SAN FRANCISCO – Game one of the series between the SF State softball team and No. 3 Humboldt State began with an incredible pitcher's duel.
Megan Clark threw 12 outstanding innings but ultimately came away with the loss as the Gators fell to the Lumberjacks 3-0 in extra innings in the series opener. In the nightcap a tight strike zone led to early runs as Humboldt State took game two, 7-0.
"I'm very proud of how our team played in game one," said head coach
Lisa Allen. "Even though we didn't come out with the win we played as a team and had phenomenal pitching and fielding. In game two we made too little adjustments, too late. Our team can learn a lot from today. We have to come back tomorrow with the same fire we started with today for senior day."
Squaring off against one of the top teams in the nation, Clark (11-9) was lights out from the early going. Pitching around an early error and a single, she breezed through the first few innings. Defensively, she got some tremendous help as the Gators (23-22/17-15 CCAA) turned a crucial 5-4-3 double play to kill a Lumberjacks rally in the late innings.
Offensively, the Gators had their chances against one of the top pitchers in the nation. SF State managed to put a runner on third with less than two outs in the bottom of the fifth, but starter Katie Obbema (19-2) got a strike out and a ground out to end the threat.
The two starting pitchers traded zeroes for 11 innings before Humboldt State (41-3-1/30-2 CCAA) managed to scratch three unearned runs across the board in the top of the 12
th inning. Two Lumberjack hits led to three runs that was enough for Obbema who retired the Gators in order in the bottom of the 12
th inning.
Clark's line for the day: 12.0 innings pitched, scattering seven hits, three runs, none earned, with eight walks and four strike outs. She threw 179 pitches on the day, 103 of them for strikes as she pounded the zone and pitched to soft contact.
Obbema countered with 12.0 complete innings, scattering five hits, no runs with one walk and 11 strikeouts.
Kayli Shaw went 2-for-4 for the Gators in game one, also collecting hits was
Aryn Guzman,
Angelica Terrel and
Alexis Mattos.
In the nightcap SF State faced the Lumberjacks other ace, Madison Williams (20-1). Williams stifled the Gators offense, holding them to no runs over seven innings, scattering three hits, with one walk and seven strike outs.
Game two starter was
Lindsey Cassidy (6-7) who battled a tight strike zone early, but went the distance throwing a complete game that the Gators desperately needed. She surrendered 13 hits, seven runs, six of them earned with five walks and two strike outs.
The Jacks scored a run in every inning but the top of the fifth, starting with a pair of runs in the top of the first.
Gabby Reta got the Gators first hit of the game in the bottom of the second inning, crushing a one-out double over the left fielder's head that one hopped the fence.
Jennifer Lewis and Guzman had the other hits for SF State.
The series will resume tomorrow morning with game one of Saturday's double header slated for an 11:00 a.m. start. Saturday will be senior day, there will be a pre-game ceremony on the field starting at 10:45 a.m.
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About San Francisco State Athletics
Gator Athletics has a proud tradition of competitive success within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The department offers 12 intercollegiate sports programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Women's Track & Field, Women's Volleyball and Men's Wrestling.
Gator Athletics places great emphasis on academic performance as well as athletic achievement. The program offers student athletes the opportunity to reach their educational goals, as well pursue meaningful athletic accomplishments. For more information, visit SF State Athletics' website, Twitter and Facebook pages.
