TURLOCK, Calif.---  In Day One of the Mizuno Best of  the West Invitational in Turlock, the SF State Gators' softball team lost 6-2 and 4-2 in their first two games of the 2010 regular season.  SF State opened up tournament with a 6-2 loss to No. 11 Humboldt State and followed that with a 4-2 loss to Chico State.  The Gators will continue their play with a pair of games in the Best of the West at Pedretti Park tomorrow morning with a 11am scheduled game with Sonoma State and then a 1:15pm scheduled game with CSU San Bernardino.

            It was back to back opening three-run innings that keyed Humboldt State's 6-2 victory over the Gators.  The Lumberjacks had a three-run first inning that was keyed by a two-out two-run single by Courtney Hiatt that scored Nikki Ketteringham and Felicia Viveiros.   Ketteringham started the three-run second inning with a RBI double.

            Jessica Delgado (Monterey, California, Cal State Monterey Bay) put the Gators on the board, when she scored on a fielder's choice RBI by Alyssa Esquibel (San Jose, California, Archbishop Mitty)after reaching on a lead-off double in SF State's second inning.  The Gators scored their other run in the fifth as Karolyn Gubbine (Richmond, California, Pinole Valley) two-out single drove in Summer Powell (Rocklin, California, Rocklin ) after Powell reached on a double.

            Gracie Perez (1-0) picked up the win for Humboldt State, giving up six hits and two runs in seven innings while striking out seven and walking two.  Ketteringham and Hiatt each finished with two hits apiece to lead the Lumberjack hitting attack.

            Powell led the Gators going 2 for 2 with a run scored.  Marisa Ibarra (Hollister, California, San Benito ) (0-1) picked up the loss in her first start as a Gator this afternoon.  Ashley Jackson (Vallejo, California, St. Patrick's-St. Vincent) and Kendra Wood (San Jose, California, Lynbrook) pitched a combined 5.2 scoreless innings of relief while striking out six and walking six in between them.

            In the Gators' second and final game of the day, it was another three-run inning that hurt them as Chico State (2-0) had a three-run third inning to key its 4-2 win over SF State (0-2).  Christine Johnson opened up the top of the third with a single down the right field line and then stole second and advanced to third on a double by Charlotte Honciano.  They both scored on a two-run single by Rebecca Johnson after Sam Quadt's single loaded the bases.  Quadt scored on a sacrifice fly.

            Gubbine scored SF State's first run in its half of the fourth on a two-out RBI double by Lea Cardenas (Sanger, California, Sanger)after reaching base on a one-out double.  The Gators cut the Wildcats' lead to 3-2 in their half of the fifth inning, when Kyle Herrada scored on a two-out RBI single by Kelsey Wood (San Jose, California, Lynbrook).

            Chico State added an insurance run in the seventh inning and the Wildcats' starting pitcher Kacie McCarthy retired the Gators 1, 2, 3 in the bottom of the seventh to record the complete game victory.  McCarthy gave up seven hits two runs while striking out six and walking three.

            Carolyn Knudson (Napa, California, Napa Valley Junior College) (0-1) picked up the loss, pitching four innings, giving up seven hits and three runs.  Knudson struck out two and walked one.  Vanessa Truan (San Jose, California, Leland)pitched three innings of three-hit relief, walking four and walking three.

Box Score of Humboldt game    

Box Score of Chico game