Box Score ST. GEORGE, Utah – An outstanding Humboldt State softball season came to an end on Saturday afternoon. The Lumberjacks picked a bad time for the bats to go silent and fell to the Wildcats of Central Washington, 5-1, to end a strong season at the NCAA DII West 2 Regionals.
 
Less than a week after pounding four home runs to claim its second-straight California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament title, HSU managed only four singles including an Alison McKibbon seventh-inning RBI hit for its lone run.
 
"Our hitting just didn't perform and that wasn't the case yesterday. We have to be firing on all cylinders, and we weren't yesterday, and we weren't today, and that's the key is having everything work together," said HSU Head Coach Shelli Sarchett.
 
The Jacks' three seniors – Andrea Chavez, Sarah Fox and Tonya Walker – completed their four years being part of 144 victories, one NCAA DII National Championship appearance, two CCAA Tournament titles and one CCAA regular season championship.
 
"They are going to be very hard to replace. This is a very good group and helped with my transition (to head coach), but know they left a great imprint on this program," said Sarchett.
 
"I am proud of how we played this season. Last season, we had wins that came a lot easier as games weren't as close," said Fox. "Our season went well and it was a fight and I am proud of the way we went out."
 
Fox drew a pair of walks including a seventh-inning free pass, which pinch-runner Carly Perkins turned into HSU's lone run.
 
"We had a great start to the season. I am proud of how our girls went out and fought until the end and gave all we had," said Walker.
 
The center fielder accounted for two of the Jacks' hits, while Chavez recorded three put outs in the contest.
 
"I am glad we (the three seniors) brought this program to where it needs to be and am so happy to have played here," said Chavez.
 
HSU wrapped up its season at 46-16 and posted 45-plus victories in a season for the 16^th time in the last 25 years.
 
Along with the Walker and McKibbon hits, Tiffany Hollingsworth added the final single to extend her consecutive hit streak to 20 games.
In the bottom of the first inning with runners on the corners and one out, HSU had an ideal chance to take an early lead. The Jacks tried a double steal, but Central Washington was able to catch Walker on a close play at home plate.
 
The game remained scoreless until the top of the third. The Wildcats' Kailyn Campbell drove a two-run two-out double to left center to take a 2-0 lead.
 
Leading by the same 2-0 score, Central Washington (31-19) added onto its lead in the top of the sixth. With the bases loaded and two outs, Maikala Galusha's fly ball was dropped in the HSU outfield to plate all three runners to make it 5-0.
 
McKibbon plated the final HSU run of the season in the bottom of the seventh to bring home Perkins and prevent the shutout.
 
HSU will look to reload for another run at its third national title next spring with a wealth of talent returning and an influx of youth set to arrive.
 
"I am very confident in the group we have returning and the group we have coming in," said Sarchett.