Sacramento State

POCATELLO, Idaho -- Sacramento State scored in all but one inning while getting home runs from Madison Evers-Lyles and Ava Medellin on the way to a 10-7 win over Montana in the Big Sky Tournament semifinals Wednesday afternoon at Miller Ranch Stadium.

The Hornets (33-19) improved to 3-1 at the four-day tournament, and will play for the Big Sky Tourney title tomorrow at 11 a.m. PT against tourney host Idaho State (36-18). Sacramento State will have to beat Idaho State twice to claim the crown as the Bengals have yet to lose at the double-elimination tournament.

Sacramento State will be making its third-ever Big Sky Tournament championship game appearance (2022, 2018), and will attempt to win its second title (2018). The Hornets' 33 wins are the most in 20 years as the 2006 squad won 35 games.

Sacramento State has defeated three different teams at the tournament, including Montana, Northern Colorado and Portland State. The Hornets' one loss was to Idaho State yesterday. The Bengals will be seeking their first-ever Big Sky Tournament championship.

The Hornets scored in five of the six innings they had at-bats. In fact, after Montana jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the top of the second, Sacramento State scored six unanswered runs to take a 7-2 lead. The Grizzlies scored a run in the sixth, but Evers-Lyles put the game out of reach with a three-run homer in the bottom half to lead, 10-3. Montana scored four times in the top of the seventh, but never had the potential tying runners aboard.

The top four hitters in the Hornet lineup combined for seven RBIs, including Evers-Lyles (4), Lafulafu Malepeai (2) and Madi Mendoza (1). Both Mendoza and Medellin scored three runs. Mendoza added two more hits, extended her hitting streak to a career-best 14 games, and is batting .583 (7-for-12) at the tournament with six runs, two homers and five RBIs. 

Medellin, a true freshman, went 2-for-2 with three runs, a double, walk, home run and an RBI. She scored runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings, including a solo homer over the left field fence in the fifth. 

Danyelle Leone notched her third complete game of the season, going all seven innings while throwing 110 pitches.

Highlights of the Hornet scoring included a two-run single from Malepeai in the second, a Mendoza sacrifice fly in the fourth, Medellin's solo bomb in the fifth, and Evers-Lyles' three-run shot to center in the sixth.

Both Erin Garcia (1st inning) and Evers-Lyles (4th inning) were hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. The Hornets drew six walks, including two each from Saskia Raab and Malepeai.