ARCATA – Calling it “the best comeback in all my years at Humboldt State”, head coach Frank Cheek saw his HSU Lumberjacks score four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to steal a 10-9 win from the San Francisco State Gators on Monday.  The win earned the Jacks a split of a doubleheader after dropping the opener 7-0.

The split leaves the Lumberjacks overall record at 29-22, 18-14 in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.  The Gators are now 20-29, 13-19 in conference action.

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

Trailing 9-6 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Anna Feick singled followed by a Gia Hampton walk.  Claire Hoose then got an RBI double to left to cut the Gators' lead to 9-7.

A Sammi Gilbert walk loaded the bases ahead of Nikki Ketteringham.  Ketteringham singled to center and advanced to second on a throw to the plate.  Two runs scored to tie the game 9-9.  Geneva Perrine then got the game-winning RBI on a single up the middle and HSU escaped 10-9.

Humboldt State had jumped out to a lead in the first inning of the game on a Felicia Viveiros two-run triple.  When the throw to third went out of play, Viveiros came home and HSU was up 3-0.

The lead didn't last long.

In the top of the second, SFSU put seven runs on the board.  Six of their first seven batters reach base safely on singles and four scored.  Kelsey Wood then got a two-run triple to plate the fifth and six runs of the inning ahead of an RBI single off the bat of Lea Cardenas and SFSU had a 7-3 lead.

In the bottom of the inning, pinch hitter Courtney Hiatt worked Gators starter Marrisa Ibarra for a bases-loaded walk to cut the SFSU advantage to 7-4.

In the top of the sixth, San Francisco State got a two-run homer to push their lead to 9-4.

In the bottom of the inning Hoose led off with a single.  Two batters later Ketteringham singled to right.  The ball went through the fielder legs allowing Hoose to come all the way home from first and Ketteringham to get to third.  Perrine then singled home Ketteringham to set up the dramatic seventh inning.

The Gators used three pitchers who gave up a combined 14 hits.  Ashley Jackson who got the last out in the sixth and gave up all the runs in the seventh was tagged with the loss.  She is now 11-11.

Kristina Lewis, who relieved starter Vaneza Hoover, earned the win.  She is 3-3 on the season and allowed just two hits after coming in to the game in the sixth inning.

In game one, the Gators' Jackson completely baffled the Humboldt State bats.  HSU managed just two hits in a 7-0 loss.

In the top of the fourth, SFSU used a lead-off double, a single and a one-out double down the left field line to score the games first run.

In the fifth, San Francisco State got four runs on five hits.  The big hits were back-to-back homers, a two-run shot and solo job to push its advantage to 5-0.

In the top of the seventh, SFSU scored two more to make the final score 7-0.

HSU starter Gracie Perez was tagged with her first loss after five straight victories.  Her record is now 14-8.

The Lumberjacks are now tied with UC San Diego for fourth place in the conference heading into the final weekend of play.

“We are still in this thing,” Cheek said.  “Had we lost game two, we would have been done.  I was really happy to see us come back in that game.”