Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 McKINLEYVILLE – A slow start but a strong finish was the word of the day for Humboldt State softball.
 
The key Lumberjack hit eluded the home team in the first game as they left five runners in scoring position including the bases loaded in the fifth to fall 1-0 to the Gators of San Francisco State. No. 7 HSU used the long ball to power to a 9-1 run-rule victory in six innings to post the Friday split.
 
Tonya Walker, Hannah Williams and Julie Pena produced three hits apiece to pace the Jacks (19-6/9-5 California Collegiate Athletic Association).
 
Game 1
 
San Francisco State (7-12/3-8 CCAA) put the one and what would be lone run on the game one scoreboard to begin the affair.
 
With two outs, Jennifer Lewis reached on an infield single deep to shortstop. Lucy Fernandez followed by driving the ball deep to the right field corner to plate the runner and lead 1-0.
 
Gators' pitcher Emily Gibson kept the Jacks hitters off-balance most of the game.
 
Pena doubled to right field in the second but was stranded, which turned out to be the game's theme for the home club. Hannah Williams doubled in the fourth, but suffered the same fate.
 
In the home fifth, HSU put its strongest threat together. After two outs, Andrea Chavez singled up the middle and Walker lined a hit to left. Darian Harris singled to center and Chavez ran halfway to home, before having the stop sign given and scampered back to third to load the bases. Gibson ended the inning on the next HSU batter to pop out to shortstop.
 
HSU could not amount another hit the final two at bats to fall 1-0.
 
The Jacks wasted a strong outing by pitcher Katie Obbema. After allowing the two hits and run in the first, the sophomore gave up only three more singles over the last six innings.
 
"Katie came out and threw a good game. We had a hiccup in the first and for some reason we couldn't come back from it," said HSU head coach Shelli Sarchett.
 
The Jacks coach continued, "In between games, I told them to clear their minds and stop thinking so much and just swing the bat."
 
Game 2

The Jacks put into motion what they were instructed.
 
The Gators edged out a top of the first run again, 1-0.
 
Leading off the bottom of the second, Dani Randall finally put a HSU run on the board. The junior belted her seventh home run to leadoff over centerfield. Pena continued her upswing at the plate by taking a low pitch and driving it out to right centerfield for a 2-1 contest.
 
In the fourth, Pena started more HSU scoring with a single and moved to second on a Sarah Fox sac bunt. Chavez singled her home two batters later. Walker made it three Jacks homers with a two-run shot to break open the contest, 5-1.
 
Off a catcher's interference and two hit batters, Madison Williams went to the circle for HSU starter Liz Perez and ended the potential visiting threat by retiring the next batter.
 
Tiffany Hollingsworth and Williams singled to start the fifth. Pena drove in Hollingsworth on a sac fly, before Fox looped a high homer down the right field line to open an 8-1 lead.
 
In the sixth, Walker reached on a fielder's choice and would end the game on a Hollingsworth single to cent to complete the 9-1 run-rule victory.
 
"In the second game, it was nice to see us come out and put some runs on the board. Again, they attacked in the first and we weren't going to let the same thing (as the first game) happen," added Sarchett. "We were more care free and relaxed and it showed in our production. It was good to see Hannah get her hits and Julie hit the ball well all game."
 
HSU received two hits from five players of its 13 hit production.
 
Pena, Fox and Walker drove in two runs apiece.
 
Madison Williams shut the door on the Gators by allowing only one hit over 1.1 innings including working out of the bases loaded fifth. Liz Perez (5-2) gave up three hits and one earned run over 4.2 frames for the win.
 
"We are still making little mistakes and those need to be fixed, but I think we made progress at doing that in the second game," said Sarchett.
 
The two CCAA foes will complete the four-game series on Saturday morning starting at 10 a.m. back at McKinleyville High School.