Wednesday, May 11, 2016

ARCATA, Calif. – For the third time this postseason, Central Washington will have to come back from behind to advance.

No. 5 ranked Humboldt State broke the first game of the NCAA Division II West Super Regional with a four-run third inning en route to a 7-3 victory over the No. 21 ranked Wildcats at the HSU Softball Field.

The loss means that Central Washington (42-16) will have to win twice tomorrow for the opportunity to advanced to next week’s Division II National Championship in Denver. The two teams will play Thursday at noon. If the Wildcats win, a second winner-take-all game will follow.

The Lumberjacks (49-5-1) opened scoring in the second inning. Reonna Bejeran started with a leadoff single and later scored on a two-out single by Illa Haley.

After getting Cyndi Chavez to lineout to open the fourth, Central Washington starter Kiana Wood proceeded to give up three straight walks to load the bases. That set the table Bejeran to roll a two-run single up the middle. Two batters later, Kalyn Paque doubled to left center field, scoring two more for the 5-0 Humboldt State lead.

Central Washington had just two hits against Madison Williams, but used two hits and an error to get on the scoreboard in the fifth. Rachel Johnson reached on an error with one out, Celine Fowler reached on a fielder’s choice and Kailyn Campbell singled to load the bases. Alexa Olague put the first run on the board when she drew a bases loaded walk.

Austin Wilkerson followed up with a two-run double to right center field and suddenly the Wildcats found themselves back in the game at 5-3.

Humboldt State answered back with one run in the home half of the fifth when a two-out error extended the frame, allowing Paque to single up the middle to score Julie Pena. The Lumberjacks added one more in the sixth when Chavez’s single down the left field line scored pinch-runner Carly Perkins.

Williams won her 24th game of the season for the Lumberjacks, allowing three runs, two earned, on just four hits with two walks and nine strikeouts. Wood fell to 21-7 with the loss, allowing five runs on four hits with four walks and a strikeout in 2.2 innings. Brielle Copodonna allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings of relief.

Campbell led Central Washington offensively, going 2 for 3 with a run. Wilkerson finished with two RBI. Bejaran and Paque each had two hits for Humboldt State with Bejeran scoring two runs and Paque finishing with three RBI.