GREELEY, Colo. -- Sacramento State received multiple-hit games from Haley Hanson and Alexis Parish, but it was not enough in the Hornets' 3-1 loss at Northern Colorado in the series finale Saturday afternoon.

Despite the loss, the Hornets (21-13, 2-1) won two of three games from Northern Colorado (16-19, 1-2), which included a doubleheader sweep yesterday. The three-game set was the Big Sky Conference opening games for both teams.

Northern Colorado, the defending Big Sky Tournament champions, was picked to finish second in the league in the Big Sky preseason poll while the Hornets were selected third.

During the three-game series, the Hornets' pitching staff allowed just five earned runs with 21 strikeouts in 20.0 innings (1.75 ERA). Leading the way was Marissa Bertuccio who threw a two-hit shutout yesterday. Offensively, Parish was 7-for-10 during the series while Malissa George was 2-for-2, including a dramatic pinch hit grand slam in the sixth inning of yesterday's nightcap victory.

In today's game, Erin Caviness threw her second complete game in as many days against the Hornets, allowing seven hits and one run with zero walks and six strikeouts. Sacramento State had at least one hit in every inning (seven total) except the fourth, but stranded six runners on base.

Northern Colorado held a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning, but Caroline Evans' solo homer over the right-center field fence tied things at 1-1. It was Evans' first home run of the season, and the only player not named Lewa Day or Malissa George to homer for Sacramento State this year.

However, Northern Colorado immediately responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to claim a 3-1 lead. Two of the Bears' three runs against Hornet starter Savannah Wahl were unearned, as Wahl worked the first four-plus innings. The Hornets put two runners aboard in the sixth and one in the seventh, but could not score.

Wahl (4-5) took the loss, allowing six hits and three runs (one earned) in four-plus innings. Bertuccio worked two innings in relief, allowing just a hit while striking out three. Caviness (9-6), who lost a duel to Bertuccio yesterday by a 1-0 score, needed just 95 pitches for her complete-game victory. Bertuccio and Caviness are the top two pitchers in the Big Sky.

Parish, who was 2-for-3, is now batting .430 this season. The Sacramento State Div. I era single-season record is .434, set by Lindy Winkler in 2006. Winkler was a second team All-American that season. Hanson, who was 2-for-4 today, now has a nine-game hitting streak - the longest by a Hornet this season. During the streak, she is batting .567 (17-for-30) with six runs and five steals.

Sacramento State will now turn its attention to a three-game road series at Idaho State (April 5-6). ISU was selected to finish first in the Big Sky preseason poll, and shared last year's regular season championship with the Hornets.