Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ARCATA – A dramatic eighth inning in the opener and solid pitching and defense in the nightcap gave the Jacks a sweep over Cal State Dominguez Hills (5-3, 3-1) in California Collegiate Athletic Association action on Friday.
 
Humboldt was down 3-1 in the eighth after a two-run homer in the top of the inning by senior Toros player Christina Chavez. But a leadoff homer by senior Chrissy Stalf – her second home run of the game – cut the lead to one.
 
“Stalf hit one out, and that opened the door,” said HSU head coach Frank Cheek. “Their pitcher got a little nervous and, bingo! Another long hit. But this team has been doing that all year. They don't quit, and that's important. And our pitchers keep us in the game.”
 
The “bingo” belonged to sophomore Dani Randall, who blasted the ball to left with one out and two on for the walk-off home run and 5-3 victory in the opener. Randall has a seven-game hitting streak.
 
“I was really excited,” Randall said. “To start the inning we just wanted to light the fire. Then we started pumping each other up. Then Chrissy hit that home run, and we made it happen.”
 
Freshman Lizzie Perez (14-4) got the win in the opener.
 
Humboldt (20-4 in CCAA and 28-9 overall) has won 17 games in a row. It is HSU's best winning streak since 2007 when the team won 19 in a row. The all-time best streak for the Jacks came in 2005 when the team won 35 straight.
 
The Toros drop to 10-14 in league and 18-16 overall.
 
Stalf's two long balls give her 16 on the season and 45 in her career. She is five short of HSU's all-time career mark set by Taiisha Pleasant (50 from 1997-00). Humboldt leads the nation with 68 home runs which is also a CCAA single-season record.
 
“I'm just going up there expecting outside every time, and that's what I'm hitting the whole time,” Stalf said. “I led off the inning, and I was just trying to get on. But I got another home run. Then we were down one, and at that point I knew we could do it.”
 
In the nightcap the Jacks had solid defense, outstanding pitching and, of course, a key home run. Senior Courtney Hiatt blasted a three-run shot in the bottom of the fifth to break a scoreless tie. It was Hiatt's 11th home run on the season. Hiatt also played great defense, applying the tag to extinguish a potential run on a 9-2-5-2 putout at the plate on a single in the first game. And Hiatt gunned down Alys Cruz-Fernandez on an attempted steal in the second game.
 
Junior Andrea Chavez displayed great range, making plays in shallow left and diving for pop-ups at the pitcher's circle. She had seven putouts in the second game. Freshman Katie Obbema (11-1) pitched a three hitter for the win.
 
“I know my hitting is always there for me and my defense is doing great,” Obbema said. “I mean Dre (Chavez) has range that is unbelievable. Our defense is doing great, and our hitting is doing well. So I just do my job, and we're good to go.”
 
Humboldt will take a break from CCAA action next week when the team plays in the Tournament of Champions in Turlock, Calif. The Jacks open tournament play on Friday, April 5, with games against Azusa Pacific (9 a.m.), Saint Martin's (11:15 a.m.), and Central Washington (3:30 p.m.)