STOCKTON, Calif. --
Andrea Lira had three hits, including a two-run homer, and
Madison Evers-Lyles added two hits and an RBI to lead Sacramento State to a 5-3 road win at Pacific on Wednesday afternoon at Bill Simoni Field.
The Hornets, playing their best ball of the season, have won five straight and eight of the last nine. Sacramento State improved to 20-18 overall, and has momentum going into a big three-game Big Sky Conference home series later this week vs. Weber State.
The Hornets have lost just once this month, and that was a narrow 4-3 defeat at Portland State.
In today's game, the Hornets never trailed, scoring twice in the first inning, highlighted by an RBI-single from
Katie Marsh. Pacific, however scored twice in the bottom half to tie things at 2-2. Neither team scored the next three innings as Hornet freshman right-hander
Kyndal Williams settled in nicely in the circle.
Sacramento State took the lead for good in the fifth when Lira launched her team-best eighth home run of the season, a two-run opposite field shot. After Pacific scored once in the bottom half to inch within, 4-3, Sacramento State picked up a huge insurance run in the seventh when Evers-Lyles' bunt single easily scored
Gwen Ludwig from third base.
Williams (1-0), a true freshman from Gilbert, Ariz., earned her first collegiate win. She threw five innings, allowing six hits and three runs without a walk.
Alexa Ortiz picked up her fourth save, yielding just one hit with two strikeouts in two innings. The four saves are two shy of the school record of six, set by both Celina Matthias (2016) and Brittani Clifford (2008).
Lira was not retired in four at-bats, going 3-for-3 with two runs, a walk, homer and two RBIs. She is now batting a team-best .382. Evers-Lyles, a true freshman, lifted her average to .370 after finishing 2-for-4 with a run and RBI.
Lafulafu Malepeai and Marsh accounted for the other knocks in the Hornets' seven-hit attack.
Sacramento State has now gone three straight games without an error, its longest stretch of the season.
The Hornets' three-game home series vs. Weber State includes a Friday doubleheader at noon, followed by a Saturday game at noon. Sacramento State currently sits all alone in second place in the Big Sky standings with a 6-3 conference record. Idaho State is first at 8-1, and Weber State third at 5-4. Only six games remain in the conference season.
