ROHNERT PARK, Calif. – The Sonoma State softball team used a pair of homeruns in the second game on Saturday's doubleheader to propel them to a 4-2 victory and earn a split with San Francisco State.   Giana Hays and Skylar Linnane both belted two-run homeruns to help the Seawolves avenge a 6-5 loss in the opening game. 
 
Saturday's first game was wild one with several lead changes and ties.  SF State opened with a first inning run before adding two more in the second against Jesse Dupuis to lead 3-0.  The Seawolves responded in the bottom of the second when their offense got going with some big hits.  Hays led off the inning with a double off the wall and Linnane followed with a walk to put two runners on base.  Two batters later Briana Avalos ripped a double through the left side to score Hays and put SSU on the board.  Natasha Ochoa then reached on a groundball that was thrown down the right field line, allowing both Linnane and Avalos to score and tie the game.  After Amari Houston was hit by a pitch and Rylee Nishimoto was walked to load the bases, Cassidy Romano plated the fourth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly. 
 
The Gators would tie the game in the next inning with a run off relief pitcher Bailee Reed and then took a 5-4 lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Lua DeLeon. 
 
Sonoma State was not done, battling back in the bottom of the fifth to manufacture the tying run.  Linnane led off with a walk and was replaced by pinch runner Reagan Hunt.  Hunt advanced to second a sacrifice bunt and then moved to third on a single by Avalos.  Ochoa then tied the game on a fielders' choice when Hunt beat the throw to the plate. 
 
Both teams came up empty in the sixth as the game moved to seventh still tied at 5-5.  The Gators struck in the top half of the inning, loading the bases and bringing in the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.  The Seawolves were retired in order in the bottom half of the frame to preserve the win for SFSU. 
 
Reed went 5.2 innings in relief for the Seawolves, allowing three runs and striking out three.  Avalos finished with two hits and an RBI while Ochoa tacked on a two runs batted in. 
 
Sonoma State responded in the series closer to take the final game, combining a stellar pitching performance by Camille Rodriguez with flawless defense and a pair of long balls.  Rodriguez surrendered a run in the first inning after the first two batters doubled and singled but settled down after that, limiting the Gators to just three hits over the final six innings.
 
The game stayed at 1-0 into the bottom of the fourth when Hays delivered the game's first big hit.  Jordyn Martinez reached after being hit by a pitch and Hays followed with a blast to left center field on the second pitch of the at-bat.  The homerun was her second of the season and gave Sonoma a 2-1 lead.
 
SF State evened the score in the top of the sixth but the 2-2 tie did not last long as the Seawolves went back on top in the bottom of the inning.  With two outs in the inning Courtney Jack reached on a single through the left side.  Linnane then stepped up and put the game away for SSU, driving a deep homerun over the right centerfield fence for the go-ahead runs. 
 
Rodriguez closed out her complete game victory in the top of the seventh, putting away the final two on groundouts to improve her record to 4-1 on the season.  She allowed just five hits and two runs. 
 
Hays and Linnane drove in all four runs for the Seawolves with the second and third homeruns of the season respectively. 
 
Sonoma State is back in action on Monday for a non-conference road doubleheader against Dominican before heading south for four games against Cal State San Marcos on Friday and Saturday.