POCATELLO, Idaho -- Ava Medellin and Lafulafu Malepeai each had two-out, RBI-singles in the eighth inning to help Sacramento State to a huge 8-7 extra-inning win at Idaho State on Saturday.

The Hornets (27-17, 6-6) were able to salvage the three-game series with a win this afternoon after dropping a pair to Idaho State (32-17, 8-4) yesterday. With just three Big Sky Conference games remaining in the regular season, Idaho State (8-4) sits in a two-way tie for first place with Montana (8-4). Sacramento State sits in fourth with a 6-6 record, and will host Portland State (3-8) next week at home.

The top two teams in the six-member conference receive a first round bye at the Big Sky Tournament (May 4-7 in Pocatello), making today's win extremely important for the Hornets if they want a shot at the all-important bye. 

Sacramento State jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning of today's game, which included back-to-back home runs from Madi Mendoza (2-run shot) and Madison Evers-Lyles (solo bomb). The home run was the ninth of the season for Evers-Lyles, and the Hornets led, 3-0, just three batters into the game. Sacramento State was not done as later in the inning, Faith Epperson added an RBI-single and Lafulafu Malepeai a two-run single to give the team a 6-0 lead.

Idaho State and its potent offense scored a run in the third, two in the fifth and three more in the sixth to tie things at 6-6. In the fourth inning, Hornet center fielder Saskia Raab went over the fence to rob Alyssa Yee of what would have been a two-run homer.

With the score still tied, 6-6, in the eighth inning, runners at second and third and two outs, Medellin and Malepeai had clutch RBI-singles to increase the Hornet lead to 8-6. Idaho State had an opportunity to win in the bottom of the eighth, scoring once and loading the bases with one out. However, Hornet starter Kennedie Bacon got back-to-back strikeouts of Olivia Robison and Jaden Moore to end the game. Bacon (9-6) threw a complete game, striking out nine batters over eight innings.

Malepeai (3-for-4 with three RBIs), Evers-Lyles (2-for-4 with an RBI) and Erin Garcia (2-for-4) each had multiple-hit games for the Hornets as Sacramento State outhit Idaho State, 12-10. Eight of the Hornets' nine batters in the lineup had at least one hit, as the team's top three batters of Malepeai, Mendoza and Evers-Lyles combined to go 6-for-14 with three runs, two homers and six RBIs.

Mendoza improved her hitting streak to six games and is one of five Hornets with healthy batting averages against Big Sky opposition. That includes Malepeai (.465), Epperson (.409), Evers-Lyles (.405), Mendoza (.385) and Raab (.342).

Sacramento State will play a non-league game Tuesday at Pacific (4 p.m.) before jumping back into Big Sky play with a home three-game series vs. Portland State. The Hornets and Vikings will play a doubleheader on Friday at noon, followed by a Saturday game at noon. Prior to Saturday's game, Hornet seniors Bacon, Epperson, Danyelle Leone and Malepeai will be honored for their contributions to the program.