fifth (3) and sixth (4) innings. Northern Colorado's No. 5 hitter Alexsi Barashkoff finished 4-for-4 with three runs, and three RBIs.
Sacramento State is the No. 2 seed and received a first round bye after sharing the Big Sky's regular season championship with Idaho State. Northern Colorado is the No. 3 seed.
