SAN FRANCISCO – A 14-hit performance helped the San Francisco State softball team open up Saturday with an 8-3 victory over visiting Humboldt State. The Gators fell in game two of the day, 3-0, to split the series with the Lumberjacks.
 
The offense carried over the hits from yesterday into game one this morning. Michelle Castro led off the contest with an infield single and Andrea Hildan followed with a base hit down the left-field line. This brought up Hayley Nunes, who cleared the bases on a triple to center field, giving SF State (20-26/15-16 CCAA) a 2-0 lead.
 
Humboldt State (19-21/14-12 CCAA) got a run in the third to cut the lead in half. However, the Gators regained a formidable advantage in the bottom half. Castro reached on an error, and advanced to second on Hildan's base hit to left. Both players stole the next base, and Castro scored as Nunes reached on a fielder's choice to short. Katie Rohrer followed with an infield single to short to make it 4-1. After a Madison Collins single to load the bases, Sara Higa ripped a base hit to center that plated Nunes. Mallory Cleveland followed with a bases-loaded walk to force in Rohrer, capping off the four-run frame.
 
The hosts added another in the fourth as Nunes singled to right, stole second and third, and came around on an error by the third baseman, making it 7-1. Humboldt State added a pair in the fifth, and Karla Soto entered the game for the Gators; getting JoAna Mullins to ground out to end the bases-loaded threat.
 
SF State got one run back in the bottom half as Collins led off with a single, went to second on Higa's base hit, and scored after stealing third, extending the lead to 8-3. Soto got Amber Orchard out swinging to end the game, giving SF State its first pair of victories over Humboldt State in a series since 2012. The five-run win is also the largest margin of victory over the Lumberjacks since 2012.
 
SF State slugged 14 hits in game one, the third-most recorded this season. Seven Gators recorded hits, including HIdan and Nunes, who each got three. Nunes' three RBI ties a season high for the junior.
 
Game two began with a web-gem in left as Cleveland made a fantastic diving catch to rob Winona Vigil. The Lumberjacks scored in the top of the second as Amber Orchard, who came in to pinch run for Rylie Carlier, scored for the 1-0 lead.
 
Soto sat the Lumberjacks down in order in the first and third innings, striking out one in the process. In the fourth, the visitors added another on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Mullins.
 
In the fifth, Angelica Terrel gunned down the stealing Vigil to end the top of the frame. The Gators struggled to get going offensively and were retired in order in the final three innings. The Lumberjacks got an insurance run in the seventh to go up 3-0 on Vigil's RBI double.
 
Up Next
The Gators hit the road for the final time in the regular season, taking on Sonoma State in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Live stats will be provided, and be sure to follow @sfstate_sb on Twitter for in-game updates.