HOUSTON – In what was a pitcher\’s duel that lasted ten innings, it was No. 8 Humboldt State behind situational hitting and solid base running, coming away victorious from today\’s NCAA Division II Softball championship contest by a 2-1 score over the Lock Haven University Lady Eagles
Both teams battled through four and one half innings of scoreless ball before Humboldt State was able to produce a run in the bottom part of the fifth to break the deadlock and take a 1-0 lead and put the Lady Eagles on the ropes.
After Humboldt State kept the LHU batters at bay through the first six innings of play, a Devin Glezen (Hallstead, Pa./Binghamton) homerun gave new life to Lady Eagles and knotted the contest up at 1-1 a piece with one out in the top of the seventh.
Lock Haven (47-7) would then put the Lumberjacks down in order in the seventh to push extra frames.
Just as a bowler would do at the end of a game, it was the tenth frame for Humboldt State (54-18) that would give them the victory as a liner towards first base hit off the tip of first baseman Krystin Montoro\’s (Coatesville, Pa./Downingtown West) glove as she dove for the ball and Lindsay Warren would then score from second base to give the Jacks a 2-1 victory and knock LHU into unfamiliar territory in the loser\’s bracket.
Key defensive plays kept The Haven in the thick of things as the game progressed while Lock Haven\’s bats struggled to come alive.
With a runner at first base and one out in the second inning an acrobatic Ilia Lopez (Bloomsburg, Pa./Bloomsburg) stabbed a liner out of the air on a full extension and then proceeded to gun the base runner out at first to retire the Humboldt State side on the double play.
Also, the play previous to the Jacks scoring their first run of the game saw a cannon throw from Erica Eisenbise (Wernersville, Pa./Wilson) in right field gun down the runner coming from third to put away two in the inning.
Leading the way at the plate for LHU was the duo of Glezen and Amanda Roosa (Pompton Lakes, N.J./Pompton Lakes). Glezen enjoyed a 2-4 day at the plate with a homerun and Roosa went 3-4 with a trio of singles.
In the circle for The Haven is was Kristin Erb (Reading, Pa./Exeter) (44-7) picking up the loss as she allowed two runs on eight hits and struck out eight.
For Humboldt State, Klug and Marissa Slattery were thorns in Erb\’s side all day as they each went 2-4 with Klug driving in the game winning run.
In the circle, Lizzy Prescott (45-11) led the way with her 45th win of the year as she allowed one run on eight hits and struck out a dozen Lock Haven batters.
LHU\’s quest for a national championship will now traverse the loser\’s bracket as they take on the loser of today\’s final contest between C.W. Post and Emporia State. Tomorrow\’s game is slated to begin at 12:30 p.m. Central time and 1:30 p.m. Eastern time. HavenSports Radio will provide play by play action from the field beginning at 12:20 p.m. Central time and 1:20 p.m. Eastern time.