SACRAMENTO – Right Hand of the State of Sacramento Marissa Bertuccio hit the first miss of her career to highlight the Hornets’ two-head clean in Southern Utah Friday afternoon at Shea Stadium. After Bertuccio’s untimely goal gave the Hornets a 4-0 win in the opener, Sacramento State followed with a rule mercifully shortening their 13-3 win in the night’s final.
Bertuccio, a right-back, hit the top 13 of his career while only letting two balls go off the field. Her only cons were a few moves as she hit Sacramento State’s first goal in three years, and the show’s 35th at Div. I grant (1990-present). Bertuccio, who improved to 18-9 with an ERA of 2.14, threw 100 throws (66 shots) while hitting his eighth shot of the season. The 13 hits eclipsed her previous career high of 12, set during the freshman season (2020) against Wyoming.
The Hornets (27-23, 11-6) will play their last regular-season finale tomorrow noon as they wrap up a three-game series against the Thunderbirds. With the Big Sky Tournament kicking off next week in Ogden, Utah, the top two seeds will get a first-round goodbye. Weber State has locked in the #1 seed, and the wasps find themselves locked in an all-important #2 seed contest with Portland State (10-5).
Portland State is hosting Weber State for a three-game series, but their doubles tournament was canceled today because of the rain. That means the two teams will try to play doubles tomorrow, but there is a 60% chance it will rain in Portland. If the game goes and Portland State wins both tomorrow, they will be the 2nd seed regardless of the outcome of Sacramento State. If the Hornets beat Southern Utah and PSU loses at least one doubles game, then Sacramento State will be selected as the second seed. If rain washes away the entire Portland State-Weber State series, and Sacramento State wins the day. Tomorrow, the Hornets will take the 2nd seed.
Bertuccio was excellent in the opening goal, but Sacramento State’s foul was nearly productive, hitting 0.458 (22 for 48) in both games with five doubles, three own own goals, 13 RBIs and three goals. The percentage based basis is 0.509. In fact, the tally saw the Hornets score three times in the first inning, nine in the second and another in the fourth as they completed a 13-3 win in five innings.
The big hits in the game come to Lewa Day homer to lead the first inning (her 13th of the season), a big hit from Carley Morfey and a push that lasts three times homer from Milan Machado- Buckley. Both the hosts Morfey and Machado-Buckley arrived in the second half, which lasted nine. Ten different wasps had success in the game, and five had an RBI. Kelsey Alcantara (2-1) won with ease, allowing only one hit and one run in 2.2 innings. Alyssa Nunez works for the first 2.1 turns.
Eight different Sacramento State players combine for multiple hits in the doubles head, including Gwen Ludwig (3), Lexie Webb (3), Morfey (3), Nikki Barboza (2), Rylee Gresham (2), Alondra Mejia (2), Parish of Alexis (2) and Date (2). Ludwig finished 3 to 3 with a brace, walk and sacrifice. Barboza equalized 2 for 2 with two runs and a shot on target. She was dropped from the second game after the pitch put her near the hand area in the opening table.
The Hornets and Southern Utah will play the finals of the three-game series tomorrow afternoon. Before the match, seniors Mejia and Nunez will be honored for their contributions to the show. The Seniors Day ceremony will begin at around 11:50 a.m
