ARCATA – Felicia Viveiros went 3-for-6, including two home runs.  She had four RBI and scored twice as the Humboldt State softball team split a doubleheader with the Tritons of UC San Diego for the second day in a row. 

“(UCSD starter Camille Gaito) had been pitching me inside and jamming me,” Viveiros said.  “So coach (Cheek) told me to take a couple of small steps away from the plate after the catcher gave the signs.  I did and the pitches were fat.  I hit them as hard as I could and they just sailed out."

With the split the Jacks record is now 22-21 overall, 11-13 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.  UC San Diego is 27-14, 17-10 in conference action.

HSU v. UCSD Game One Box Score
HSU v. UCSD Game Two Box Score

“This split is huge for us,” Viveiros added.  “(UCSD) is regionally ranked.  By beating them we have shown the West Region that we cannot be overlooked.”

In game two, Viveiros' two-run shot in the first inning gave the Jacks a lead they would not relinquish.  Nikki Ketteringham led off the inning with a double.  It was her fourth two-bagger in five at-bats on a day in which she went 5-for-7 with three runs. 

“I was really seeing the ball well today,” Ketteringham said.  “(Gaito) really wasn't moving the ball around when I was up there and the second baseman was moving before the pitch, so I could tell where it was going to be.

“This year I have been struggling a bit with the bat, but with today results, especially in game one, I think have finally started to hit again.”

With Ketteringham on third, Viveiros hammered a shot to dead centerfield to give HSU a 2-0 advantage.

Pitcher Gracie Perez, who had aldeady won three of four decisions this week, was outstanding in the circle.  She allowed two hits in the first five innings and just one base runner to get into scoring position.

Gaito, the Triton starter, was equally impressive through five, giving up just three hit and two runs.

In the sixth, UCSD got a single and a hit batter to open the frame.  An error by shortstop Geneva Perrine allowed the Tritons to score and cut the lead in half 2-1.  A fly out and ground out left runners on second and third, before Perez got a strikeout to end the threat.

In the sixth the Jacks broke the game open.  Ketteringham reach on an error, followed by a perfect bunt single by from Perrine.  Chrissy Stalf then beat out an infield single and the runners moved up on a throwing error by the Triton third baseman.  Ketteringham scored on the play to push the Jacks advantage back to two at 3-1.

A Viveiros single plated Perrine and three batters later Kirsten Nouzovsky's RBI single brought home the fifth and final run.

In the top of the seventh, UCSD got a one-out single and two-out walk, but a fly out to left field ended the game with the Jacks on top 5-1.

Perez, who was honored earlier in the day at Senior Day ceremonies, earned her 10th win of the season against seven losses.  She struck out nine batter and allowed just four hits.

“The series before this we were facing hitter that we not as good as UCSD,” Perez said.  “Yesterday I tried to overpower this team and they made me pay.  So, last night I mulled it over in my mind and realized that I would have to pitch to get them out.  That is what I did today. 

“I also have to give a lot of credit to my catcher Anna Feick.  We were on the same page all day.  If I shook a pitch off, she knew exactly what I wanted and called it.  That makes my job a lot easier.”

Gaito was tagged with the loss giving up seven hits and five runs, three earned, while striking out four.  Her record is now 15-7.

In game one, HSU got on the board first with a Stalf RBI single which plated Ketteringham who had led of the game with a double.

A error and a sac bunt in the top of the second put a runner in scoring position for the Tritons.  The error was costly as the next batter singled the run home and tied the game 1-1.

The score remained 1-1 until the top of the fifth.  UCSD got three runs on three hits and a Lumberjack error to move ahead 4-1.

Humboldt State got one back in the bottom of the inning on a Viveiros solo blast to left center, but in the top of the sixth the Tritons got five hits, all singles, and scored three more runs to go up 7-2 and went on to win by that margin. 

“This was a good week for this team,” head coach Frank Cheek said.  “We won six of eight and have put ourselves right back in the mix.

“Gracie (Perez) pitched a great game against a very, very good hitting team.  She stumbled once or twice, but responded and shut them down at critical junctures.”