TURLOCK — (May 11) Marissa Slattery drove in a pair of runs and Natalie Galletly plated the winning run as No. 1 seed Humboldt State rallied for a 3-2 12-inning final over No. 5 seed Hawaii Pacific in an elimination game at the NCAA Division II Softball West Region Championship Friday in Turlock.

The Lumberjack improve to 55-7 on the season and move on to face the loser of No. 2 Cal State Stanislaus and No. 3 UC San Diego to be played at 4:30 p.m. Friday. The Sea Warriors complete their season with a 34-16 overall record.

It was a pitcher's duel throughout as Humboldt State's Tracy Motzny and HPU's Sherise Musquiz held both batteries in check for the first six innings.

The Lumberjacks finally broke through in the bottom of the sixth when Nancy Harbeson led off with a single and advanced to second on a single by Caitlin Klug. Then, with two outs, Slattery singled, scoring Stefanie Singh, who was pinch running for Harbeson.

Hawaii Pacific answered in the top of the seventh, as a single and a sacrifice bunt put pinch runner Nicole Rivera in scoring position on second base. Lehua Yap then hit a high bouncer to HSU's third baseman Francesca West who leapt to catch the ball, but came down awkwardly and was unable to make a play.

With no other third baseman to insert into the game, HSU head coach Frank Cheek placed pitcher Lizzy Prescott at third. HPU's Anuhea Young then  hit a hard shot at Prescott, who was unable to field it cleanly and her strong throw to first was late to allow the game tying run.

Tracy Motzny was then able to retire the final Sea Warrior batter with a fly out to Carolyn Cameron at shortstop, but HPU would take the 2-1 lead in the eighth with a single, sacrifice bunt and an RBI single up the middle.

With the game on the line in the bottom of the inning, Harbeson led off by reaching first on an error by HPU's shortstop. After Cameron bunted Harbeson to second, Caitlin Klug would reach on another error by the shortstop and Slattery knocked in her second run with an RBI single to left.

Following 2.5 scoreless innings, the top of the Lumberjacks' lineup came through once again. No. 9 batter Harbeson led off with a single up the middle, Cameron followed with a single to left center, Klug moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt and Galletly then came through with the game-winning single to left, plating Harbeson.

“I'm proud of the way we played,” said Motzny. “I felt that we had it the whole game. We really stayed together.”

Tracy Motzny pitched eight complete innings for HSU, striking out five scattering eight hits. Prescott took over in the ninth inning, fanning 10 of 12 batters faced and earning the win, her 32nd of the season.

“We're on a high now,” said Prescott. “It's going to be tough to beat us. We don't have a choice. We have to win.”

Humboldt will play at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in another elimination game. Should the Jacks win, they will play at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
   
------------------------------------------------------------
Hawaii Pacific U..... 000 000 110 000  -  2  8  4      (34-16)
Humboldt State...... 000 001 010 001  -  3 11  0      (55-7)
------------------------------------------------------------
Cameron 2x5; Klug 2x4; Galletly 2x6, RBI; Slattery 3x5, RBI; Harbeson 2x5
Pitchers: Hawaii Pacific U. - Musquiz, S. Humboldt State - MOTZNY, T.; PRESCOTT(9).
Win-PRESCOTT(32-4)  Loss-Musquiz, S(14-9)  T-2:42  A-176

###