ARCATA, Calif. — Cal Poly Humboldt completed a Friday sweep of Cal State Monterey Bay in dramatic fashion, using a late-inning surge in game one and a stunning walk-off comeback in game two to secure CCAA victories at the Humboldt Softball Field.
With the pair of wins, the Lumberjacks improved to 17-18 overall and 8-6 in conference play, while the Otters fell to 22-15 overall and 7-11 in the CCAA. Freshman pitcher Lily Fournier was dominant across both contests, earning victories in each game of the doubleheader.
GAME ONE: HUMBOLDT 4, MONTEREY BAY 1
Locked in a pitcher's duel through five innings, the Lumberjacks broke through in the sixth to claim a 4-1 victory in the opener.
Monterey Bay struck first on a solo home run in the fourth inning, but Fournier settled in and kept the Otters in check the rest of the way. The left-hander tossed a complete game, allowing just four hits and one run while striking out five.
Trailing 1-0 entering the sixth, Humboldt's offense came alive.
Alyssa Ramirez and Bella Garcia helped spark the rally before Shelby Shanks tied the game with an RBI double to center. Moments later, Marissa Brody reached on an error that allowed the go-ahead run to score. Katlyn Gifford delivered the big blow with a two-RBI single down the right field line, pushing the lead to 4-1.
Shanks led the way offensively with two hits and an RBI, while Gifford drove in a pair. Ramirez, Garcia, Banks, and Aubrey each added hits as Humboldt totaled seven in the contest.
GAME TWO: HUMBOLDT 7, MONTEREY BAY 6 (WALK-OFF)
Game two provided one of the most thrilling finishes of the season, as Humboldt erased a six-run deficit and walked off the Otters, 7-6.
Monterey Bay jumped out to a commanding 6-0 lead after the first two innings, capitalizing on early power and timely hitting. The Lumberjacks, however, chipped away and refused to fold.
Humboldt got on the board in the fourth with a pair of runs, highlighted by an RBI single from Ramirez. The momentum carried into the fifth inning, where the Jacks erupted for four runs to tie the game. Gifford drove in a run, Kaylee Dinger added an RBI ground out, and Alexa Garcia delivered the biggest swing of the inning with a two-RBI double to even the score at 6-6.
In the circle, Ariana Bottel stabilized the game with 3.2 scoreless innings of relief, giving Humboldt a chance to rally. Fournier then entered and shut the door, tossing 1.2 innings of hitless relief to earn her second win of the day.
In the bottom of the seventh, Humboldt completed the comeback. After working the bases into scoring position, Bella Garcia delivered the walk-off RBI single to seal the 7-6 victory and cap the six-run comeback.
The Lumberjacks pounded out 13 hits in game two, with multiple players turning in strong performances. Rylee Banks and Olivia Hurtado each recorded two hits and scored key runs, while Alexa Garcia finished with two hits and two RBI. Gifford also added two hits, and Bella Garcia tallied two hits including the game-winner.
