SACRAMENTO --
Lewa Day smashed three home runs and combined for seven RBIs to lead Sacramento State to a doubleheader sweep of Montana on Friday afternoon at Shea Stadium.
Both games ended in walkoff fashion, as Day hit a three-run homer for a mercy rule 9-0 victory (five innings) in Game 1, and
Alexis Parish's one-out, two-run double in the seventh delivered a 5-4 win in the nightcap.
Day hit a pair of home runs in the first game, and one more in the second. She had not played a full game each of the last seven contests because of injury, and came back with a vengeance today, finishing 4-for-5 with five runs, three intentional walks, three homers, seven RBIs and a massive 2.600 slugging percentage. In the process, Day set the Big Sky Conference record as her total of 59 career home runs surpassed the previous mark of 58, set by Idaho State's Vicky Galasso (58 from 2013-15).
Day had two-run homers in the first inning of both games, and, after her third blast of the day to give the Hornets a 2-0 lead in Game 2, Montana intentionally walked her each of her final three at-bats.
Sacramento State improved to 25-18 overall and 6-4 in the Big Sky Conference. The Hornets close the regular season tomorrow by playing the finale of their three-game set with Montana at noon. Prior to the game, approximately 11:40 a.m., Sacramento State will honor its 10 seniors.
The Hornets combined for 18 hits today, batting .383 (18-for-47) with four doubles, four home runs, 14 walks, a .532 on-base percentage and 12 RBIs.
Andrea Lira, a sophomore transfer from Nevada, hit her first collegiate home run in Game 2, a solo shot that put the Hornets up, 3-0, in the second inning.
There was plenty of drama in the second game, as the Hornets entered the seventh inning trailing, 4-3.
Malissa George led off the frame with an infield single, and Day was intentionally walked.
Caroline Evans then laid down a sacrifice bunt to get the runners to second and third with one out. That set up Parish, who is currently batting a team-best .389. The senior came through with a double to deep center field that easily scored George and Day with the winning runs.
After the Hornets had jumped out to a 3-0 lead, Montana scored four unanswered (including a three-run fifth) to take a 4-3 lead. Sacramento State was held scoreless four straight innings until the Parish walkoff. Left-hander
Savannah Wahl (5-6) came up huge in relief, allowing just one hit and no runs with three strikeouts over the final three innings.
In the first game, Sacramento State had nine runs and 13 hits over five innings while
Marissa Bertuccio (12-7) tossed a two-hit shutout. She faced just one batter over the minimum while striking out a pair and throwing just 71 pitches. In the process, the two-time Big Sky Pitcher of the Year lowered her ERA to 1.86. Opponents are hitting just .218 when she's in the circle.
Day, Lira and
Gwen Ludwig each had three hits apiece. Lira was 3-for-3 with two doubles and a pair of RBIs. Lira had a monster day, finishing the doubleheader 4-for-6 with two runs, two doubles, a homer and three RBIs.
Day (5), George (3) and Lira (2) combined to score 10 of the Hornets' 14 runs this afternoon.
