BRISBANE, Calif. – Humboldt State softball ends the opening day of the season unbeaten. However, due to rare circumstances, it came by way of a win and a tie.
 
Game 1:
 
Katie Obbema opened 2016 in stellar form, striking out five and picking up the shutout. The senior righty allowed just four hits en route to her 75^th career complete game for the Green and Gold.
 
"With it being our first game on the year there were definitely nerves we needed to shake off," said Head Coach Shelli Sarchett. "Katie threw a really good game once she settle down. We haven't been on the dirt too much so it took some adjusting by all of us, especially on defense. We were able to stay in the game and get on the board using our small game."
 
HSU scored its lone run in the fourth inning. Tiffany Hollingsworth opened the frame with a leadoff single up the middle. Winona Vigil pinch ran for Hollingsworth and, following an out, used her speed to steal second. Sydney Roberts then came up with one of her game-high two hits to put runners on the corners. Darian Harris set up the squeeze play with a sacrificing to the pitcher, and brought home the game's only run.
 
Game 2:
 
The Lumberjack offense was clearly warmed up to start the second game of the doubleheader. HSU put up five first-inning runs on five hits to take the early lead.
 
"With the second game we attacked in the first inning, but then our intensity just disappeared," said Sarchett. "That can't happen, and is definitely something we are going to focus on as the year goes on."
 
Hanna Holland led off with a single up the middle and promptly stole both second and then third. Kelly Sonnemann legged out the season's first triple to drive in Holland, before scoring herself on an illegal pitch during Hollingworth's at-bat. Hollingsworth would eventually single on a 3-1 count and advance to second on Roberts' walk later in the inning. Harris reached on a fielder's choice, which eliminated the lead runner and put Illa Haley at the dish with two on and two out. In her first career start, Haley responded with a bases-clearing double to give HSU the 4-0 lead. After fouling off two pitches to stay alive, Julie Pena singled home Haley to give the Green and Gold its fifth run of the opening frame.
 
The Jacks tacked on a sixth run in the top of the fifth when Roberts doubled home Kalyn Paque.
 
Academy of Art answered with four in the bottom of the fifth to close the gap. Despite allowing just one hit in the inning, a leadoff double, HSU committed a pair of errors that proved to be costly.
 
It was another error that extended the ninth inning and allowed the Knights to come all the way back to tie it up at 6-6.
 
The Jacks had a chance in the eighth inning to take back the lead, but despite having the bases loaded, the game was called final. The two coaches had agreed prior to the game that it must end at 4 p.m. to allow Humboldt to catch its flight out.
 
"As for the tie," said Sarchett. "Before the game started both teams decided on a drop dead time since we had a flight to catch and it was a non-conference game."
 
Madison Williams allowed six runs, only three of which were earned. The junior struck out 12 batters, her second highest total as a Lumberjack.
 
Coming up next:
Humboldt State travels to St. George, Utah, to play in the competitive Dixie State Tournament. The Jacks open the tournament with a pair of Friday evening games against the host Dixie State at 2 p.m. and against Colorado State Pueblo following at 4:30 p.m.