NCAA Far West Region Softball Championship:
San Francisco State Capitalizes on Porous Chico State Defense to Take 3-1 Decision
Gators advance to make their first appearance at D-2 World Series
May 15, 2005

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Day One      Day Two      Day Three

Final Game Complete Box Score   Tourney Stats

CARSON, Calif.--(May 15, 2005)--Tossing her sixth game of the regional, San Francisco State starting pitcher Sonja Garnett “termi-gatored” No. 6-seeded Chico State (33-16) for the second time in as many days, this time by a 3-1 count, sending the No. 4-seeded Gators (41-19) to their first-ever NCAA II Softball World Series appearance, May 19-23, at the James I. Moyer Softball Complex in Salem, Virginia.

San Francisco State starting pitcher Sonja Garnett “termi-gatored” Chico State as she and her teammates punched their ticket all the way to Salem, VA for the D-2 World Series. Photo by Michael Foo

Garnett scattered seven hits in allowing just one unearned run (30-8), and was aided most by Chico State’s defense, which committed a total of four errors on the day, all coming in a disastrous 2nd inning during which SFSU scored all three of its unearned runs. After a Nichole Ramirez walk to begin the inning for SFSU, CSUC 3B Tera Hoppe committed consecutive fielding and throwing errors to account for one run, while 1B Chelsea Lundberg followed suit with a fielding error of her own, sending two more Gators across home plate, before a Nicole Hartfield sacrifice fly tallied the final run of the inning.

That was more than enough for Garnett, who retired the first 11 batters she faced before an Allie Shirley single broke up the perfect game in the 4th. The Wildcats had a chance to get on the board in the 5th as Lundberg beat out an infield single to begin the inning, but after Nelly Bera doubled down the left field line, Lundberg was thrown out at home to keep SFSU’s shutout alive.

Chico State eventually broke through in its final at-bat as a SFSU error put runners on 1st and 2nd with one out. Bera next singled to 3B to load the bases, but after Megan Farnham reached on a fielder’s choice to bring home the Wildcats’ first run of the game, Garnet induced Nickie Jarrett to ground out, ending the game and beginning the Gator celebration.

Stokx, who was undefeated through CSUC’s first three games, allowed just three hits and no earned runs in dropping her second-consecutive contest to SFSU, ending her year at 14-9. The Wildcats’ Shirley and Bera shared game-high honors with two hits apiece, while SFSU’s Vanessa Rodrique and Nicole Hartfield paced the Gators with a hit and RBI each.

The Gators will face Lynn University (FL) when the World Series begins next Thursday. Lynn took the South Region title with a 3-1 victory over West Florida this afternoon.

2005 ALL-WEST REGIONAL TEAM
Catcher Jenny CHACON Chico State
INF Chelsea LUNDBERG Chico State
INF Kate GRODEN Cal State Dominguez Hills
INF Vanessa RODRIQUE San Francisco State
INF Cindy PERRY Cal State Dominguez Hills
OF Christy WANKEL Montana St.-Billings
OF Jennifer WILSON Cal State Dominguez Hills
OF Kristin BARTHOLAMAY San Francisco State
P Sonja GARNETT San Francisco State
P Katie STOKX Chico State
DP Linda REYES Cal State Dominguez Hills
At Large Joey EHNES Montana St.-Billings
At Large Chrissy HILDEBRANDT San Francisco State
MVP Sonja GARNETT San Francisco State