Wildcats Silence Jacket Bats at NCAA Tourney (May 12, 2005)
Box Score

CARSON, CA – In the NCAA Tournament good pitching often beats good hitting.  That was the case Thursday afternoon as Cal State-Chico held on to upset Montana State-Billings, 2-1, in the first round of the NCAA West Regional.  The Wildcats’ Katie Stokx out dueled the Jackets’ Joey Ehnes to send Chico into the second round and MSU Billings into the loser bracket.

Stokx went the distance, giving up just three hits and striking out eight in the win.  She only allowed base runners in the first and seventh innings, sitting down the Jackets in order in each of the five innings in between.  Stokx improved to 12-7 on the season. 

Ehnes (Sr., Great Falls, MT) was almost as effective, scattering six hits and two runs over seven innings.  She struck out seven and walked none but fell to 27-10 with the Yellowjacket offense sputtering.  Ehnes made few mistakes in the game, but the biggest was a fourth inning home run to Chico’s Chelsea Lundberg.  That two run shot over the fence in left center proved to be the difference in the game. 

Lundberg’s home run, her team-leading seventh of the season, scored Allison Shirley who had led off the inning with a fluke infield single.  Both third baseman Sara Hanley (Sr., Kalispell, MT) and shortstop Cami Rainey (Sr., Terreton, ID) lost Shirley’s pop up in the sun and it fell in for a single.  After Stokx sacrificed Shirley over to second, Lundberg hit her shot that turned out to be the game winner.  Lundberg was 2-for-3 in the game with a double and a home run.

The Yellowjackets threatened in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with one out as Stokx struggled to find the strike zone.  Ehnes drew a one out walk and moved to second on a Rachel Quarnburg (So., Billings, MT) single up the middle.  The Jackets loaded the bases when Theresa Campbell (Sr., Great Falls, MT) drew a walk.  The threat was erased on the next at bat, however, when Christy Wankel (Jr., Great Falls, MT) grounded back to the pitcher for a 1-2-3 inning ending double play.

Over the next five innings, Stokx shut down the Yellowjacket bats that entered the game with a combined 51 home runs on the season.  MSU Billings finally broke through in the seventh, but couldn’t get the tying run across.  After the first two batters flew out, Wankel started the rally with a two out single through the right side of the infield.  Jenna Haacke (Fr., Billings, MT) drew a walk to move Wankel to second, and Danielle Musck (So., Denton, MT) pinch ran for Haacke. 

With runners on first and second, Stephanie Cochrun (Sr., Lake Stevens, WA) hit a two strike single to center field to drive in Wankel.  Cochrun’s hit was inches away from tying the game as the Wildcats’ centerfielder Amber Neves tired to make a diving catch.  She was fortunate enough to have the ball glance off her glove and remain in front of her, keeping the fleet Musick on second base. 

Had the ball gotten past Neves, Musick would have easily scored to tie the game.  As it was, Neves was able to hold Musick on second and Aysha Blatter (So., Richland, WA) grounded to third base on the next at bat.  The Cats’ Tera Hoppe stepped on the bag to force out Musick and end the game.

The sixth seeded Wildcats improved to 31-14 and moved on to face host Cal State-Dominguez Hills in Thursday’s late game.  The Yellowjackets fell to 34-13 and will play top seeded Humboldt State at 11:30 a.m. PST on Friday.  The Lumberjacks were upset by fourth seeded San Francisco State, 1-0, in the early afternoon game.

Humboldt, ranked second in the nation, defeated the Yellowjackets three times this season.  They won 1-0 at the Central Washington Tournament.  MSU Billings led the Jacks 2-1 in the eighth inning of a game at the Easton Tournament of Champions before Humboldt rallied to win 3-2.  The Lumberjacks then beat the Yellowjackets 4-0 in the semifinals of the Easton. 

If the Yellowjackets are to advance in this week’s NCAA West Regional, they’ll have to beat the Lumberjacks for the first time in school history.  Humboldt is 9-0 all time against MSU Billings.

First Round Capsules
(Courtesy of CSU-Dominguez Hills Sports Information)
GAME 1 - #4 SAN FRANCISCO STATE 2, #5 HAWAII-HILO 0
GAME 2 - #6 CHICO STATE 2, #3 MONTANA STATE BILLINGS 1
GAME 3 - #4 SAN FRANCISCO STATE 1, #1 HUMBOLDT STATE 0
GAME 4 - #6 CHICO STATE 4, #2 CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS 2

SAN FRANCISCO STATE SHUTS OUT HAWAII-HILO, 2-0
CARSON, Calif.--(May 12, 2005)--Chrissy Hildebrandt went 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Sonja Garnett tossed a four-hit shutout to lead No. 4 seed San Francisco State to a
2-0 victory over No. 6 seed University of Hawaii-Hilo in opening round action in the NCAA II Far West Softball Regional at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
    SFSU (37-18) picked up the only run they would need in the first on a RBI single by Hildebrandt.  The Gators got an insurance run in the third with another run scoring single off the bat of Hildebrandt for the final score.
    Garnett (26-7) made it stand up striking out eight and walking only one to lead San Francisco State.  Leo Sing Chow (9-4) took the loss for the Vulcans allowing both runs (one earned), on five hits and a walk, while fanning five batters.
    SFSU will advance to take on No. 1 seed and second-ranked Humboldt State in game three of the regional beginning at 2 PM.  UHH (31-10) will play Friday at 9 AM against host Cal State Dominguez Hills, who lost later in the day to No. 6 seeded Chico State by a score of 4-2.

CHICO STATE HOLDS ON FOR WIN OVER MONTANA ST-BILLINGS, 2-1
CARSON, Calif.--(May 12, 2005)--Chelsea Lundberg went 2-for-3, including her seventh home run of the year, and drove in two RBI's to lead No 6 seed Chico State to a 2-1 win over No. 3 seed Montana State-Billings in opening round action of the 2005 NCAA II Far West Softball Regional.
    Lundberg connected in the fourth inning with a runner on and one out with a deep drive over the centerfield wall to put Chico State (31-14) up, 2-0.  That was all the run support starter Katie Stokx (12-7) would need as she went the distance allowing one run on three hits while striking out eight.
    Montana State-Billings (34-12) made it interesting in the seventh pushing across a run with two outs.  However, Stokx induced a game-ending fielder's choice with runners on first and second the end the game.
    Joey Ehnes (27-10) suffered the loss for the Yellowjackets, allowing both runs on six hits while fanning seven batters.
    Chico State advances to take on host and No. 2 seed Cal State Dominguez Hills later today at 4:30 p.m.  MSU Billings will play on Friday in the loser's bracket at 11:30 a.m. against No. 1 seed and second-ranked Humboldt State, who were upset later in the day by San Francisco State, 1-0.

SAN FRANCISCO STATE UPSETS NO. 1 SEED HUMBOLDT STATE, 1-0
CARSON, Calif.--(May 12, 2005)--Nichole Ramirez scored from third base on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning and pitcher Sonja Garnett made it stand up as No. 4 seed San Francisco State knocked No. 1 seed Humboldt State into the loser's bracket in opening round action at the 2005 NCAA II Far West Softball Regional held at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
    Garnett (27-7) picked up her second win and second shutout on the day after tossing a four-hit, eight strikeout complete game gem earlier in the day against Hawaii-Hilo.  Garnett stifled the Lumberjacks, ranked No. 2 in the latest NFCA national poll, allowing only four hits, no walks and striking out four.
    Humboldt State (60-5) threatened in the bottom of the fifth with runners on second and third and two outs.  However, Garnett got Michelle Block to ground out into an inning-ending fielder's choice to end the threat.
    Lumberjack starter Lizzy Prescott (24-3) suffered the loss going the first five innings, allowing a run on three hits and struck out four.  Tracy Motzny tossed the final two innings giving up a hit while striking out two.
    Humboldt State will take on Montana State-Billings in the loser's bracket Friday morning beginning at 11:30 a.m.  San Francisco State moves on to face No. 6 seed Chico State tomorrow at 2 PM, who upset No. 2 seed and host Cal State Dominguez Hills, 4-2, later in the day.

CHICO STATE POWERS PAST NO. 2 SEEDED CAL STATE DOMINGUEZ HILLS, 4-2
CARSON, Calif.--(May 12, 2005)--Chelsea Lundberg and Katie Stokx each connected for 2-run home runs as the Wildcats took a 4-2 decision from No. 2 seeded Cal State Dominguez Hills in game 4 of the 2005 NCAA II Far West Softball Regional.
    After the Toros took a 1-0 lead in their 1st inning at-bat, Lundberg and Stokx answered with 2-run home runs in the 4th and 6th innings, respectively to take a 4-1 lead.
    The Toros had a golden opportunity to stage a comeback in their final at-bat after Valerie Long led off the frame with a solo blast to cut the deficit in half.  After Jennifer Funk followed with a clean single to right field, a Cindy Perry chopper to 3rd, a CSUC throwing error, and a Perry stolen base put runners at 2nd and 3rd with none out, sending the heart of the lineup to the plate.  Stokx, however, would dig deep in her second game of the afternoon, the Toros 2, 3 and 4 batters in order for the win
    Long threw a complete game in the loss (20-5), allowing four hits and all four runs.  Perry added two walks to her two base hits, adding two stolen bases for good measure.  Stokx earned her 13th win of the year in the contest (13-7), scattering six hits and two runs, while also leading the Wildcats with two hits.
    The Toros face Hawaii-Hilo in a 9 a.m. elimination contest Friday morning, with the winner to advancing to play the Humboldt State / Montana State Billings survivor in the day’s final contest, scheduled for 4:30 p.m.