DENVER – Humboldt State entered Saturday one win shy of its third NCAA Division II Softball National Championships, but North Alabama denied the North Coast squad with a pair of wins at Regency Athletic Complex. The Lions won the first game 10-1 and the late game 4-1.

"We ended our season on the biggest stage," said Head Coach Shelli Sarchett. "When you can end your season here, you can't ask for anything more except win a championship. I have to give credit to North Alabama. Things just didn't seem to go our way. I congratulate North Alabama on a terrific season and congratulate our team on a terrific season. There is no reason for my girls to hang their heads."
 
The Lumberjacks conclude the season with a 54-8-1 record, the program's best mark since the 2008 season, the West Region title and the California Collegiate Athletic Association championship.
 
GAME ONE
(North Alabama 10, Humboldt State 1)
 
HSU got the first run of the game, but sloppy fielding combined with a strong hitting performance from North Alabama forced a pivotal game three.
 
Tiffany Hollingsworth and Breonna Bejaran recorded back-to-back hits in the first to give the Jacks a 1-0 advantage.
 
The Lions tallied three hits and plated three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Bailey Nelson and Courtney Shields led off the inning with consecutive hits, and a fielding error loaded the bases. Katie Obbema hit Harlie Barkley with a pitch off the batters' hands to even the score at 1-1. Anna Gayle Norris added a sacrifice fly and Madeline Lee contributed an RBI single to give North Alabama a 3-1 lead.
 
Shields struck again with an RBI single in the second to put the Lions ahead by three runs. HSU committed two errors in the second inning.
 
The Jacks committed their fourth error of the game, and the Lions added an insurance run in the fifth inning. Barkley opened the frame with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, advanced to third on a fielding miscue and came home on a bunt single.
 
Back-to-back solo home runs in the sixth courtesy of Shields and Brooklynn Clark and a two-run shot by Norris gave the Lions a 9-1 lead. Shields finished the game 4-for-4 at the plate with three singles and the long ball. Mackenzie Roberts flared a single to left field and an errant throw, HSU's fifth error of the game, cost the Jacks another run.
 
North Alabama ace Hillary Carpenter baffled HSU batters with a deceptive off-speed pitch and pinpoint accuracy on the outside corner. She recorded six strikeouts in her 7.0 innings of work.
 
Despite the result, Katie Obbema did all she could to keep the Green and Gold in the ballgame. Obbema tossed a complete game and struck out seven.
GAME TWO
(North Alabama 4, Humboldt State 1)
 
The Lions continued to flex their offensive muscle in the late game. North Alabama plated a run in the first, on a Norris RBI single, and three more in the second. The highlight of the three-run second inning was Shields' two-run triple down the right field line.
 
Carpenter got the start in the finale and got the win in her second straight outing. She limited the Jacks to one run on three hits and struck out three.
 
Madison Williams was unable to duplicate yesterday's effort, but still put together a strong performance. The junior allowed four runs, three of which were earned, walked two and fanned three.