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\u2022 Off to its best start in 31 years, Sacramento State (12-2) will play six home games this week.
\n\u2022 The team recently completed a two-week road trip with an 8-1 record. That included last week’s 4-0 record at the Mustang Classic in San Luis Obispo.
\n\u2022 The Hornets have won seven straight games, the team’s longest streak since the 2016 squad also won seven straight. Sacramento State’s Div. I era (1990-pres.) record for longest winning streak is nine games, set in 1994, 1995, 2003 and 2012.
\n\u2022 Sacramento State is 3-1 at home, 2-1 on the road, and 7-0 at neutral sites.
\n\u2022 The Hornets open this week by hosting Pacific on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. Sacramento State will then host the Capital Classic – a three-day, five-team tournament it co-hosts with UC Davis.
\n\u2022 Shea Stadium will serve as host to six games between Friday and Sunday, and Sacramento State will play in five of those contests.
\n\u2022 Friday: Hornets vs. Santa Clara at noon; Hornets vs San Jose State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday: Sacred Heart vs. San Jose State at 9:30 a.m.; Hornets vs San Jose State at noon; Hornets vs Sacred Heart at 2:30 p.m. Sunday: Hornets vs. Nevada at noon.
\n\u2022 Of Sacramento State’s six home games, four will be streamed on ESPN+ with play-by-play announcer Will Schilling calling the action. The only games not streamed this week are both of Saturday’s contests because of a scheduling conflict.
\n\u2022 Sacramento State has not played at home since hosting the season-opening NorCal Kickoff and going 3-1 at the tournament.
\n\u2022 The Hornets’ 12-2 record is the team’s best mark after 14 games since the 1995 team was 13-1. That 1995 team began the season 16-2, finished at 40-15, and hosted an NCAA Regional.
\n\u2022 Sacramento State has four walkoff wins this season, and three have come in the last seven games. The most recent was Lafulafu Malepeai’s<\/a> three-run homer in the seventh to beat Pacific, 4-1, on Saturday in San Luis Obispo.
\n\u2022 A Sacramento State hurler has been named Big Sky Conference Pitcher of the Week each of the first three weeks of the season. That includes junior Alexa Ortiz<\/a> winning in Weeks 1 and 3, and senior Kennedie Bacon<\/a> earning the honor in Week 2. Ortiz was given the award on Monday.
\n\u2022 This week’s five opponents enter the week with a combined record of 23-42. That includes Nevada (8-7), Santa Clara (6-9), Pacific (4-11), San Jose State (4-11) and Sacred Heart (1-4).
\n\u2022 Sacramento State is 42-44 all-time against Pacific, including a 19-21 home record. The Hornets are 75-27 vs. Santa Clara, including a 34-14 record at home. Sacramento State is 35-31 vs. San Jose State, including an 18-14 home mark. The Hornets have never played Sacred Heart. Lastly, Sacramento State is 26-30 against Nevada, including 16-11 at home.
\n\u2022 Sacramento State’s pitching staff, led by Alexa Ortiz<\/a> (4-1, 0.97 ERA) and Kennedie Bacon<\/a> (4-1, 1.00 ERA), currently has a 1.64 team ERA. That is the 10th best mark in the nation. Bacon already has three shutouts which ties her for first in the country. Ortiz and Bacon rank 29th and 32nd, respectively, in the nation in ERA. The two have combined for 10 of the Hornets’ 14 starts.
\n\u2022 Sophomore center fielder Saskia Raab<\/a> currently has an eight-game hitting streak – tied for the longest by a Hornet this season (Katie Marsh<\/a> had an eight-gamer). Other lengthy current hitting streaks are held by Madison Evers-Lyles<\/a> (5) and Hailee Bustos<\/a> (4). Raab has reached base safely via hit or walk in every game this season.
\n\u2022 The Hornets have five players who have started all 14 games this year, and four of those are hitting .333 or better. That includes Raab (.442), Marsh (.381), Madi Mendoza<\/a> (.341) and Lafulafu Malepeai<\/a> (.333). As a team, the Hornets are hitting .304 compared to opponents hitting just .210.
\n\u2022 Sacramento State finished last season with a 27-23 overall record and 10-5 mark in the Big Sky. The team has won at least 27 games each of the last four seasons.
\n\u2022 Two of the team’s top hitters, Andrea Lira<\/a> and Alexa Carino<\/a>, have missed the entire season with injury. Lira\u00a0 hit .371 with 10 homers a year ago, while Carino hit .314 with seven homers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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