Live Stats: All of this week’s tournament games will feature LiveStats provided online. Play-by-play and boxscore statistics will available in real time on the hsujacks.com web site. Visit the softball page and click on the LiveStats link in the right menu to access the service free of charge.
Listen Live: Humboldt State’s postseason games are broadcast locally on KATA, 1340 AM, and also webcast on the hsujacks.com web site. J.B. Mathers will call the action and former HSU player and current College of the Redwoods head softball coach Maggie White will add commentary. The first broadcast comes on the air with the pregame show at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday.
Lumberjacks Notes: A new week, and hopefully a new approach, provide the Lumberjacks with a chance to redeem themselves after last week’s disappointing two-and-out finish at the California Collegiate Athletic Association Championships. To change the outcome, HSU head coach Frank Cheek plans a straightforward approach in his preparation. “There were lessons learned last week,” Cheek said. “We know more about how we have to approach the game, especially against those teams we saw here last week.”
One small modification Cheek will make to the lineup includes the Jacks’ hottest hitter, third baseman Francesca West. The junior the tournament in RBIs, jacking two three-run homers in the finale against Cal State San Bernardino. The second long shot cleared the scoreboard and dropped into the woods, providing the Lumberjacks with a two-run lead with two outs in the top of the seventh. West will be moved up into the No. 4 spot in the batting order this week to take advantage of her hot streak at the plate
Joining West in selection to the all-CCAA Tournament team was center fielder Chrissy Motzny, who had three hits in six at-bats and contributed stellar defense.
Humboldt State makes its 18th appearance in the NCAA postseason in the past 19 years. Humboldt State’s first appearance came in 1990, and its only absence was the 1992 season. Cheek has been head coach for all of those seasons.
The Lumberjacks have won the regional title four times, the most recent in 2001. They have only won the championship once on their home field, that occasion happening in 1995.
Humboldt State has played every team in this week’s tournament at least once this year, and has defeated every one of them. The Jacks have also lost to five of the West Region qualifiers this year, all except Cal State Stanislaus and Seattle University.
In last week’s announcement of all-conference honors, several Lumberjacks were honored, including Pitcher of the Year Lizzy Prescott and Freshman of the Year Nikki Ketteringham. The next round of awards begins Wednesday when the Daktronics all-region teams will be announced. Also coming up is selection of the NFCA all-region squad, followed by the All-America teams.
Coach Frank Cheek: In his 20 years with the Humboldt State softball program, head coach Frank Cheek has compiled an 970-243-2 record. His teams have earned 16 conference championships, four West Region titles and one national title. Cheek has been named conference Coach of the Year nine times and West Region Coach of the Year twice.
Opponents’ Notes: In its first game, the Jacks face a familiar opponent – Cal State San Bernardino, the team that eliminated them from the CCAA tournament last week. The Coyotes’ impressive run through the league tournament helped them gain selection to the regionals, and they bring a 34-30-1 record into the event.
Cal State Stanislaus finally ended the Coyotes’ CCAA challenge, defeating them 4-1 in 11 innings in the title game Saturday. CSUSB’s Jordan Dahl, Priscilla Curiel and Tawni Baker were selected to the all-tournament team.
Cheek’s Thoughts: “Our defense has to rise to the occasion. We’ve been up and down, defensively, and we can’t make those same mistakes.”
“We’ve had wake-up calls earlier this year, and last week was another wake-up call. We’re hot and cold.”
“Our three freshman starters have now had a chance to see what a West Region atmosphere is like, and the stress that goes with it.”
“After last week, we have no place to go but up. That should take some of the pressure off of us.”