Naruto cares about anyone who has a relationship with him. At this point of the manga, he hasn't really interacted with Hinata. He knows Sakura more even if we don't. So if she went into the battlefield and died, he would of released something big to the point of losing himself. On the other...
How did this turn into a shipping war? Anyway, she would of died. Sakura isn't made for combat, don't let those punches fool you. (She is one heck of a medical ninja) Plus, if she died in front of Naruto, he would of gone full 9-tail mode for letting Nagato killing 2 people he cared about...