RENO, Nev. -- Despite a brilliant performance from Sacramento State right-hander
Marissa Bertuccio, Nevada swept a doubleheader from the Hornets at Hixson Park. Nevada won the first game, 2-0, before taking the nightcap by an 11-3 score.
Nevada, which boasts the sixth best offense in the nation, improved to 34-11 this season. Sacramento State, which was playing its final non-conference games of the regular season, dropped to 22-16.
The Hornets (22-16, 3-2) will now shift their attention to the final two weeks of Big Sky Conference play, which includes a three-game series this Friday-Saturday at Weber State.
Slugger
Lewa Day, one of the Hornets' most prolific hitters in program history, did not play in either game today while nursing an injury.
Bertuccio was a bright spot in Game 1, tossing her 14th complete game of the season while limiting Nevada's high-powered offense to just five hits and two runs with zero walks and five strikeouts. In fact, the Wolf Pack were limited to two runs or less for the first time in 16 games. The Wolf Pack entered the game ranked among the nation's top 10 teams in five categories, including sixth in batting average (.356) and seventh in runs scored per game (7.2).
Unfortunately for the Hornets, Sacramento State could not generate any run support for Bertuccio. Nevada pitcher Carley Brown threw a two-hit shutout with seven strikeouts. The only hits generated were singles from
Malissa George in the fifth inning, and
Nikki Barboza in the sixth.
Nevada scored a single run in the third inning, and once more in the sixth.
In Game 2, Sacramento State scored three times in the top of the second. Both runs came with two outs, and included a two-run single from
Katie Marsh, and RBI-single from
Kennedy Echols. That allowed the Hornets to take a brief 3-1 lead.
Nevada, however, would score once in the second, eight times in the third, and once in the fifth to end the game via mercy rule. Three Hornet pitchers threw in the game, comprised of
Caroline Evans,
Savannah Wahl and
Keeli Smith.
March, Echols, Barboza and
Alexis Parish accounted for the Hornets' four hits. Barboza had a double in the second inning, and was the lone Hornet to hit safely in both contests.
This week's three-game series in Ogden at Weber State will see the Hornets play a doubleheader Friday at noon PT, followed by a single game Saturday at 11 a.m. PT.
