ARCATA – The numbers were, in a word, staggering. In what will unequivocally go down as the greatest offensive display in Chico State softball history, the Wildcats pounded out 57 runs and 69 hits in its four game series against Humboldt State, and after losing the opener 16-9, came back Sunday to score 12 runs in the 10th inning – 11 coming with two outs – to down the Lumberjacks 24-15 in Friday's suspended second game, then later in the day sweeping the regularly scheduled doubleheader by scores of 9-7 and 15-7 at the Humboldt State Softball Field. For the series, the 'Cats batted a jaw-dropping .445 as a team with 19 extra-base hits and eight home runs.
Speaking of numbers, in the all-important win-loss column, the three Sunday victories moved No. 4 Chico State to 12-3 on the season and into third place in the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) with a 6-2 conference mark. Humboldt State fell to 7-10 overall and 1-7 in CCAA play.
The individual numbers put up this weekend by Chico State's hitters are enough to make even the biggest stat rat dizzy. Hailey Stockman was 9-for-17 over the four games, reaching base 14 times, scoring nine runs, belting five home runs – including two grand slams – and driving in 18 runs. Sam Quadt went 12-for-16 at the plate, scoring nine runs and racking up eight RBI. No less than five other 'Cats – Britt Wright, Diana Payan, Rachel Failla, Bianca Lopez and Taylor Hanamaikai – collected seven or more hits in the series, with Failla delivering two big flies and Hanamaikai smashing her first-ever home run as a Wildcat. The ultra-productive weekend leaves Chico State with a lusty .369 batting average.
Friday's suspended game already had a crazy feel to it – Humboldt State had hit five home runs in the contest, and the Wildcats blew a 12-7 lead in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings – and it was picked up Sunday in equally crazy fashion. With the score knotted up at 12-apiece in the top of the ninth, Chico State loaded the bases with nobody out, only to see its rally short-circuit by hitting into an inning-ending triple play. Humboldt had a chance to win in its half of the ninth, putting the first two batters aboard, but Sam Baker retired the next three hitters she faced to set up the wild 10th inning.
Failla immediately put the 'Cats on top 13-12 when she led off with a home run against Humboldt pitcher Jessica George. With two outs and Kelli Keefe at third, the next 11 Wildcat batters reached base, with 11 cross the plate. Lopez started the surge with an RBI single; Stockman doubled home a run, and a bases-loaded walk to Emily McEnaney forced home Quadt to make the score 16-12. Stockman would then score on a wild pitch, and Failla followed with a two-run single to make it a 19-12 game. Failla eventually scored when Keefe reached on a Humboldt throwing error, then two-run singles by Quadt and Wright wrapped up the rally and put Chico State up 24-12. Humboldt State definitely went down swinging, scoring three times in the bottom of the 10th inning, but it wasn't nearly enough to make up a 12-run deficit, and the Wildcats came away with the 24-15 victory.
The teams combined for 45 hits in the game, with Chico State collecting 29. Five Wildcats – Wright, Lopez, Quadt, Failla and Hanamaikai – had four hits; Quadt drove in six runs, with Wright, Lopez and Failla knocking in three apiece. Stockman added three hits and four RBI, while Keefe had three hits and scored four times. Baker tossed three-and-two-thirds innings of relief to pick up the win, improving to 5-1 on the year.
BOX SCORE - Suspended Game Two of Friday's doubleheader
In the first game of the regularly scheduled doubleheader, Alicia Reid's two-run homer – her fourth round-tripper of the series – gave Humboldt State a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Chico State struck back in the top of the third, scoring five times – a walk to Wright and singles by Lopez and Quadt loaded the bags for Stockman, who cleared the bases with a home run to give the Wildcats a 4-2 lead. Later in the frame, Failla walked and scored on a throwing error to push the 'Cats advantage to three.
Dani Randall's two-out, two-run single off Kayla McConnell in the bottom of the third brought Humboldt back to within 5-4, but in the top of sixth Chico State's top power hitter struck again – with two outs and runners at second and third, the Lumberjacks elected to walk Quadt intentionally to face Stockman. The senior from Auburn made Humboldt pay big-time, launching her second grand slam of the contest to make the score 9-4. The Lumberjacks scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to make it interesting, but Chico State, on the strength of a 13-hit attack, held on for the 9-7 victory. McConnell (2-1) pitched six-and-two-thirds innings to pick up the win for the Wildcats.
BOX SCORE - Game One of scheduled Sunday doubleheader
Payan got the 'Cats rolling in the nightcap, knocking in Quadt with a two-out double in the top of the first inning to put Chico State on top 1-0. The lead didn't last long, as Kirstan Nouzovsky led off Humboldt State's half of the first with a home run to knot up the contest. In the top of the third inning, Stockman answered with another big fly, this time a solo shot, giving the Wildcats a 2-1 lead.
The 'Cats opened up a nine-run bulge in the top of the fourth – Failla and Hanamaikai led off the inning with home runs, followed by a Jackie Munoz double and RBI single by Lopez to make it a 5-1 game. A walk to Quadt and a single by Stockman loaded the bases for Payan, who knocked in a pair with a double to right-center. Cassidy Olson promptly singled home a run, and Payan would score on a throwing error before Hanamaikai finished off the eight-run rally with an RBI single, giving Chico State a seemingly comfortable 10-1 advantage.
Humboldt State came roaring back with six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to three, but in the top of the fifth Quadt singled home Wright to extend the Wildcats' lead to 11-7. The Lumberjacks threatened again in the bottom of the sixth, loading the bases with two outs, but McConnell got Courtney Hiatt to line out to right field to end the inning.
Chico State produced some insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning – with two outs, back-to-back RBI base hits by Quadt and Stockman, followed by a two-run single by Payan, stretched the 'Cats lead to eight. In what was a truly ironic finish to a series that produced a combined 102 runs and 120 hits, McConnell set down Humboldt State in order in the bottom of the seventh to end it, giving the Wildcats the 15-7 win and the three-to-one series victory.
BOX SCORE - Game Two of scheduled Sunday doubleheader
Chico State returns home Friday and Saturday to host Cal State Stanislaus in a four-game series at University Softball Field. Friday's doubleheader will get underway at 12 p.m., with Saturday's twinbill slated for 11:00 a.m.
