The Lumberjack

Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Torrey Hartman

The smell of fresh cut grass, the sounds of the cheers, and chanting from the energized players set the scene for the Humboldt State 'Jacks softball team's first home games last weekend against the San Francisco State Gators.

The first game was Friday at 11 a.m. At the top of the first inning, the Gators hit a home run. The game looked to be decided early. Not until the bottom of the fourth did the score board change. The bases were loaded and 'Jacks' freshmen Geneva Perrine came up to bat. With a great hit into the outfield, Perrine brought in the first two runs for Humboldt State. The runs kept flowing in after that. Junior Natalie Galletly pulled in the most RBIs at four. By the bottom of the fifth, the game was 11-1 and over.

Game two was soon to follow. The field was groomed and the players had time to take a breath before it began. The 'Jacks were pumped up from the first win, although it didn't show until the second inning. For three innings in a row, pitcher Lizzy Prescott pitched a no-hitter. Again, the fourth inning is where it all came out. The score was still tied at nothing and Perrine was up with a girl on a stolen second. Perrine hit a line drive to bring in Stefani Singh (runner for Francesca West) for the first run of the game.
The fourth inning was a crowd pleaser, with the crowd constantly on their feet over the excitement of seven runs. Three innings were left, but the confident 'Jacks had nothing to fear. After seven innings the final score was 7-0, leaving the girls 2-0 for the weekend.
"I get high on winning," Prescott said.

With a good night's rest, the girls came back ready to do it again. At noon on Saturday the game was off to an exciting start. At the top of the first inning the Gators scored one run, but Humboldt State came back in the bottom of the first with a home run by sophomore Caitlin Klug. The score by the second inning was already 3-1. Then in the bottom of the third, Humboldt scored again. The 'Jacks brought in two runs, making the score 5-1. This time, though, the Gators didn't give up. Coming back strong in the top of the fifth, the ladies from San Francisco scored two more runs. With two more innings full of pop flies and great defense, the final score of game three was 5-3, 'Jacks. This third victory for the weekend had the 'Jacks fired up.

With just enough time for some advice from longtime head coach Frank Cheek, the girls were ready for the last game. Starting early, bottom of the first, the 'Jacks led off with one run. Not until the top of the third did the Gators retaliate with a home run from freshmen Lea Cardenas. Then in the top of the fourth inning, freshmen Kendra Wood did it again. Wood brought in the second and final run of the game for SFSU with another home run. Humboldt State was not about to take that sitting down, and in the bottom of the fourth the 'Jacks scored five runs. With two uneventful innings after that run, the final score was 6-2 in favor of Humboldt State.

On Feb. 14, the 'Jacks softball team travels to Phoenix, Ariz., to play in the Schutts's Tournament Thursday through Saturday. "They got an all-American pitcher, we got an all-American pitcher," said Cheek. Coach Cheek said that his hopes for the team this season were to, "win every gameā€¦that's a realistic goal for us."

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