POCATELLO, Idaho -- Sacramento State nearly made a dramatic comeback, but fell just short in a 9-8 loss to Northern Colorado in the Big Sky Conference Tournament Friday morning.

The Hornets, who trailed, 6-0, after three innings, and 9-3 after six innings, recorded four runs and four hits in the seventh to cut the deficit to 9-8. However, a diving catch by Abby Ganoa with the potential tying runner aboard ended the game.

Sacramento State is now 2-1 at the double-elimination Big Sky Tournament, and will play later today against either Portland State or Weber State. Those two teams are playing right now, and the loser will be eliminated.  The winner will play the Hornets about 30 minutes after that game concludes.

Should the Hornets win this afternoon, they would advance to the Big Sky Tournament championship game tomorrow against Northern Colorado at 11 a.m. PT. However, the Hornets would need to beat Northern Colorado twice as the Bears have yet to lose a game.

Northern Colorado, the top seed at the tourney, improved to 2-0 at the four-day event, which included a mercy-rule victory over Weber State yesterday. The Hornets and Northern Colorado are now 2-2 against each other this season, as Sacramento State took two of three games during the regular season in Greeley.

After the Bears ripped off six runs over the first three innings, the Hornets scored three times in the fourth to cut the deficit to 6-3. However, Northern Colorado scored three times in the top of the fifth to reclaim a six-run advantage (9-3). The Hornets chipped away with a run in the sixth and four more in the seventh, but ultimately fell just short.

Of Sacramento State's 11 hits today, seven came from the combination of Andrea Lira (4-for-4, two runs, double, RBI) and Lewa Day (3-for-4, two doubles, home run, two RBIs). Lira, who went 4-for-4 yesterday as well, now has a hit in nine straight at-bats dating back to Wednesday's game vs. Montana. That is one shy of the Sacramento State record (Jamie Schloredt had 10 in 2008), and tied for the 16th longest streak in NCAA Div. I history.

Lira is batting .750 (9-for-12) with two doubles and four runs scored during the tournament, while Day is hitting .667 (8-for-12) with two homers and five RBIs.

Sacramento State's three runs in the fourth came via solo homer from Day, and two-run blast from Katie Marsh. The home run for Marsh was her second of the tournament as she hit a grand slam in yesterday's victory over host Idaho State.

The sixth inning run came via RBI-single from Alexis Parish scoring pinch runner Avery Brown. In the seventh, after outs were recorded the first two Hornets of the inning, Sacramento State would proceed to get five straight batters aboard. That included a single from Gwen Ludwig, RBI-double from Day, RBI-single from Lira, double from Alexis Parish, and Samantha Parish reached via error. That set the stage for Marsh, who came up with Parish on first base and two outs. She hit a blooper down the right field line that Northern Colorado's Abby Ganoa dove and made a snow cone catch to end the game.

The Hornets used three pitchers in today's contest, with Savannah Wahl enjoying the most success as she allowed just one hit and no runs with two strikeouts in the final 2.1 innings of the contest.