ARCATA -- Mistakes cost you games -- and it certainly was the case on Friday, especially in the postseason. And especially when the opponents took advantage.
The No. 18-ranked and defending West Region champions Cal State Stanislaus Warriors ended their tremendous run this season with a 9-2 loss to host Humboldt State, ranked No. 8 in the nation, in eight innings.
Uncharacteristically, the Warriors committed five errors in an elimination game of the NCAA Division II West Regional Championship tournament.
"We are a good defensive team and you just can't make mistakes," CSUS head coach
Jan Schefkowitz said. "Every once in a while that happens and good teams take advantage."
The Warriors (31-23) got on the board first in the first inning with a two-out rally. After
Meghan Franksen singled and
Casey Stephenson walked,
Jennifer Arnold doubled to right-center field to score the first run.
Alyssa Guzman then singled past the third baseman to plate Stephenson for the 2-0 lead.
In the Humboldt fourth, after a leadoff walk and a single, Gaumnitz got the next two outs ith a stikeout looking and a sacrifice bunt. Gaumnitz then appeared to have gotten out of the jam on a strikeout, but a pitch down the middle of the plate was not called.
On the next pitch Lindsay Warren grounded to third, but Warrior third baseman
Sarah Shamblin's throw to first sailed high as the Jacks scored two runs. Shamblin, arguably the best defensive third baseman in the West, had just eight errors all season.
"This is a game of inches and today the it didn't go our way," Shamblin said.
Geneva Perrine's eighth-inning grand slam - the first home run of her collegiate career - broke the 2-2 tie in the first extra inning.
After fouling off three offerings, Perrine drove
Jessica Gaumnitz' 2-2 pitch over the left center fence. Following a walk, Nikki Ketteringham hit a two-run homer down the right field line, and Natalie Galletly scampered home on a throwing error to finish off the scoring.
The late outburst made a winner out of Lizzy Prescott, who scattered five hits in eight innings, striking out five and walking two to improve her record to 40-11. Gaumnitz took the loss, lasting 7.2 innings, striking out six, walking two and giving up all the runs, five of them earned.
Humboldt State 9, Cal State Stanislaus 2 (May 09, 2008 at Arcata, Calif.)
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Humboldt State...... 000 200 07 - 9 12 0 (49-18)
Cal State Stanislaus 200 000 00 - 2 5 5 (31-23)
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Pitchers: Humboldt State - PRESCOTT,Lizzy. Cal State Stanislaus - GAUMNITZ, Jessica;
ARNOLD, Jennifer(8).
Win-PRESCOTT,Lizzy(40-11) Loss-GAUMNITZ, Jessica(18-8) T-2:14 A-197
HR HSU - KETTERINGHAM,Nikki; PERRINE,Geneva.
