McKINLEYVILLE, Calif. – Starter
Ashley Jackson (Vallejo, Calif., St. Patrick-St. Vincent HS) tossed her 10
th complete game and third shutout of the season, while four players had multiple hits, helping San Francisco State defeat Humboldt State, 7-0, in game one of a California Collegiate Athletic Association doubleheader Monday at McKinleyville High School. Leading 9-4 in the nightcap, the Gators were unable to complete the sweep, however, as the Lumberjacks scored six runs in the final two innings to escape with a 10-9 victory.
With the split, SF State moves to 20-29 on the season and 13-19 in league play, while HSU stands at 29-22 and 18-14 in the CCAA.
The Gators banged out 13 hits in the opener, matching their second-highest total of season as
Kendra Wood (San Jose, Calif., Lynbrook HS),
Kelsey Wood (San Jose, Calif., Lynbrook HS) and
Lea Cardenas (Sanger, Calif., Sanger HS) led the way with three apiece, while
Kylie Herrada (Gilroy, Calif., Gilroy HS) finished with two of her own.
The game was scoreless until the top of the fourth when
Alyssa Esquibel (San Jose, Calif., Archbishop Mitty HS) doubled down the left-field line, bringing in
Kendra Wood, who previously doubled and advanced to third on a
Kelsey Wood single.
SF State extended its lead to 5-0 after plating four runs in the top of the fifth. Herrada singled in
Karolyn Gubbine (Richmond, Calif., Pinole Valley HS), who hit her team-leading ninth double of the year and promptly advanced to third on a passed ball, while
Kendra Wood soon followed with her third home run of the year.
Kelsey Wood then got into the act with a solo blast over the fence for her first round-tripper of the year.
The Gators added two markers in the top of the seventh to account for the final score.
Herrada hit a lead-off single and motored around to third shortly thereafter on Kendra Wood's second double of the game. Kelsey Wood then lifted a sacrifice fly to right, which brought in Herrada, while Cardenas knocked in Kendra Wood moments later with a single through the right side.
Jackson went the distance, giving up just two hits to go along with four walks and seven strikeouts en route to the victory, while Gracie Perez (14-8) took the loss after surrendering five runs on 10 hits in five innings.
In the nightcap, SF State sent 11 batters to the plate in the top of the second, scoring seven runs on eight hits as the visitors forged a 7-3 advantage after the Jacks jumped in front with three scores in the bottom of the first. The Gator outburst was highlighted by
Kendra Wood's two-run single up the middle, while
Kelsey Wood knocked in a pair with her second career triple down the right-field line.
HSU threatened in the bottom of the third when Chrissy Stalf scored on a bases-loaded walk with two outs. However, SF State reliever
Carolyn Knudson (Napa, Calif., Napa Valley College) replaced starter
Marisa Ibarra (Hollister, Calif., San Benito HS) at this juncture and induced a strikeout to prevent further damage.
Then in the top of the fifth, Heather Jensen walked and Gubbine followed with her third home run of the season, giving the Gators a 9-4 cushion. The Jacks got the two runs back in the bottom of the stanza, however, as pinch-hitter Claire Hoose scored all the way from first on an SF State error in the outfield following a single by Nikki Ketteringham, who ended up at third on the play. Moments later, Ketteringham touched the plate on Geneva Perrine's RBI single, which cut the Gator lead to 9-6.
HSU kept the pressure on in the bottom of the seventh, putting the first two runners aboard as Anna Feick singled, while Giavanna Hampton walked. After Serena Aragones replaced Hampton as the runner at first, Hoose stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter for the second time in the contest and drilled a double to left center, scoring Nichole Parada, who pinch-ran for Feick, while Aragones advanced to third. Sammi Gilbert followed walked, while Ketteringham knocked in Aragones and Hoose with a single, which tied the score at 9-9. Perrine then laced a single up the middle, plating Gilbert with the game-winning RBI and saddling SF State with the bitter loss.
Kristina Lewis (3-3) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of starter Vaneza Hoover, allowing just two hits to earn the victory. Previously, Hoover gave up nine runs on 10 hits and three walks in five innings. Conversely, Jackson (11-11) was unable to continue her strong outing from game one and absorbed the loss, yielding all four runs in the deciding seventh inning after relieving Knudson to record the final out in the sixth.
The Gators close out their 2010 regular-season campaign this weekend when they travel to Southern California for a four-game series with Cal State Dominguez Hills, April 23-24, in Carson.
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
