ARCATA – Nikki Ketteringham hit a game-winning solo home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Humboldt State a 3-2 win and a four-game series sweep of the Cal State East Bay Pioneers on Wednesday afternoon. 

“The pitch was right down the middle,” Ketteringham said.  “I had missed it earlier and it looked really good.  So, I was just sitting on it.  She threw it again and I got it.

“I had been hitting the ball hard all series, but it seemed like most of them were right at the defense.  I knew I had to relax and eventually I would find a hole and get a big hit.”

With a 7-2 win in game one the Lumberjacks climb above .500 with a 20-19 overall record and improve to 9-11 in California Collegiate Athletic Association action.  The Pioneers fall to 12-24, 5-19 in conference play.

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

In game one CSUEB got on the board first.  In the top of the second, a walk and sac bunt moved pinch runner Renaye Gamson into scoring position.  Sarah Davini, a former Lumberjack, then singled to score Gamson.  Two batters later, with Davini on third, Ashlee Coronado singled home Davini to give the Pioneers a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the inning the Jacks got the runs back and more.  With two out, Gia Hampton doubled down the left field line and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  An Anna Feick single to right scored Hampton.  Lindsay Warren then hit a towering fly ball to right that was mishandled by Davini.  The error allowed Warren to reach base and a throwing error by Davini then allowed both Feick and Warren to come all the way around and score.  After two complete the Jacks had a 3-2 lead.

In the third the HSU offense was at it again with its first four batters reaching base safely. 

Ketteringham led off with a single.  Geneva Perrine followed Ketteringham with a two-run shot to left center.  It was her first home run of the season.  Chrissy Stalf then singled and was lifted for pinch runner Nicole Parada. Kirsten Nouzovsky doubled advancing Parada to third. 

Felicia Viveiros grounded out to second, plating Parada, and giving the Jacks a 6-2 lead.  In the fifth, Viveiros had an RBI double for Humboldt State's seventh run in a 7-2 win.

In the circle, Vaneza Hoover pitched 6.0 innings in earning her ninth win of the season.  She allowed two runs on five hits, walked one and struck out two.  Kristina Lewis pitched a 1-2-3 seventh, striking out the last two batters she faced.

“My drop ball was working well early,” Hoover said  “When they caught up with it, I started to mix in my screwball and riseball and they never really adjusted to them.

“Yesterday I had a lot of trouble with the ball.  I couldn't get a good grip, but that is no excuse.  Everyone had to deal with the same thing.  Today I came out with more intensity and energy and really brought it.”

Catherine Schorn took the loss for the Pioneers, allowing seven runs on eight hits.  Five of the runs were earned.

In game two, offense was at a premium.

Jacks' starter Gracie Perez pitched seven innings and allowed just two runs on four hits. She struck out nine batters and pitched her way out of trouble in three of the last four innings.

“It's tough coming back and facing a team that has seen you twice just one day ago,” Perez said.  “They did a good job adjusting to what I was doing, but I have to give a lot of credit to my defense.  They did a great job today.”

As in game one, the Pioneers got on the board first.  Nicole Freiberg hit a solo homer in the top of the first for an early 1-0 lead.

In the Jacks third, designated player Courtney Hiatt led off with a single and was lifted for pinch runner Serena Aragones.  Aragones advanced to second on a sac bunt by Ketteringham. Perrine, the next batter, singled to center, plating Aragones and tying the game 1-1.

In the top of the fourth a walk and an error put runners on first and second with no outs for East Bay.  Perez struck out the next two batters and induced a pop out to end the threat.

In the fifth, a one-out walk and a stolen base led to and RBI single for Sarah Hasenfus that put the Pioneers back on top 2-1.

In the bottom of the inning a two-out RBI double by Stalf plated Hiatt and tied the game 2-2.  Hiatt had led off the inning with a single.

The seventh inning was nearly the Jacks undoing.

CSUEB's Dani Foster led off with a single.  Davini, attempting to sacrifice pinch runner Mary Ogden over, reached base and advanced to second on a throwing error by Perez.  Ogden stopped at third. Coronado then loaded the bases when she reached on a fielder's choice.  The bases were loaded with nobody out. 

Hasenfus then flied out to right, but the runners held.  With one out, Freiberg hit an infield fly and was called out.  Coronado broke on contact and was tagged out by Stalf trying to get back to first base after realizing the runner ahead of her had not left second.  It was an improbable double play and kept the game tied.

In the bottom of the inning Warren led off with what looked like a game winning home run, but Hasenfus made a great catch as she crashed through the fence.  With two outs Ketteringham hit a laser to the same spot, this time the defense had no chance and the Jacks had completed the four-game sweep.

“We finally swept someone,” Felicia Viveiros said.  “It has boosted our moral and we working well together.  I think we are going to carry this momentum with us this weekend.”

“We hade been struggling and the season was starting to get away from us,” Ketteringham added,  “but we have come back and won seven games in a row.  If we play well this weekend against (UC) San Diego we will be right back in it.  We are all excited and ready to play.”

Humboldt State returns to action on Friday and Saturday against UC San Diego.  Friday's first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. and Saturday's for 11 a.m.  Both days games will be contested at Arcata High School.