After watching a one-run lead vanish on Francesca West's second two-out home run of the day in the top of the seventh, the Coyotes rallied from two down to claim a walk-off win in the bottom of the inning. Jacquelyn Holtzclaw's high pop-up fell just beyond the reach of HSU shortstop Geneva Perrin, scoring Priscilla Curiel with the game-winner.
The inning started with Jordan Dahl reaching on an error, and Jamie Lowe's double put runners on second and third with no outs. Nicole Camarena blooped a single into right to score the first run, and following an intentional walk to Priscilla Curiel, a fielder's choice tied the game and set up Holtzclaw's heroics.
Suffering the loss was HSU's Hannah Jones, who had relieved starter Lizzy Prescott in the third inning. Jones fell to 9-4 on the season and the Lumberjacks will head into next week's West Region Championships with a 47-17 record. Tawni Baker was the game-winner despite giving up three runs, none of them earned, on four hits in 2.2 innings.
Playing on its home field in the unaccustomed role of visitor, Humboldt State took advantage of batting first to put up three runs in the opening inning. West came through with a two-out blast over the left field fence, also scoring Nikki Ketterinham and Natalie Galletly, who had singled and walked ahead of her.
Cal State San Bernardino struck back in the bottom of the third, first on Dahl's solo home run and then on Curiel's two-run shot that tied the game at 3-3. The latter homer nearly cleared the outer fence that borders the forest, making it one of the longest hits in the four-year history of the HSU Softball Field.
The Warriors edged ahead in the fourth with an unearned run that chased Prescott from the game. Tayler Wilson reached on an error, and Dahl came through with the clutch hit again, driving a double to right field that scored Wilson all the way from first.
Humboldt State mounted a comeback threat in the sixth, loading the bases with no outs, but left fielder Tori Beaudette came up with the play of the game to stop the Jacks short. Racing in, she caught Geneva Perrine's line drive before falling to the ground, then popped back up to throw a perfect strike that caught pinch runner Vanessa Shernock at the plate. Baker then struck out Lindsay Warren to end the inning.
HSU battled back in the seventh, putting runners on first and third via a single and an error. But Baker retired the next two HSU hitters on a strikeout and popup, bringing up West with two outs. The Jacks' third baseman came through again, lifting a towering home run far clear of the HSU scoreboard the rivaled Curiel's drive.
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