Lumberjacks Battle Through Tight Opener, Offensive Shootout at West Coast Challenge
Drew Gwerder
LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. -- Cal Poly Humboldt put together a gritty, all-day effort Saturday at the West Coast Challenge, jumping out early in a one-run opener against Biola before trading blows in a high-scoring afternoon matchup with Azusa Pacific at Rosetta Canyon Sports Park. The Lumberjacks showed poise in the circle, timely power at the plate, and late-inning fight across both games as they tested themselves against a pair of West Region opponents in Lake Elsinore.
Game One – Biola 3, Cal Poly Humboldt 2
The Lumberjacks wasted no time grabbing momentum in the morning contest, scoring twice in the top of the first inning. Alyssa Ramirez ignited the offense with a lead-off hit and came around to score on a Shelby Shanks RBI single to center field. Moments later, Marissa Brody lifted a sacrifice fly to left to plate Shanks and give Humboldt a 2–0 lead.
Biola answered with a run in the bottom of the first and evened the score in the fourth on an unearned run. The game remained locked at 2–2 deep into the late innings before the Eagles pushed across the deciding run in the seventh on an RBI single.
Lily Fournier turned in a strong start in the circle, working six innings and allowing just three runs, two earned, while striking out four. Ramirez finished 2-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base, while Alexa Garcia added a pair of hits. Humboldt totaled seven hits in the contest but was unable to find the tying run in the final frame.
Game Two – Azusa Pacific 16, Cal Poly Humboldt 9
The afternoon matchup turned into an offensive showdown, with Cal Poly Humboldt responding repeatedly to Azusa Pacific scoring surges.
Katlyn Gifford led the charge with a standout performance, going 2-for-4 with five RBIs. After Azusa Pacific struck first with a two-run home run, Gifford answered immediately in the bottom of the first with a two-run blast to left-center to knot the score. She added a two-run double in the third inning and later drove in another run on a groundout.
Hailee Moore was a catalyst throughout the game, scoring four runs on a 3-for-5 performance, while Shelby Shanks added two hits and scored once. Marissa Brody continued the rally efforts with two RBI singles, finishing with two hits and two RBIs.
Rylee Banks delivered one of the Lumberjacks' biggest swings of the day in the sixth inning, ripping a two-run double to right-center to pull Humboldt within six at 15–9. The Lumberjacks totaled 12 hits and produced multiple multi-run innings, showcasing their depth and resilience at the plate.
Azusa Pacific ultimately pulled away with consistent scoring across the middle innings, capitalizing on timely hits and extra-base damage to secure the win.
Up Next
Humboldt remains on the road for a six-game trip to the islands, that features a doubleheader with Hawai'i Hilo on Tuesday, doubleheader with Hawai'i Pacific on Friday, and doubleheader with Chaminade on Saturday.Â
For more information on Cal Poly Humboldt softball, visit humboldtathletics.com, download our mobile app on Apple iOS or Google Android, and follow the Lumberjacks on Instagram, Twitter/X, and Facebook.
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