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Box Score 2
MCKINLEYVILLE – Home runs continue to add up for Humboldt State, but despite the powerful swings, the Jacks fell 14-12 and 9-3 against San Francisco State at McKinleyville High Saturday. The Jacks gave up costly runs in late innings, including seven runs in the top of the seventh of the first game, to settle for a split in the four-game series.
GAME ONE BOX
GAME TWO BOX
With the losses, HSU drops to 14-31 overall and 6-24 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association. San Francisco State improves to 14-26 on the season and 7-19 in conference action.
After SFSU took an early 2-0 lead in its first chance at the plate, it was Humboldt State's time to respond.
Alicia Reid started the Jacks with a double to left field, followed by
Kirsten Nouzovsky's double to send Reid in for the Jacks first run. With two outs and Nouzovsky on base,
Courtney Hiatt drilled her eighth home run of the season over the fence to give HSU a 3-2 lead.
The Gators took the lead back in the top of the second, plating three runs off just one hit. HSU prevented further damage when
Andrea Chavez scooped up a ground ball and lobbed it to Hiatt to tag the runner trying to add another run to the Gators' score.
Down 5-3, Nouzovsky's two-run homer in the bottom of the third tied up the game at 5-5, her ninth home run of the season. Nouzovsky went 4-for-5 on the day, with half of her hits sailing over the fence.
San Francisco State took the lead once again in the fifth, capitalizing off two errors. With two outs, the Jacks buckled down on defense and made a crucial stop at the plate to end the inning. SFSU's runner on first delayed stealing, trying to bait a throw from Hiatt to give the runner at third a chance to run home. Hiatt hurled the ball to
Chrissy Stalf who threw it to Chavez, but more concerned with the scoring threat, Chavez tossed it back to Hiatt to tag the runner out at the plate.
Feeling energized from a successful defensive stop, the Jacks were ready to get back in the game in the bottom half of the inning. Reid and Nouzovsky walked to get on base, advancing to third and second respectively, with a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt from Stalf. Hiatt loaded up the bases after taking a pitch to the lower back and
Tonya Walker cleared the bases with a grand slam—Humboldt State's 55th home run this year.
The Gators scored one run in the top of the sixth to put the score at 9-7, but another multi-run rally from the Jacks gave HSU a 12-7 lead after six complete. The Jacks scored three runs off three hits, initiated by a single from
Sarah Fox.
Sammi Gilbert ran for Fox and was joined on base by Nouzovsky after she took ball four. Stalf doubled to left field to send the runners home.
Dani Randall found the hole on the left side for an RBI single as Stalf rounded third to put the Jacks up 12-7.
Heading into the top of the seventh with a five-run lead, the Jacks were just three outs away from grabbing game three of the series. However, six hits and an error surrendered seven runs to give the Gators a 14-12 lead. Deflated, Humboldt State was unable to pick up the tying runs, despite
Ally Blenis' single to left field.
Hoping to turn things around in the nightcap, Humboldt State started the game much like the previous, surrendering the first runs of the game to the Gators. Although San Francisco State registered four hits on the inning, Humboldt State held the Gators to two runs by once again making key defensive plays. With bases loaded, Nouzovsky found Hiatt at the plate to prevent one run and grab the first putout, while
Alyssa Castillo struck out two batters to end the inning.
The Jacks took a while to get things going offensively, waiting until the bottom of the third to tie the game at 2-2. With two outs and
Serena Aragones on base, Nouzovsky powered her second home run of the day over the fence.
SFSU jumped ahead 8-2 in the top of the fifth, scoring six runs off four hits and an error from HSU. The Gators scored four of the six runs on a two-out rally before Nouzovsky grabbed a popup to end the inning and prevent further damage.
Randall homered in the bottom of the sixth to cut the lead to five runs, but the Jacks couldn't plate any more runs for the rest of the game, while SFSU picked up a home run of its own in the top of the seventh to put the final score at 9-3.
