LA JOLLA – To ensure Humboldt State could get in the four-game series against No. 22-ranked UC San Diego, the Jacks continued further south after playing Cal State Monterey to face the Tritons on their field, since rain threatened the originally scheduled Friday and Saturday doubleheaders in Arcata. Both teams agreed for mid-week face-offs to be sure they could play ball.

The first matchup between the Tritons and the Jacks didn't fare well for Humboldt State as the Jacks fell 11-0 in five innings and only registered one hit. UCSD posted an impressive seven-run inning in the bottom of the fourth, providing too much of a hole for HSU to try to climb out of. The Tritons carried the momentum over into the nightcap and boasted a 5-2 victory, despite the Jacks out-hitting UCSD five to four.

"They shut us down in the first game," said head coach Frank Cheek. "We out-hit them in the second game though."

With the losses, Humboldt State falls to 8-19 on the season and 2-16 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. UC San Diego improves to 22-8 overall and 16-6 in conference.

Camille Gaito pitched a great game in the first contest, only surrendering one hit to the Jacks. Courtney Hiatt singled up the middle to prevent the no hitter, but was unfortunately the only Lumberjack to have any luck on offense.

Humboldt State allowed two runs each in the first two innings of play, but was able to hold UC San Diego in the bottom of the third. The Tritons came up to the plate in the fourth determined to put the game away, plating seven runs to suck any air out of the Lumberjacks. 

The runs came off three hits and two errors before Chrissy Stalf stepped onto the rubber for the Jacks. Stalf inherited three runners on and only one out as she entered the circle, but even if she felt slightly out of place from her normal position at first, Stalf proceded to strike out her first batter and assisted the putout on the second to end the inning. 

With only Hiatt registering a hit, the Jacks couldn't produce on offense and suffered the 11-0 blow.

Trying to put the first game behind them, the Lumberjacks struggled to find the holes in the Tritons' defense and went down in order to start the nightcap.

Similar to the first game, UCSD scored two runs in the Tritons' first appearance at the plate off two hits. Unlike the first game, however, Humboldt State found contact at the plate and answered with two runs of its own in the top of the second. 

Dani Randall started the second with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a passed ball. Felicia Viveiros joined her on base after getting pelted by a pitch. Hiatt doubled to left center to score Randall and move Viveiros to third. Sammi Gilbert sacrificed a bunt to score Erin Guidarelli, pinch running for Viveiros, to tie the game at 2-2.

"We did a great suicide squeeze," said Cheek. "Gilbert laid a perfect sacrifice bunt and Guidarelli ran in for the score. I feel really good about that."

The Tritons took the lead once again in the bottom of the third off, taking advantage of a Humboldt State error, and added another two runs in the bottom of the fourth. 

With two outs in the top of the fifth, Alicia Reid singled to center field to attempt a two-out rally. Kirsten Nouzovsky was ready to join in on the rally and registered a single of her own to join Reid on base. Determined to keep their three-run lead, the Tritons found the third out before Humboldt State could really get the rally going.

In the bottom half of the inning, Stalf once again took over on the rubber with bases loaded, this time with no outs. First baseman Allison McKibbon connected with Gilbert, who was covering for her at first, to grab the first out off a sacrifice bunt. Tonya Walker caught a fly ball in left field to grab the second out and Stalf struck out her second batter of the day to end the inning. 

"Stalf went two innings in the second game and had no hits, no walks and no runs," said Cheek. "That's pretty good."

Nouzovsky also played out of her normal position at second after Cheek moved her to shortstop to utilize her speed to hold UCSD which Cheek felt she did a great job at short. While the Jacks didn't allow the Tritons any more runs, they couldn't put together any hits for themselves in their last two chances at bat, going down in order to end the game 5-2.

UCSD and HSU will face each other again Wednesday afternoon for another CCAA doubleheader, starting at 1 p.m. in La Jolla, with the Jacks looking to snap a six-game losing streak.