TURLOCK – The Humboldt State softball team opened defense of its 2009 California Collegiate Athletic Association regular-season title on Friday with a two-game split on the opening day of the Best of the West Invitational.

In game one the Jacks (1-1) defeated San Francisco State 6-2, but fell 0-2 to Cal State Monterey Bay in their second match-up of the day.  Due to rain the games were delayed by more than two hours.

HSU vs. SFSU Box Score
HSU vs. CSUMB Box Score

Game One

Against San Francisco State, the offense pounded out 10 hits and senior Gracie Perez pitched a complete game six hitter as the Humboldt State softball team beat conference-rival San Francisco State 6-2.

Humboldt State came out swinging in the top of the first inning.  With one out the Jacks strung together five-straight singles.  They had runners on second and third,  when freshman catcher Courtney Hiatt ripped a shot down the right field line plating both runners and giving the HSU a 2-0 lead.

A single, wild pitch and a walk loaded the bases for second baseman Sammi Gilbert who's single to left scored the third run of the inning.  The Jacks banged out six hits and took a 3-0 lead after half an inning.

In the top of the second HSU got three more runs.  With Geneva Perrine on second, Nikki Ketteringham stroked a double to right center scoring Perrine.

Ketteringham advanced to third on a wild pitch and two batters later, Hiatt doubled to right center scoring the Lumberjacks fifth run and recording her third RBI of the game.

A walk to load the bases followed by a passed ball scored the last run of the inning.  After one and a half, HSU led 6-0.

In the circle, Perez scattered six hits over seven innings, stuck-out seven hitters and allowed two earned runs in picking up the victory.  She is now 1-0 on the season.

In the bottom of the second the Gators used two hits and a walk to score their first run of the game, but Perez then set down the next eight hitters she faced.

In the SFSU fifth, they again got a run on two hits to cut the Jacks lead to 6-2.

With two outs and two runners on in the bottom of the seventh, Hiatt gunned down a steal attempt at third to end the game.

“Perez threw well today,” head coach Frank Cheek said.  “Offensively we jumped on them right from the start. I was particularly happy with the way Hiatt and Ketteringham swung the bat.”

Leading the Jacks' offense was Hiatt (2-for-4, 1 R, 3 RBI), Ketteringham (2-for-2, 2 R, 1 RBI) and Gilbert (2-for-4, 1 RBI). Others contributing were Felicia Viveiros (1-for-3, 2 R) and Perrine (1-for-4, 1 R).

Game Two

Humboldt State had runners on base in every inning, but couldn't get a clutch it and lost to Cal State Monterey Bay 2-0 in game two of the Best of the West Invitational.

In the top of the first the Jacks had two runners, freshman Gia Hampton and Ketteringham, on with only one out, but a strikeout and groundout ended the threat.

In the second the Jacks got a leadoff hit from freshman Chrissy Stalf, but were unable to move the runner up.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, the Otters used a hit batsman, a stolen base and an RBI single to score the games first run.

In the top of the third, Perrine got a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball.  Hampton singled sending Perrine to third.  Two batters later, after Hampton took third on the second passed ball of the inning, Viveiros was hit by a pitch to load the bases.  But a pop out and fly out ended the inning and perhaps the Jacks best opportunity to score.

With two out in the Otters sixth and a runner on first, they got a double to left center to score their second run and take a 2-0 lead.

Perrine walked to open the seventh and two batters later advanced to second on a wild pitch.  Viverios then worked the pitcher for a walk, but a fly out ended the Jacks' hope for a comeback.

Freshman Vaneza Hoover gave up five hits and two earned runs for the Jacks.  She struckout four and walked two in the loss.

“We just couldn't string together hits against (CSU) Monterey (Bay),” head coach Frank Cheek said.  Vaneza (Hoover) pitched well enough to win.  She only gave up five hits and two runs, but offensively we couldn't help her tonight.”

Stalf and Hampton, each went two-for-three in the game and the Jacks collected five walks.

HSU returns to action tomorrow facing Davis & Elkins and Central Washington on day two of the BWI.