ARCATA, Calif. – The Humboldt State softball team showed its grit and defended its home field on Senior Day with a pair of victories over Cal State Monterey Bay.
Micaela Harris supplied a walk-off single in extra innings in a 4-3 game one victory, and the Lumberjacks rallied from a seven-run deficit to defeat the Otters, 10-7, in the season finale.
HSU finished the season with a 21-29 overall record and a 12-26 mark in California Collegiate Athletic Association play.
Danica Grier plated the Jacks' first runs of the afternoon with a two-out, two-run double in the third inning of game one. The sophomore finished the game with two of HSU's six hits.
Monterey Bay answered with a solo home run from Luci Stanley the next inning before tying the game in the sixth.
Lexee Sheiring started the early game and pitched one of her best games of the season. The sophomore went the distance allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out three. She picked up her team-leading ninth win of the season.
In the bottom of the eighth with the game tied 2-2, leadoff hitter and senior Hanna Holland fired a single down the left field line. Grier moved Holland into scoring position with a groundout in the following at-bat, and Harris finished the game with a walk-off single to the shortstop.
Things looked bleak for the Green and Gold as they fell behind 7-0 heading into the home half of the fifth. For much of the season, the Jacks had weathered the storm and played with heart despite results not favoring the North Coast squad. But Saturday, with fans and family in the crowd for Senior Day, HSU put it all together.
The Jacks scored eight runs on seven hits and forced Monterey Bay's ace, Haley Fein, to leave the ballgame. Holland drove in the first run, followed by a run-scoring single from Grier and a two-run double by Harris. Fein left the game with her team leading 7-4, but the Otters' advantage was not safe. A fielding error by Monterey Bay's first baseman kept the rally alive as Haley Suter and Mariah Kalamaras each supplied two-run singles to put the home team up 8-7.
"All year we have shown that we can hit the ball, we don't get shut out of games our offense is just too potent," said Holland. "I think that on Senior Day we knew there was nothing after this, so we came out and did everything we could and we found a way to win today."
Suter gave the hometown fans another memorable moment from a difficult season as she crushed a two-run shot over the right centerfield wall to spark a celebration at home plate.
"These win mean everything to us, especially the seniors," said Haley. "Monterey is a rival. Coming out on Senior Day, putting up that many runs and beating them twice is huge for us. This group of girls is family and finishing the season with them has been an honor. I will treasure these moments forever."
Jasmine Hill got the start in game two, but the senior left the outing with her team trailing by seven runs. Megan Holt took over in the fifth and pitched 2.1 innings of scoreless relief en route to her fifth victory of the year.
Holland and Suter each finished with three hits in the series finale.
