TURLOCK, Calif. -- Cal Poly Humboldt continued their weekend at the 21st Annual Tournament of Champions after taking on Azusa Pacific and No. 14 Western Washington on Saturday. The Lumberjacks earned the Saturday split as the team defeated Azusa Pacific (APU) with a final score of 3-2 behind
Alyssa Smokey's two hits and complete game in the circle, making it her team-high seventh win.
McKenna Beach had two hits in the 6-1 loss to No. 14 ranked Western Washington (WWU), one of which was an RBI double.
GAME ONE (HUM 3, APU 2)
Cal Poly Humboldt got on the scoreboard first, as
Alyssa Smokey singled to shortstop and moved
Hailee Moore to second base after she previously reached on an error.
Izzy Starr came up and reached on an error by the shortstop that also brought home Moore to give Humboldt a 1-0 lead. Azusa Pacific evened the score at 1-1 when they scratched an unearned run across the plate in the bottom of the first inning.
Shelby Shanks and
Vanessa Saltos crushed back-to-back doubles to lead off the top of the second inning and give the 'Jacks a 2-1 lead. APU's DeCanio hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth to make it a 2-2 ball game. Two walks for Humboldt in the top of fifth inning put
Alyssa Smokey and
Katlyn Gifford on base, giving Humboldt a great opportunity to take the lead. Pinch runner
Grace Rosebrook was driven in on a
Kristin Ingram two-out single to center field that gave the North Coast squad a 3-2 lead. Smokey allowed only two hits the rest of the way and completed the game in the circle to earn her seventh win on the season. With this win,
Megan Corriea recorded her 500th career win as a head coach.
"It was pretty nostalgic to me and surreal is probably the better word," stated head coach
Megan Corriea. "We just had so many alumni here, not just ones I played with, but ones that also just came out to support. To get win number 500 with all those people here, plus my college coach was here from Sac City who also had a great relationship with Coach Cheek. Again, this was just a lot of surreal things that happened and to have
Alyssa Smokey finish it off with the ball in her hand was awesome. She was with me for my 400th win and now today for my 500th win. So many good things came together to make it a great moment."
Quick Hitters
- Smokey recorded her team-high seventh win in the circle, improving to 7-2
- Smokey recorded two hits, a walk, and hit-by-pitch to reach safely in all four plate appearances
- Izzy Starr, Shelby Shanks, and Vanessa Saltos all doubled
- Saltos and Ingram each had an RBI
- Coach Megan Corriea collected her 500th career win as a head coach
GAME TWO (#14 WWU 6, HUM 1)
The Lumberjacks held their own against the nationally ranked Western Washington Vikings after two lightning delays and a rain delay that extended the game into the late evening. Scoreless through the top of the fourth inning, Western Washington plated two runs on three hits and one error in the bottom of the fourth to take a 2-0 lead. Viking power hitter Emma Andrewjeski gave WWU some breathing room in the bottom of the fifth inning after crushing a three-run homer to make it 5-0.
Shelby Shanks singled to start the top of the seventh inning and scored on a
McKenna Beach double to right center field. The 'Jacks managed to get on the scoreboard but fell short to the 14th ranked Vikings with a final score of 6-1.
Quick Hitters
- McKenna Beach led offensively with a 2-for-3 performance, which included an RBI double
- Shelby Shanks scored the lone run for Humboldt
- Shanks, Haillee Moore, and Katlyn Gifford all had one hit
- Gifford's one-hit was a double
- Moore had a stolen base
- Alli Kimball (7-2) of No. 14 Western Washington got the win, Vanessa Richie (3-4) recorded the loss after five innings pitched
- Gaige Garcia pitched one inning and struck out all three Viking batters
Up Next
The 'Jacks close out the Tournament of Champions on Sunday morning at 9:30am against the University of Hawai'i Hilo Vulcans. The game will take place from Warrior Softball Field on the campus of Stanislaus State in Turlock.
