Sacramento State

POCATELLO, Idaho -- Madison Evers-Lyles clubbed two home runs, Madi Mendoza went yard, and right-hander Kennedie Bacon tossed a complete game to lead Sacramento State to a 6-5 win over Northern Colorado in the second round of the Big Sky Conference Tournament at Miller Ranch Stadium.

With the Hornets leading, 6-5, in the seventh inning, the Bears loaded the bases with two outs. However, Bacon got Hayden Nelson to fly out to center field and end a tense game that included three lead changes.

• Hornets went 2-0 today, defeating both Portland State, 11-1 (5 innings) and Northern Colorado, 6-5. 
• The Hornets, who are the No. 3 seed, will play No. 1 seed Idaho State tomorrow at 3 p.m. PT. Winner of that game will automatically slot into the championship game on Thursday afternoon
• Sacramento State moved its record to 32-18, the most wins since the 2008 squad also had 32 victories. 
• The team's .640 winning percentage (32-18) is the second best mark in the program's Div. I era (1990-pres.)
• Including two more wins today, the Hornets are now 11-1 at neutral fields this season
• Sacramento State is seeking its first Big Sky Tournament championship since the 2018 season

Evers-Lyles had a huge game, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two homers and three RBIs. She was a big part of the Hornets jumping out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, which included a solo homer from Mendoza, followed two batters later by a two-run shot from Evers-Lyles.

Northern Colorado scored two runs in both the third and fourth innings to take a 4-3 lead. However, that lead was short lived as a Saskia Raab RBI-triple and Mendoza's sacrifice fly gave the Hornets a 5-4 lead in the fifth. Sacramento State added a very important insurance run when Evers-Lyles hit a no doubter over the left field fence in the sixth to lead, 6-4.

The Bears sent seven batters to the plate in the seventh, but managed to score just a single run off Bacon, who threw 128 pitches to get the win. Bacon (11-8) threw seven innings, allowing nine hits and five runs with four strikeouts.

Mendoza finished with a pair of hits, going 2-for-3 with a run, sacrifice fly, homer and two RBIs. In the process, she improved her career high hitting streak to 12 games. Seven different Hornets had hits, including Shannon Garcia, Malissa George, Ava Medellin and Faith Epperson.

Northern Colorado is the No. 2 seed at the tournament, and took two of three games from the Hornets earlier this season in Greeley, Colo.