Carson, CA -- Leading 2-1 but facing runners on 2nd and 3rd and no out in the bottom of the 7th, Humboldt State left fielder Megan Sutherland fielded a Jodi Nakawatase (Long Beach, CA/Millikan HS) single but threw a one-hopper that eluded catcher Marissa Slattery and wound up in the HSU dugout, allowing pinch-runner Jamie Portillo (La Habra, CA/St. Paul HS) and designated player Katie Jordan (Huntington Beach, CA/Marina HS) to score the tying and winning runs as CSUDH completed a thrilling 3-2 come-from behind win over the 4th-ranked Lumberjacks in a non-conference Sunday afternoon contest.
With the win, CSUDH improves to 11-8, while HSU, falling 2-1 in a morning contest at Cal State San Bernardino, dropped its second one-run decision of the day while dropping to 14-3.
'Jack pitcher Lizzy Prescott looked all the part of an All-American early on, retiring 9 of the first 12 outs via strikeout. After spotting HSU single runs in the 1st and 4th, courtesy of a Natalie Galletly RBI groundout and a Sutherland sacrifice fly, Jennifer Frazier (Buena Park, CA/John F. Kennedy HS) started the Toro offense in their 4th-inning at-bat by drawing a walk before Michelle Medina (Lakewood, CA/St. Joseph HS) earned CSUDH's first hit with a sharp single to left field. One out later, Araceli Martinez (Downey, CA/Warren HS) lofted a high fly ball to right field that got lost in the bright right field sun, landing for a double to bring home CSUDH's first run of the game.
The Toros had a chance to break the game open after an Erika Gonzalez (Los Angeles, CA/Bishop Amat HS) walk loaded the bases, but Prescott regrouped to fan pinch-hitter Akemi Fleming (Long Beach, CA/Millikan HS) and Bri Mahr (Fullerton, CA/Cypress JC) to end the rally.
That's where the score remained until the bottom of the 7th when Mahr began the frame with a sharp single by 3B Francesca West. After Portillo entered as a pinch runner, Jordan bounced a routine grounder to West, but the HSU 3B airmailed her throw over the head of the first baseman, putting runners on 2nd and 3rd. That brought up Nakawatase, who blooped an 0-2 offering just in front of Slattery, after which Slattery proceeded to send her errant throw to home, allowing two unearned runs to score as CSUDH gained the hard-fought.
Nakawatase led the charge with two hits, while Jennifer Martinez (La Habra, CA/Cal State Long Beach) battled a tough 'Jack line-up to pick up her 11th win of the year (11-8), walking five against no strikeouts. HSU's Prescott finished the game with 12 Ks, allowing just one earned run in the loss, while Galletly earned three walks on the day.
In a drastic turn of events from the last time these two teams met at the “Best of the West” Tournament where the Toros committed four errors in the early season loss, HSU's three miscues on the day proved the difference in the Toro triumph.
The Toros continue CCAA Conference play next weekend, hosting Chico State for a four-game set, with the first twinbill scheduled for Friday, March 9, at 1:00 pm on Toro Diamond.
