Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 McKinleyville, Calif. – Facing the No. 7 team in the nation, sophomore starting pitcher Emily Gibson likely turned in her finest performance as a Gator on Friday afternoon.  The righty recorded her second complete game shutout of the season, a sparkling five-hit gem to help the Gators earn a split against Humboldt State on the road.

SF State (7-12/3-9 CCAA) jumped out early, scoring a run in the top of the first inning against starter Katie Obbema (9-4).  With two outs Jennifer Lewis beat out an infield single to shortstop, and came around to score from first on a perfectly executed hit and run on the two out double to right field by Lucy Fernandez. 

The lone run would stand up as Gibson (4-4) brought her best stuff on the day.

"We had a solid game plan in place and Emily (Gibson) threw exceptionally well," said head coach Cristina Byrne.  "She hit spots, mixed speeds and kept the ball down.  We knew going in that they (Humboldt State) are a free swinging team and so if we could pitch their weaknesses, good thing would happen.  Catcher Kyle Grabowski called a great game and kept them off balance and our offense did enough against their good pitching to get the win."

Gibson's line was seven complete innings, scattering five hits with a walk and tied a season-high with six strike outs.

Her lone walk game in the bottom of the first inning with two outs, but like she did all game, she stranded the runner in scoring position.  In the bottom of the fifth inning the Lumberjacks (19-5/9-5 CCAA) had their best opportunity to put the tying run on the board.

With two outs, HSU loaded the base hit tallying three consecutive hits.  The threat started with a single up the middle by Andrea Chavez, Tonya Walker followed that up with a base hit through the left side.  Darian Harris singled up the middle to load the bases after the Lumberjacks third base coach held Chavez who had to dive back into third.  Gibson ended the threat there, getting the dangerous hitting Dani Randall to pop up harmlessly too short to end the inning.

Taking the hard luck loss was K. Obbema who also went the full seven innings, scattering five hits, with no walks and four strike outs.

Courtney Gravel, Lyndsi Garcia, and Aryn Guzman had the other hits for SF State in game one.

In the night cap the Gators sent their Obbema to the mound.  Sophomore Jenny Obbema (1-2) made her first start of the year after pitching well for the Gators as a relief pitcher. She threw a scoreless first before running into to trouble in the second.

The Lumberjacks, who hit four home runs in the second game, hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the second off the bats of Randall and Julia Pena.  J. Obbema got out of the inning without further damage and held the Jacks scoreless in the third before running into trouble again the bottom of the fourth inning.

HSU scored three runs on three hits, the three runs all coming on the final out.  Pena singled to start the fourth, she moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single to right field by Chavez.  Tonya Walker ended Obbema's day with a two-run home run to left field.

Obbema's went 3.2 innings on the day, allowing nine hits, five runs, all earned with no walks and no strike outs.  Megan Clark entered the game for the Gators in relief and went two innings, allowing four hits, four runs with a walk and two strike outs.

Gravel scored the Gators only run when she led off the top of the first with a single to center field and scored on the single to left field by senior second baseman Kelsey Murakami.
Earning the win for Humboldt State was Liz Perez (5-2) who went 4.2 innings, scattering three hits, one earned run with a walk and three strike outs.

"I'm happy with the win in the first game, but we came out a bit complacent in game two and they jumped on us," added Byrne.  "This team has the capability of doing great things and our challenge is finding consistency amongst our youth, but that first game was a great confidence boost for us against the No. 7 team in the nation.  We know we can play with anyone, once we hit our stride I feel good about our chances this season."

The Gators and Lumberjacks will wrap up the series tomorrow at 11 a.m. at McKinleyville High School's softball field.