ARCATA – Aided by the long ball and solid pitching, the Humboldt State softball team swept Sunday's doubleheader against Academy of Art, winning 4-1 and 12-3.

With the sweep Sunday, the Jacks improve to 12-4 overall while Academy of Art drops to 6-16 on the year.

“We got a little something back after yesterday,” Humboldt State head softball coach Frank Cheek said. “We hit the ball really well and were smart on the bases.”

Unlike yesterday, the Jacks were the first team to have a run cross home plate. In the bottom of the first after two quick outs, Natalie Galletly hit a solo home run to left center.

The Jacks added three more runs to their lead when Galletly and Marissa Slattery hit back-to-back home runs for the second straight day.

Humboldt State starter Gracie Perez recorded her second win in as many days, throwing a complete game four-hitter and striking out seven. The lone blemish on her record was a Alana Aweau solo home run in the fourth inning.

The second game started much like the first. The Jacks scored one run in the bottom of the first on a Nikki Ketteringham solo home run.

HSU then went on to score three runs in each of the next three innings. Ketteringham hit her second home run of the game, a two-run shot in the second, while Slattery and Chrissy Motzny recorded RBIs in the third, and  Lindsay Warren and Galletly recorded RBIs in the fourth to move the score to 10-0.

Academy of Art got three runs back in the top of the fifth when Aweau hit her second home run of the day.

But the Jacks ended the game in the next half-inning when Sammi Gilbert hit a two-run, walk-off home run just over the center field wall.

“Overall it was a good day for us,” Cheek said.

The Jacks hit the road Monday and Tuesday to face Chico State. First pitch tomorrow is scheduled for 1 p.m. while Tuesday's game will begin at 11 a.m.

Game 1
Humboldt State 4, Academy of Art 1 (Mar 08, 2009 at Arcata, Calif.) (Game 1)
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Academy of Art...... 000 100 0 -  1  4  0      (6-15)
Humboldt State...... 103 000 X -  4  6  1      (11-4)
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Pitchers: Academy of Art - Ames,Erika; Garcia,Sierrah(3). Humboldt State - PEREZ, Gracie.
Win-PEREZ, Gracie(4-2)  Loss-Ames,Erika(2-8)  T-1:50  A-62
HR AAU-SB - Aweau,Alana.
HR HSU - GALLETLY, Natalie 2; SLATTERY, Marissa.
Weather: Cool and Sunny

Ames faced 3 batters in the 3rd.


Game 2
Humboldt State 12, Academy of Art 3 (Mar 08, 2009 at Arcata, Calif.) (Game 2)
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Academy of Art...... 000 03 -  3  7  4      (6-16)
Humboldt State...... 133 32 - 12 12  3      (12-4)
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Pitchers: Academy of Art - Garcia,Sierrah. Humboldt State - PARADA, Nichole; ANDERSON, Jenna(4)
.
Win-PARADA, Nichole(4-1)  Loss-Garcia,Sierrah(4-8)  T-1:30  A-65
HR AAU-SB - Aweau,Alana.
HR HSU - KETTERINGHAM, Nikki 2; GILBERT, Sammi.
Weather: Cool and Mostly Cloudly